Va, Va, Va-voom Jorge!

Via Yankees.com

While I would love nothing more than to have just one more season with Jorge Posada back in pinstripes, I must admit that I'm digging his new gig as the spokesperson for Johnnie Walker Black. Jorge is looking absolutely fantastic in both the commercials and print ads for the whiskey maker, but that's not surprising. Our former catcher was a looker even in a dirty uniform and a mask.

Congratulations Jorge!! I'm sure that Johnny Walker sales will triple now with your face as it's new marketing strategy.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

What A Home Opener Should Be

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A Friday afternoon in the city. Sixty-five degrees under bright, sunny skies. A capacity crowd at the stadium. A beloved member of The Core Four throwing out the first pitch. And the afternoon capped off by a 5-0 shutout of the Angels. The Yankees made my day yesterday. *Curses* to not being at the stadium!

Jorge Posada, returning to the stadium to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, was a great moment. It was odd seeing him run out their in "civilian" clothes, though; just made it even more apparent that he would no longer be out their playing in pinstripes. I loved that he was able to throw the ball to his dad, the man whom he credits for making him such a great baseball player. And it was nice how the team stood behind him while he was on the mound. They'll never forget everything Jorge did for the team, and I'm sure yesterday will rank high on his list of great Yankee memories.

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So I guess all Alex Rodriguez needed was to get a whiff of the air in the Bronx. After a five-game slump, he came out blazing in yesterday's game, going 3-for-4 with two singles and his 630th home run. He also threw in a stolen base for good measure. Alex is now tied with Ken Griffey, Jr. for 5th place on the all-time home run list, and needs 30 more to tie Willie Mays for 4th place. I think he can get that done this year; last season was the first in 14 that he didn't reach the 30 homer mark, and regardless of how bad the season played out for him, I'm not ready to give up hope that A-Rod can still put up big power numbers.

And how about Nick Swisher? He's been coming up with big hits for the Yankees, and today, his three-run, base-clearing double in the first inning proved to be the game winner. Swish has been seeing the ball really well, and is looking good at the plate; he's not swinging at too many pitches out of the zone and is fouling off balls pitched inside. I'm expecting him to have a season comparable to 2010; this is a contract year for Swish and with his name having been bounced around in trade talk for the prior two seasons, it's a no-brainer that he'll have to show the organization why he's more valuable to them than not.

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But today's game was really about Hiroki Kuroda. He pitched 8+ innings of shutout ball, allowing just five hits and  two walks while striking out six. He showed all four of his pitches--fastball, slider, sinker and curveball--mixing speeds anywhere from 78 to 93 mph. He had great command throughout the game, and showed a steady demeanor for a pitcher making his debut at the stadium. It was nice to see him bounce back from his shaky start in Tampa Bay.

And Curtis Granderson hit his second homer of the season; a line drive over the porch in right field that barely looked like a double at the point of contact. Grandy started Opening Week slow, but has picked up the pace rather nicely in the last few games.

Today, Phil Hughes gets his second start and will face CJ Wilson. There are two things I'm hoping will happen: Wilson doesn't make the Yankees regret not signing him in the offseason, and A-Rod and Albert Pujols go toe-to-toe in a match-up of the active home run leader versus his heir apparent. Today's game starts at 1pm on FOX.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

A-Rod Talks Surgery, Teammates, Jorge and Bobby V. Comments

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This afternoon, Alex Rodriguez phoned into The Michael Kay Show on 1050 ESPN Radio, and answered questions from Kay on several topics. If you missed it, here are some interesting excerpts from the interview:

On the number of games he should play this season:

"It doesn't really matter what I say here in February or March. It doesn't really make a lot of sense for me to throw out any type of number. I've worked extremely hard [and] I'm preparing myself to go out there and put up a big number as far as games played and be very productive and help this team win."

On making adjustments due to his age:

"I think for me, I'm not lowering my expectations. You know...again, I've worked extremely hard and I think I'm in great shape and ready to go for a great season. I'm not lowering my expectations, that's for sure. The one thing, you wanna go in and put up the big numbers with games played and, you know, let the chips fall where they may."

On the orthokine treatment:

"I feel good. I talked to Kobe [Bryant] [and] he raved about the procedure. You know, I respect Kobe a lot and [when] someone of his stature endorses something like this that can be beneficial to me physically, I felt it was worth taking a look at it. I'm very happy with the outcome so far"

On Bobby Valentine's comments about his "fight" with Jason Varitek:

"I didn't actually read the whole thing. You know...I think it's important to know that the reason why everyone cares so much about this rivalry is because for a long time, both teams have contended for a championship. If both teams were losing games, no one would really care. It's because they have great players, great management and that's why they care. It's not for anything anybody says off the field."

On Varitek not taking his mask off:

"I don't remember that {laughing}."

On Michael Pineda:

"Electric stuff. I remember talking to some of the guys and we just looked at each other and said, 'Wow!' You know, this kid has all the potential in the world. When Cashman makes a move like this...it makes you feel like a little kid again; it reminds you of why it feels great to be a New York Yankee and play for this great organization. I remember calling CC [Sabathia] and [Mark Teixeira] and half a dozen of my teamamtes, and celebrating getting such a great arm."

On Raul Ibanez:

"Raul and I were teammates...in 1994 and I was in Wisconsin in A-ball. I hit third and he hit fourth and, you know, Raul is one of the greatest...classiest human beings you've ever met right there in the line of Mariano Rivera. This guy is...unbelievable. He gets to the stadium at 6:30 in the morning and I think I left [there] an hour ago, and he was still there. And he looked in the mirror and he said, 'Alex, can you believe I'm wearing this uniform? It's surreal, I still can't believe it.' Here's a guy that's played north of twelve years and feels like a rookie."

On AJ Burnett:

"Well, I respect AJ. [He's] a good friend, and I mainly want to thank him for helping us win a championship in 2009. He is a great competitor, he has great stuff and not only me, but all his teammmates...we wish him the best."

On the absence of Jorge Posada:

"You know, what Jorgie brought to this team was very unique. Besides being one of the greatest switch-hitting catchers of all time, he was a fierce leader for us. No one is going to ...replace that. I think other players are going to have to come in and step up their game.

"One thing for me, he belongs up there with the Yankee greats, and that's a tough group to crack."

 On A-Rod seeing the end of his career:

"You can always see the end. It's inevitable. You wish the game can go on forever, but it doesn't; we're sort of on borrowed time. I think all of us who are kind of in the seventh inning or the fourth quarter of our careers, we're cherishing the game more and more each and every day."

On talking Mariano Rivera out of retirement:

"Like I said, no one plays forever. Selfishly, I want Mo to play for a long time. The one thing about Mo, everyone calls him the best reliever of all time, but very easily, he could be the best pitcher of all time.

"What's overshadowed is what he [brings] to the clubhouse. Mariano for me, has been such a rock. I think it's even more impressive what he does in the clubhouse than what he does on the mound."

On Robinson Cano hitting third in the lineup:

"I think Robbie is in a very special place in his career. I think the sky is the limit for him. If he gets in a position where he's comfortable hitting in that third spot, and add probably 50 or 60 at-bats, he can get in a groove where he can do some very special things. And without a question, he's going to be the main ingredient of what we do here in the next three to four years."

On whether the Yankees actually practice the play where Derek Jeter makes the "flip:"

"Absolutely. I can't really explain it because that's the shortstop's responsibility. But when Derek is on [here], he'll explain it to you {laughing}. We probably practiced it eight or ten times today."

(Interview courtesy of The Michael Kay Show, 1050 ESPN Radio)

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Jorge Posada: A True Yankee Classic

Associated Press

Jorge Posada, one of the toughest, grittiest yet most humble Yankee to ever wear the pinstripes, officially announced his retirement this morning and the sentiment of his announcement is bittersweet. While it is extremely hard for all us fanatics to see Jorge's career come to an end, I think we all know in our hearts and minds that perhaps it was time. And there is no shame in that; he says his farewell after having an incredible career--arguably a Hall of Fame career--and while his final season in 2011 came with several bumps in the road, all-in-all Jorge gave us the very best of himself every time he hit the field.

 And when I say that perhaps it was time for Jorge to retire, it's not because I believe he is done; in fact, I think that Jorge could easily play two more years as a back-up catcher or a DH. I really do believe that. But if Jorge did play, it would be with another team, and with as much integrity and respect as this man always carries himself with on the field, I just don't think his heart would ever be where it always was with the Yankees. It wasn't simply playing baseball that Jorge loved, but it was playing in the Bronx.

 "I didn't see [playing for another team] in me," Jorge said to YES Network's Michael Kay after the press conference. "I didn't see myself playing in another uniform. I wanted to stay in a Yankees uniform; pinstripes forever."

 So, as Jorge enters the second chapter of his life with his beautiful wife Laura and their two children, Jorge Jr. and Paulina, I find it so much more easy to accept his transition by focusing on his greatness. And if you don't believe that Jorge Posada should be considered a great Yankee, you haven't been paying much attention for the past 17 years. Let the stats speak for themselves:

• 5-Time World Series champion ('96, '98-'00, '09)
• 5-Time All-Star ('00-'03, '07)
• 5-Time Silver Slugger Award winner ('00-'03, '07)
• 2-Time Top 10 AL MVP candidate ('03-3rd place, '07-6th place)
• 5th catcher all-time to reach 275 homeruns, 1500 hits, 1000 RBIs and 350 doubles
• Ranks second only to Yogi Berra in career home runs by a Yankee catcher (Berra - 358)
• Ranks 3rd in career runs, hits and RBIs by a Yankee catcher with 900, 1668 and 1,065, respectively (Only Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey rank higher)
• Ranked highest in home runs, RBIs and hits than any other MLB catcher from 2000-2011

And while the stats are an undeniable account of Jorge's greatness, they don't begin to tell the true story of what he's meant to the pinstripes. Jorge represented honor, strength, intelligence and a keen understanding of the game. He played the game with heart because it was what he loved to do. He played the game with grit because that is what is always expected by the Yankees organization and its fan base. He played the game with pride because that was the only way to honor the great Yankee catchers that came before him.

“Jorge has bled the pinstripes for a long, long time," Alex Rodriguez said in a statement. "And he played with a passion that certainly rubbed off on his teammates. To play the number of games that he did, at the level he did, year in and year out, at the toughest position on the field, is a credit to his commitment to his craft. He left everything out on the field, and that’s what made him special."

I'll always remember the grand moments that Jorge gave us over the years, and there were many. The 2-run triple that scored Bernie Williams and Hideki Matsui in the 2003 ALCS game 7 against the Red Sox; the tag on Jeremy Giambi during the "Flip Play" in the 2001 ALDS game 3; the home run that put the Yankees ahead for good in game 3 of the 2009 ALDS against Minnesota; hitting the first home run at the new Yankee Stadium; going back-to-back days hitting a grand slam on June 12th and 13th in 2010; hitting the 2-run single that secured the Yankees AL East title last year. These are all incredible memories from an incredible player.

Like many of you fanatics, I am a Yankee fan who not only appreciates the history of the team and organization, but always appreciates the players that come along to keep the Yankee tradition alive. Jorge was such a player. And while it will be very difficult not seeing him in the uniform, it is also gratifying to know that he left the game his way and on his terms. And deservedly so; he's earned his place in Yankees history, in baseball history and in all our hearts.

"The passion that he had for the game...he showed me a lot," Mariano Rivera said to YES Network's Bob Lorenz. "That's why I care for him. That's why I thank God for him."

And so do we. No matter what is to become of Jorge's newest chapter, we will always love and appreciate him for everything he gave us in his 17 years in the pinstripes.

Thank God for Jorge Posada. A true Yankee classic!

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

It's Official: Jorge Posada Will Retire

Via inquisitr.com

Wow. The Core Four continues to dwindle down. I will have my own farewell post to Jorge after I've taken this in; you guys know how emotional I get with this stuff. But for now, here is the article from ESPNNewYork.com:


The "Core Four" is down to two.

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada is planning to retire, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
  
Posada, shortstop Derek Jeter, closer Mariano Rivera and left-handed pitcher Andy Pettitte compiled the core group that helped the Yankees win five World Series championships between 1996-2009.
Pettitte retired after the 2010 season.

Posada hit .235 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs last season.

After Posada's final game last October, he was asked what playing for the Yankees had meant to him -- and he broke down in tears, before walking away from reporters.

Posada probably could have continued his career somewhere as a designated hitter and padded his career numbers of 275 home runs, 1,065 RBIs and 936 walks. But Posada always cherished the privilege and responsibility of being the Yankees catcher.

He viewed Thurman Munson as an idol, and converted from second base to catcher after being drafted by the Yankees in the 24th round of the 1990 draft.
Swinging with pine tar on his hands, and without batting gloves, he was a five-time All-Star, caught David Wells' perfect game in 1998, and played in 125 games in October. He is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, but his legacy as a Yankee probably means more to him.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Bad Timing: Boras Wants New Contract for Robinson Cano

I really love Robinson Cano. Really. This is a guy who has done nothing over the last few seasons except give the Yankees everything that they wanted and needed from him. Here's a dude that goes out on the field and plays at the highest level; off the field: no drama, no issues.You wouldn't be able to blame the guy if he were to develop somewhat of a "me now" attitude though, as he has clearly become the best player on the Yankees entire roster. But, he's never given me, and probably no other fanatic, any reason to believe that he would do nothing more than continue to go about his business the right way.

But, he hired Scott Boras as his agent. Big mistake.

According to this article in The New York Post, Boras is asking the Yankees to drop the two club options on Cano's existing contract and negotiate on a new one.

"I called [Brian Cashman] to ask about dropping the options," Boras told the Post. "He hasn't returned the call."

The Yankees have options on Cano that will pay him $14 million in 2012 and $15 million in 2013. For a player of Cano's caliber, it makes sense that the team would exercise both options; less than $30 million over two years for the best hitter on the Yankees, not to mention the best second baseman in baseball, is a gimme.

Let's break down the numbers. In 159 games this season, Cano hit .302 with 28 homers, 118 RBIs and had an OPS of .882. Last year, he finished the season with a .319 AVG, 29 homers, 109 RBIs and an OPS of .914. He was 1st for the Yankees in 2011 in hits with 188, second to Curtis Granderson in runs and slugging percentage with 104 and .533, respectively, and was promoted to hitting 3rd in the lineup during the postseason. Clearly Cano has a case here, as it generally goes that with more production comes more money, and the Yankees would have a hard time arguing that he is undeserving of a bigger paycheck.

But what bothers me here, is the timing. This news from the Cano/Boras camp is not as lethal a blow of disrespect as the opt-out announcement of Alex Rodriguez during the 2007 World Series, but it is reminiscent. Why come with this now, when it's clear that the Yankees need to be focusing all of their attention and ample resources on securing CC Sabathia if the big guy decides to opt out of his contract, and all signs say he will? Would it have been too much to ask to allow the Yankees to deal with that issue and then bring on the "mo' money" parade? No disrespect to Cano at all, but Sabathia is worth way more in Yankee gold than Cano is. With no outstanding starting pitchers on the market that the Yankees can buy, bringing back one of the best in the league should be priority no. 1. And let's not forget that Cashman still has to secure another viable starter for the rotation. The Yankees shouldn't  have to deal with talk of a contract extension for any other player on the team this offseason. To say that Scott Boras is probably the most hated agent in Yankeeland, is an understatement.

This is going to be something really interesting to watch unfold. It is the Yankees' "policy" to not offer contract extensions to their players. But again, Cano is the Yankees' franchise player right now; to not offer him an extension will be perceived by many, and possibly Cano, as the team not recognizing his value. The bar on recognition was set with A-Rod's $275 million, 10-year contract. Yankee stars have been hoping for that same acknowledgment ever since (See Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada). If the team won't pay him now, and Cano still has several years in his prime ahead of him, what do you think this will mean when he becomes a free agent in 2013? It could mean a super-big payday for Cano, as other teams are sure to clamor for his services, and a big headache for Cashman.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

The Loss That Almost Wasn't

What a loss for the Yankees last night. Could you believe that game, fanatics? Talk about a nail-biter. By the time the 6th inning was over, I had convinced myself that a loss would be okay, as it would still keep us in first place in the AL East. But then the boys gave me reason to believe that last night would have been a good night for pie. It was too good to be true.

A. Causi / NY Post

So let's examine the loss. First, Bartolo Colon pitched another not-so-great game. I wouldn't call it a bad game, because he actually pitched pretty well; the fastball was on and he threw a decent slider, although he got tagged twice for homers on that pitch. He did manage to strike out five batters without any walks, but he also gave up five runs in his 6.1 innings (two of which had been left on base until Boone Logan gave up a costly double in relief in the 7th inning).

Watching Colon's past few starts, I'm beginning to wonder if my original fear is beginning to become a reality. As most of you already know, I was not a fan of the Yankees signing Colon during the offseason, and what's happening now is the reason why. Longevity. He is without a doubt a great pitcher, and I have completely conceded to his wizardry on the mound, but, having gone such a long time not pitching in the majors before this season, how long can he stay as fresh as he had been in the first half? Last night's game marked the most innings he's pitched in a season since his Cy Young year in 2005. That was six years ago, people!! It's no wonder that he is slowly winding down. We could point to the difference in his appearances after the calf strain and use the "he hasn't been the same since his injury" excuse, but I suspect something more obvious; Colon is tired. It's time to go back to a 5-man rotation for now, and give the big guy some more rest.

And let's face it, the offense had nothing clicking last night for the first seven innings. Oakland's RHP Brandon McCarthy, completely shut the lineup down with the exception of The Captain.

Reuters

But that 8th inning, boy was that an exciting inning. The Captain gets his 3rd hit of the night. Curtis Granderson walks on a full count. Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano fly out and line out, respectively, but Nick Swisher slugs a first-pitch, 3-run homer to center. It's a 6-3 game now.

Then in the 9th, Jorge Posada homers and it's a 6-4 game. Russell Martin doubles. Brett Gardner reaches on an error. At this point, everything in me is calling for pie. Then something crazy happened.

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Derek Jeter bunted over Martin and Gardner, putting them on 2nd and 3rd. He bunted! Normally I would have no problem with this, especially because there was no one out. But Jeter was 3-for-3 on the night; why bunt now? I can't understand at all why Joe Girardi would opt to give up an out there when, as hot as The Captain has been lately, probably could have driven in at least Martin who was in scoring position. Was I the only one who felt that the inning's momentum just died on that bunt? That out changed the whole dynamic of the Yankees chances to even tie the game, and it's another example of Girardi's tendency to over-manage in big-game situations. 

But it wasn't over yet. Again, Grandy walked on a full count, loading the bases. Tex would pop-out. Cano would walk and score Martin. With the game then at 5-6 with two outs, the hero of the 8th inning, Swisher, would step into the box and drill another deep drive to center. But that time it wouldn't carry, and Coco Crisp would secure the win for the A's. Oh, how I so wanted pie!

Speaking of Tex, what's with all the pop-ups? It just needs to stop along with his poor hitting. I said a few days ago that I might be able to overlook the lack of hitting because he's on target with his power. But last night, going 0-for-5 and leaving men on base in four of his five at-bats, was beyond disappointing to say the least, and that final pop-up magnified the poor judgment of the Jeter bunt by a thousand.

Tonight, CC Sabathia goes for his 18th win against Oakland's Trevor Cahill. CC has been shaky himself as of late; hopefully he'll be back to business as usual.

And...

Corey Sipkin / Daily News

Alex Rodriguez is expected to be back in tonight's lineup. X-rays on the jammed thumb that kept him out of last night's game, came up negative. He commented that putting on a glove gave him the most pain, so I would expect him to be the DH if he does play tonight.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Hip, Hip, Jorge!

It's been a rough year for Jorge Posada.

A valued member of the "Core Four," he has taken a lot of hits this year, beginning in the offseason, when GM Brian Cashman told him that he would no longer be the everyday catcher for the Yankees, but would instead be their designated hitter. It was a move that most of us saw coming, taking into account Jorge's age and the injuries that have plagued him for the past few seasons, coupled with the rising star of prospect Jesus Romero and the known defense of newcomer Russell Martin. Being the DH made sense, as Jorge has always been productive as a hitter, but his efforts in April and May were, for lack of a better word, lackluster, as he batted .132 and .219, respectively.

And who could forget "Jorge-Gate;" my term for the craziness that surrounded Jorge's request for a "day off" just an hour before a start on May 14, after learning of his demotion in the lineup during a series against the Red Sox at the stadium. It was an ugly turn of events that left many believing Jorge's run with the Yankees may come to an end this year.

But, Jorge managed to turn things around in June. He batted .382, getting 26 hits in 22 games. It seemed as though he was on his way back to being the hitter he once was, and on the verge of silencing the critics who deemed him "washed up." But it wouldn't last very long, as July saw his production dwindling again. He fared better overall than he had earlier in the season, but in 17 games following the All-Star break, Jorge went homer-less and managed only two RBIs. The lack of hitting was enough to force Joe Girardi to make a difficult, but necessary decision.

And so, it was announced last Sunday, that Jorge would no longer be the everyday DH, but would instead be a bench player. The honor of DH would go to Eric Chavez, who could be platooned to third base on days when starters like Derek Jeter or Mark Teixeira need a day off from playing in the field.

"[Girardi] said he's going to put the best lineup on the field," Jorge said. "And he doesn't know when I'm going to DH again, so right now I'm sitting the bench."

The one thing that most of us had to know, was that there was no way Jorge would repeat the mistake he made on May 14 by throwing another "temper tantrum." The criticism he received by haters and fans alike was scathing, and I believe he learned all too fast how quickly even an icon can turn into Public Enemy No. 1. What Jorge needed to do was just be ready to play whenever called upon, and give Girardi a reason to rethink his position. He did that yesterday.

Coming up to the plate in his first at-bat yesterday afternoon against the Rays, Jorge received a standing ovation at the stadium from sympathetic fans who wanted to show him that they appreciated all he's done for the Yankees in his career. Jorge responded with a two-RBI single to right field. He answered a second round of cheers in the fourth inning, with a single to center. For an encore in the fifth, following a solo shot by Curtis Granderson and a double and two walks by Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez, respectively, Jorge smacked a grand slam homer to the right field porch; the tenth of his career. It put the Yankees ahead 7-0 and they would go on to win 9-2. This was an incredible day for a proud man who has to have been in doubt of his worth at this point in his career.

After the big hit, Jorge would wave to the crowd for a rousing curtain call; a definite act of vindication.

"The fans are a big reason that I love playing the game. They deserve a lot of credit,"Jorge said.

It's been rumored that the relationship between Jorge and Girardi has been sketchy since Jorge relieved Girardi of his everyday catching duties back in the late 90's. If there is dissension between the two, you wouldn't know it listening to Girardi's comments after the game.

"[Jorge] is a beloved Yankee and we all love him," Girardi said. "At times it's been a struggle for him but he's never stopped working. For that, I'm extremely proud of him."

As are we. I'll be the first to tell you fanatics, that I was in total agreement with Girardi for benching Jorge, and I still am. It's never easy benching a legend, especially when that legend plays for the Yankees, but what's best for the team must always come first, and I believe Girardi made the right call. I also believe that Jorge, although obviously disappointed, knew in his heart that the demotion was deserved. But today, he gave me, Girardi, and every other person in agreement with his benching, a reason to maybe think twice before relegating him to the dugout. The legend appears to have a lot of game left in him. With a month and a half left to the season, a continuation of today's performance down the stretch, could easily secure Jorge a spot on the postseason roster. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

And...

Phil Hughes continues to make a bid for a permanent spot in the rotation. He pitched 6 solid innings, striking out six batters, and only allowing two runs on four hits in yesterday's win. The fastball was definitely working for Hughes. It's likely that he may be designated to the bullpen, as Ivan Nova has clearly earned his way back in to the rotation, but Hughes certainly made that an even tougher decision for Girardi to make with today's performance.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

3000!

If you had asked any of his teammates back in 1995, "Would Derek Jeter ever get 3,000 hits in his career?" The answer probably would have been a resounding, "No."

When Jeter made his debut in May of 1995, not many of his teammates were very impressed. He was a skinny, tall, unpolished kid who wasn't quite ready for the big leagues. During his time playing in the minors, he was homesick; he called his parents every day crying that he wanted to come home. His discomfort with being away from his family for the first time in his life seemed to translate to his play on the field; he committed numerous errors and sported a batting average under .250 when he was called up from Triple-A to replace the injured Tony Fernandez.

"I can remember," said Paul O'Neill, "some of us [on the team] saying, 'this is the guy that's supposed to be our shortstop?'" Thus, a lackluster beginning for Jeter led to a demotion back to the minors.

But Jeter would have a second chance. Yankees brass and manager Joe Torre made the decision that  he would be the starting shortstop for the 1996 season even though Fernandez, the seasoned vet, still bore the pinstripes. In Jeter's first game of the season, he hit a home run.

The rest as they say, is history.

Jeter would go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award after batting .314 with 10 home runs, 78 RBIs and 104 runs scored. But that was just the beginning. Four World Series titles in 5 years; eleven of his 17 seasons where he boasted a batting average of .300 or better; twelve All-Star selections; five Gold Gloves; a fifth World Series win after an 8-year drought; being named team captain in 2003; a host of clutch hits in big game situations; the flip-play that will go down as one of the greatest defensive plays in baseball history; sacrificing his body to make a game-saving, diving catch against the Red Sox. I could go on fanatics, but you all know the history. The history of every great game and great play of a great Yankee.

And now today, in one of the greatest performances that the baseball Gods could have only written for the Captain, Jeter became the first Yankee, ever, to reach 3,000 hits. He did it on a game-tying home run. A home run. Only his third of the year. His first at the stadium since last July. He would go 5-for-5 on the afternoon, coming within a triple of hitting for the cycle. YES Network announcer Michael Kay, called the afternoon "storybook." And it was storybook. While his historic hit tied today's game against the Rays at 1-1 in the third inning, his fifth and final hit of the afternoon scored the go-ahead run. Yes, fanatics, storybook indeed.

And of course, for the always humble Captain, the most important thing was a team win.

"It would have been really, really awkward to be doing interviews and waving to the crowd after the game if we would have lost," Jeter said in his press conference after the game. "It's nice obviously to get a hit but, you know, we needed to win this game."

Business as usual for Jeter. Or maybe not so much. Although most of us probably could have guessed it, the ever-calm and relaxed Jeter admitted that he was nervous and felt pressure to hit coming into today's game.

"I've been lying to [the media] for a long time saying that I wasn't nervous and there was no pressure. There was a lot of pressure to do it here. So I have been lying to you for quite some time."

What did Jeter's teammates have to say about Mr. 3000's performance today?

"This definitely ranks...at number one to me," Mariano Rivera said. "[Jeter] being the first one that has done that for the New York Yankees is tremendous."

"I think he enjoys that moment," said Jorge Posada. "Five-for-five [doesn't] come easily. It's amazing what he's able to do."

" [Jeter is] a guy that's really represented the city of New York and this uniform as well as anybody," Alex Rodriguez told the media. "He's the symbol of the Yankees. I couldn't be more proud."

And neither could we. We've watched the skinny, unpolished, homesick kid become a great man and represent the pinstripes as honorably as his great predecessors. One could only imagine the smiles on the faces of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Mantle, as they looked down on the Captain's historic performance today.

"He's one of us," they might have said.

Yes. Derek Jeter is one of the greatest Yankees, ever, indeed.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Jorge-Gate and Everything Else

It is a bad time in Yankeeland. A very, very, very bad time. As the Yankees go down last night for the second straight game to the Red Sox 6-0, the loss marks their 8th in the last 11 games.

In these first 2 weeks of May, the Yankees have managed only 5 wins, 51 runs, 15 homers and 48 RBIs. Their April numbers were 14, 128, 41 and 127, respectively. They've gone from slugging .475 to.395, a drop of almost 100 points. And their OPS has shifted from .813 to .728, another significant drop. Yes, we're only halfway through May, but in watching these games for the past two weeks, seeing what appears to be a total collapse of this team's offense, it seems hard to fathom that the Yankees can pull their numbers up to even contend with what they did in April.

And the ugliness of what is becoming pure fodder, made a terrible turn for the worse last night. Jorge Posada, who has been absolutely abysmal as of late and was slated to bat 9th in the lineup, decided to scratch himself from the game because he needed to "clear [his] head," as he told the media afterward. Rumblings from different media sources were that Jorge "threw a fit" on learning of his demotion, this according to team officials. Ken Rosenthal, who reported from the sidelines for the FOX game coverage, said that he personally spoke to Posada before the game and Jorge said that he was okay with playing 9th and acknowledged that it was a deserved move by Joe Girardi. During the game, Rosenthal spoke to GM Brian Cashman who said that Jorge's removal was not injury related and that Jorge "just took himself out of the game." Shortly after Cash spoke, Jorge's wife Laura posted on facebook that her husband suffered with a stiff back.



In the midst of all this, rumblings began that perhaps Jorge was about to make an early, permanent exit. But YES' Jack Curry spoke with Jorge's dad who said that Jorge was in no way retiring, but acknowledged that his son should have played in the game. After the loss, Girardi told the media that Jorge came to him and just said he needed to "take a day," but never made mention of any back stiffness. Finally, when Jorge spoke to the media at his locker, he said that he just needed a day off, but also acknowledged that he never told Girardi or Cash that his back was stiff. He also acknowledged, when asked, that he felt disrespected.

So you can see how all of this is very confusing. The stories aren't clearly adding up. But regardless of that, one thing is clear: Jorge Posada gave up on his team last night, and that is unacceptable, especially for a guy who has been known to get in the faces of other players in that clubhouse who he himself has accused of doing the same thing.

I have no problem with Jorge needing a day off. In fact, I think that it was necessary. He has been struggling mightily of late and seems to be falling into the worst luck of his career. But my problem, is the timing. If any of us showed up to work an hour before the start of the workday and decided that we needed to take that day off for personal reasons, we'd be fired. Period. I refuse to believe that Jorge didn't realize the need for a day off, say, the night before. It's obvious that he was upset over being moved to the 9-spot and he protested; I'm not buying that this had no bearing on him scratching himself.

So what could this mean for Jorge? Quite simply, no negotiation for a new contract. Don't know if any of you fanatics out there saw Rosenthal's interview with Cashman, but Mr. GM's tone and body language were reminiscent of the "cryptic" response he gave when he fired Dave Eiland as pitching coach. When he said that he spoke to Jorge and that Jorge pulled himself out of the game, he twitched, almost like he was struggling not to announce Jorge's dismissal right then and there. But Cashman is the master of holding back, yet giving viewers just enough to know where his mind is. It's classic PR, and he is the best at it. One can only imagine, however, if Rosenthal were interviewing Hank Steinbrenner, how different that would have gone down.

And, Jorge was upset that Cashman decided to make a statement during the game.

"I don't know why he made a statement during the game," Jorge said. "I don't understand that. That's the way he works now, I guess.

"I think we should have waited for the game to be over to talk to whoever. You don't do that. You're not supposed to do that."

Cashman countered that it is common practice for a statement to be made when a player removes himself from the lineup and that Jorge knew that he was going to make a statement. Matter-of-fact, Cashman spent an hour talking to Jorge and his agent letting them know as much. My question is, if Cashman was so wrong to interject during the game, what does Jorge have to say about his wife Laura, who is making it a bad habit to post and tweet comments at inopportune times? Comments that should be left to her husband?

But with all this, it remains that there is serious trouble in the Yankee clubhouse. This team as a whole is not living up to their billing at all and it's embarrassing. No offense, silly errors in the past few games and a disgruntled soldier within the ranks, all add up to the need for a shake-up. I'm calling for someone in that clubhouse to crack skulls. Normally, that would be Jorge, but at the moment, I think he could use someone shaking him up a bit. I elect Derek Jeter for that role, as the two are best friends and Jeter's careful approach to everything, can only work for a guy with as much pride as Jorge.

But it would really surprise me if a team meeting hasn't already been called. Someone needs to remind Alex Rodriguez of why he's the highest paid contractual player in the history of sports. Somebody needs to tell Mark Teixeira that it's enough with the pop-ups already, especially with men on base. Somebody needs to let Nick Swisher know that his patience at the plate has been lacking and that it's time for him to stop swinging at bad pitches. And Jeter needs to remember that the name "Captain Clutch" was not simply given, it was earned. It's time for this team to get back to playing YANKEES baseball. Period.

And for an interesting and eye-opening look at how Jorge-gate is only the beginning of what may be in store for this team, check out ESPN's Wallace Matthews' scathing assessment here.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

The 3-day Yankee Rewind

My sincere apologies, fanatics, as I have failed to post on the last 3 Yankee games. Apparently my browser, Mozilla Firefox, became cranky for whatever reason and kept blocking me from opening up Bomber Boulevard. Don't really know what happened; I tried to clear cookies and the cache to no avail for 2 days, and now all of a sudden, I'm back in. So, I'm not gonna question it, I'll just be grateful that it's working and hope this never happens again.

So where do I begin? Perhaps I'll start with a quick review of Saturday and Sunday's games. In a nutshell, the Yankees beat up on the Orioles. The birds had no answer for the Yankees brutal offense and dominating pitching of CC Sabathia on Saturday, as they were shelled, 15-3. Two homers by Russell Martin--3-run homer and solo shot--a 2-run homer by Jorge Posada and a grand slam by Alex Rodriguez put the game away. But the sweetest of them all was the 2-run homer by Brett Gardner in the 9th inning to answer an obvious shot to Martin's back by Orioles pitcher, Josh Rupe, who clearly didn't appreciate Martin embarrassing his team. Not only did Gardy back up his catcher, he also got the big hit he needed to hopefully get himself back on track.

Sunday's game was another stellar showing for Freddy Garcia who pitched 6 scoreless innings, showing the same "stuff" he displayed against Texas the week before. Unfortunately, his bullpen collapsed with Joba Chamberlain giving up a 2-run homer in the 7th to Mark Reynolds, and then the invincible Mariano Rivera showing his "human" side as he gave up a walk, single and double to allow one more run to score in the 9th. The game was tied; Garcia lost his chance for a 2nd straight win, but the Yankees scored 3 runs in the 11th and won the game, 6-3.

And now we get to last night's loss at the stadium to the Chicago White Sox. The lowly Chicago White Sox, who, going into last night's game, had lost 10 of their last 11. Why is it that the Yankees always seem to allow a lesser team to sneak one in? While I doubt the Sox will win this series, it just irritates me that they managed to best the Yankees last night. Typical of the Bombers to shut down to a pitcher they've never faced before, but this Phil Humber dude sported an 2-5 record with a 4.42 ERA coming into yesterday's game. With the way the Yankees' offense has been swinging the bats, I thought this game would go down as a win, but, that's baseball. On any given day the best team will fall to one of the worse. It happens.

But the worse part of the loss was that AJ Burnett pitched another great game. He gave up only 1 run on 3 hits and he pitched 8 innings. Going into the game he hadn't pitched more than 6.1 innings in any of his starts. He gave the Yankees exactly what they needed, but got no help from his offense. That A-Rod broke up what was turning into a no-hitter by Humber in the 7th, was a relief, but very little consolation. The loss was the first April loss for AJ since becoming a Yankee. His record now stands at 8-1.

Tonight is game 2 of the 4-game series. It's a beautifully warm day in the Bronx and Ivan Nova is on the mound. He won his first career win in a solid performance last year against the White Sox. Let's hope history repeats itself.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Pie!!

I can tell you, fanatics, that there was much buzz and excitement at last night's game. I was there, and even when the Yankees were down to the Orioles for eight innings, there was a sense that something magical was going to happen. My brother-in-law, who supplied the tix for last night's game, left after the eighth inning. I refused to go, as no die-hard fanatic of my caliber ever would, and I told him, "These are the Yankees. You never know what's going to happen." and I was right.

Ninth inning. Yankees down by one run. Jorge Posada steps to the plate and first pitch, BAM! Game tied at 5. Yankees would score no more runs that inning, and the game would go into overtime. In the 10th, Mark Teixeira would work a walk and Alex Rodriguez would follow with a single, moving Tex to 3rd. Nick Swisher would follow an out by Robinson Cano with a sac-fly to one of the best right-field arms in baseball in Nick Markakis. We've seen him gun men down at the plate before; Yankees batters especially. But not last night; Tex put it into 2nd gear running to home plate and the Yankees won, 6-5.

This game could have easily gone to the Orioles. Phil Hughes struggled again with his velocity and location and Orioles batters took complete advantage for 4.1 innings. They had tagged Hughes for 5 runs by then. The Yankee batters got hits here and there, but they were unable to capitalize for 4 innings. But in the 5th, A-Rod doubled. Robbie doubled. A-Rod scored. In the 6th Brett Gardner got on. Derek Jeter singled moving Gardy to 2nd. Tex doubled and Gardy scored. Then A-Rod hit a sac-fly and Jeter scored. The score was then 5-3 and you knew that the Yankees were going to do something special.

And so they did. They mounted an amazing comeback. Jorge's silent bat came to life and gave the team a chance. But even before that, Joba Chamberlain made one of the best plays at the plate that you could ever expect from a pitcher. He threw a wild pitch behind catcher Russell Martin, and Orioles leftfielder Felix Pie attempted to advance to home plate from third. Joba charged home plate, received the throw from Martin who retrieved the ball, and he tagged Pie out. The brilliance of the play was that Joba used his right leg to completely block the plate; Pie was tagged before he could even make contact. The out kept the score then at 5-3.

A-Rod had another great game, going 3 for 3. Robbie went 2 for 5. Curtis Granderson finally came out of his slump and went 2 for 4. Speaking of Grandy, he and Swish made two fantastic catches in the outfield yesterday, keeping the Orioles from extra base hits which would have surely allowed them to take the win. And, oh yeah, Bartolo Colon, the surprise of all surprises, came through again, pitching 3 innings in relief without giving up a run.

Yesterday's win was a great win and it marked the first "pie" game of the 2011 season. That honor went to Swish for the winning sac-fly. His excitement following the smash paralleled the excitement that was ever present in the stadium last night. The boys did their thing. It was a good night for pie.

A-Rod and Posada Homers Prove Enough For Yankees Win

If it seems like I'm gushing over Alex Rodriguez and the display that he's put on thus far this season, it's because I am. He's not the only Yankee that's been hitting well--Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada, who'll we'll discuss in a moment, have been absolutely fantastic--but he is the only Yankee that has been on a tear since the very beginning of Spring Training, and has managed to carry his hot hitting into the season.

Last night in a 4-3 win against the Minnesota Twins, who quite frankly have proven themselves to be the Yankees' "punching bags," Alex tagged a 2-run line-drive to leftfield in the first inning scoring Mark Teixeira who walked on a hit-by-pitch. What I'm liking from Alex is that he's making solid contact with the fastball and is seeing every pitch well. He's also showing great patience at the plate and not taking swings at balls in the dirt or ones high in the zone. Alex's bat is quick right now, and the results have him with one of the best league slugging percentages at .929.

The other hero in last night's win was Jorge Posada. Jorge smacked another 2-run homer in the second inning to rightfield putting the Yankees up 4-0, and giving them all they would need to secure the game. This was his third homer in 2 days, so it may be safe to say that he's become acclimated to being the DH. Like Alex, Jorge is slugging at .929 and is doing his job to fill in the "holes" at the back of the lineup. I'm hoping that 2011 turns out to be a fantastic hitting season for Posada as he's nearing the end of his contract; he'll need to show the Yankees that he's viable enough to stick around for maybe another season or two.

And Ivan Nova pitched well last night. The biggest concern for him will be longevity as we're all familiar with his tendency to collapse in or around the 5th inning. That actually did happen last night as he gave up a double and single to Justin Morneau and Delmon Young, respectively, in the fourth, and then followed it with a double to Jim Thome which put the Twins on the board and within 2. In the fifth, he gave up doubles to Alexi Casilla and Tsuyoshi Nishioka which then put the Yankees lead at 4-3. But Nova hung in and threw strikes when he needed to, and mangaed to get out of the fourth and fifth innings without allowing Minnesota to tie or take the lead. And good call by Joe Girardi for being patient enough to let Nova stay in the game and pitch the sixth inning; last year, Nova probably would have been pulled in the fifth after giving up the scoring double to Nishioka.

And...

Russell Martin continued his solid play going 1 for 3 with a single and stealing second base. Robinson Cano's bat is also getting hot; he went 2 for 4 on 2 singles in sixth and eighth innings. Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner continue to struggle, Jeter going 0 for 4 and Gardy going 0 for 3. Gardner did work a walk last night and steal second.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Poor Pitching Results in Yankees First Loss

Hopes for a series sweep of the Tigers were shattered yesterday, as the Yankees came up short in a 10-7 loss. This was a game that any baseball person would say should have resulted in a win since 6 of the 7 runs were made via the home run. But great offense is never enough if it's not backed up by solid pitching.

Phil Hughes was the starter and loser of today's game, and it was obvious from the first inning that his day would fare "problematic." After allowing a hit to Detroit DH Brennan Boesch, he gave up a 2-run homer to Miguel Cabrera on a breaking ball that sailed across the middle of the plate, putting Detroit up 2-0. Victor Martinez was next, and after getting him behind in the count on 2 strikes, Hughes struggled to put him away as Martinez fouled off several pitches. This struggle continued throughout the day for Hughes, and after only 4 innings, he had 90 pitches. He came through the second inning unscathed but in the third gave up an RBI single again to Boesch allowing Austin Jackson to score, followed by another 2-run shot to Cabrera. Throughout his start, Hughes struggled to locate his fastball. He would pitch 4 innings, give up 5 hits, 5 ER and only record one strikeout. He starts 2011 with an 11.25 ERA and decreased velocity on his fastball which failed to reach 90 mph.

The next four innings saw the debut of Bartolo Colon at the stadium and it was easy to forget his great Spring Training, yet remember why so many fanatics were up in arms when the Yankees signed him. He gave up a single to his first batter, Ramon Santiago; followed that with a 2-run homer to Boesch, who would go 4 for 4 today. Colon settled down though, striking out the side, but there was more of the same in the 6th inning. He walked Jackson, gave up 2 singles to Jhonny Peralta and Santiago, putting Detroit up 8-6, and then followed with a sac-fly to Boesch to put Detroit up by 3. He managed however, to make it through the 7th and 8th innings without giving up a run.

Joba Chamberlain pitched the 9th and after giving up Boesch's 4th hit, it seemed like he might make it out of the inning okay after inducing a 4-3 double-play. But he wouldn't. Outfielder Ryan Raburn tagged Joba for an RBI double, scoring Boesch and Detroit would go up, 10-7. The one plus to Joba's outing, was that he dialed his fastball up to 96 mph.

As frustrating as the pitching was today, the offense was fantastic. The Yankees hit 4 homers, the first of which was a 2-run, first-pitch blast from Jorge Posada which tied the game at 2-2 in the second inning. Mark Teixeira hit his third homer in as many games in the 3rd, putting the Yankees within 2 behind Cabrera's second 2-run shot. Robinson Cano's solo shot to the second deck in right field followed in the 3rd, and Posada came through again the 5th, hitting another 2-run homer, putting the score at 7-6. Russell Martin had another solid outing, going 3 for 4 with a double and 2 singles and Nick Swisher finally broke through, going 3 for 3 with 2 line-drive singles and an RBI double.

Not a great day for Yankee pitchers, particularly Phil Hughes. It's not at all time to push the panic button yet, but Hughes did give some cause for concern. Decreased velocity, poor location of his fastball and the inability to put batters away after 2 strikes are not a recipe for the kind of success he saw in 2010. Hopefully, we'll see a marked change in his next start.

And...

Alex Rodriguez continued his hit streak today, going 1 for 5 with a single to center.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ ra_cooper

The Game of Dollars And Sense

Several sources covering the Yankees, are reporting that Derek Jeter and his agent have had additional meetings with the Yankees this week to discuss his new contract. All reports say that the meetings are going well and that both sides feel positive about the final resolution. Good.

However, according to an article in today's New York Post, the Yankees are on the cusp of taking a step back from the "We Value Derek's Legacy" phase of these negotiations, and are prepared to play hardball. Matter-of-fact, during the first round of talks, Jeter was basically told that legacy aside, the team's only mission is to offer him a contract.

Hmmm...

Confidants of Brian Cashman tell Post sportswriter Joel Sherman, that "the GM is determined not to have the team get so lost in the past that it destroys the future by giving Jeter a contract that either lasts way beyond his effectiveness and/or overpays him to such a degree that hurts financial flexibility elsewhere."

There is a method to Cashman's madness; he is putting everyone on notice that he is not that GM who will simply buckle to the pressure of satisfying his fan-favorite, media-darling superstars. This is precisely why Cashman chose to have what Sherman terms a "turning -the-page" meeting with Jorge Posada to inform him that he will be the DH in 2011. As Sherman reports, it is also why "[Cashman]essentially played bad cop with Posada’s pal, Jeter, at a meeting that also was attended by Hal Steinbrenner, team president Randy Levine and Jeter’s agent, Casey Close."




This in no way means that Cashman would ever dare believe that the Yankees won't pay Jeter beyond his true value as an aging shortstop; clearly they will. But how far over they are willing to go and for how long is why the negotiations are being dragged out.

Anyone paying attention to all of this can assume that Jeter wants a six-year contract, which the Yankees are against. Six years keeps him in pinstripes 'til age 42, the same age Alex Rodriguez will be at the end of his contract. What's important to note here is that A-Rod will get no less than $27.5 million per for the life of his contract no matter his decline. The Yankees are reportedly looking at no more than three years at $15 million for Jeter. What's at risk here is sending a message to the "face of the organization" that the "bad boy" is of more value to the team than he is. Sherman attempts to back up the Yankees buckling to the "A-Rod mystique" during his contract negotiations, by reminding us that "the emotional Hank Steinbrenner was very involved then and is not now. Plus, Hal Steinbrenner still had his training wheels on as far as replacing his father, George, as the day-to-day decision maker. Hal is more seasoned now, and projects a bean-counter coolness even in dealing with the face of the franchise in Jeter."

Stenbrenner Boys

That all sounds feasible, but still, the Yankees know that they backed themselves into a corner when they sealed the deal on A-Rod's contract. We'll never know for sure, but I can't imagine that Cashman, at some point, didn't realize that this might come back to bite him and the Steinbrenner boys in the butt. If they do decide to play hardball, it gives Close leverage to argue that the team was clearly willing to give A-Rod a big contract based on his past, so why not do the same for the man who pretty much fills the seats at the stadium for all 81 games every year. On the flip side of this, Jeter risks looking like a guy who is more concerned with not being out-shined by A-Rod, than the guy who is supposed to be all about what is best for the team. This is why many believe that the deal will get done, as both sides stand to lose a bit of credibility if this all falls through.

But the question is: When? How much longer will it really take to bring back the man that "owns" New York? I don't think anyone envisioned that Jeter's negotiations would be this dramatic or this drawn out. This is why we fanatics have to always keep in mind that baseball is a business and at some point, even the icons' worth will be re-evaluated in the game of dollars and sense.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

What's Been Going On This Week

Okay, fanatics. Before my And the Award Goes To...post, I'd been absent for a week trying to troubleshoot some Blogger issues. I'm back now and ready to discuss some of the more notable topics that have been reported in my absence. It's been a very interesting week with free agent chases, "Core Four" contract renewal talk, DH predictions, etc., etc. So let's just jump right on in.

The Chase for Cliff Lee Begins

No surprise here. Yesterday, Yankees GM Brian Cashman, flew to Arkansas for a tete-a-tete with Cliff Lee and his agent, Darek Braunecker. While it is highly unlikely that a contract will be signed or an agreement will be made during this meeting, fanatics should be content that the Yankees are wasting no time in their pursuit for the league's most coveted free agent.

Cashman will have to go hard or go home in the Lee sweepstakes. The articles are out there about how "comfortable" Lee is in Texas because it's close to his home in Arkansas; how the Rangers' run in the playoffs may have convinced Lee that they are a team that can contend and so on and so on. The Yankees GM will also have to consider the other teams that will probably be vying for Lee: Boston Red Sox, who will be looking to lock in a third ace-caliber pitcher to compliment lefties, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester; Detroit Tigers who would surely make a serious run to top the AL Central with Lee and ace Justin Verlander headlining their rotation. The Angels may also be another team placing calls to Lee and his agent as they look to rebound from a nightmarish 2010 season. Notable National League teams include the Phillies, Dodgers and Nationals.

Realistically, however, the only two teams that will either have Lee in their rotation in 2011 are the Yankees or Rangers. Again, Lee does like playing in Texas, it's close to his home and he's noted that the Rangers look like a team that will contend "for years to come". Further, it's been reported that owner Chuck Greenberg has plenty of money in his arsenal to make a "more-than-competitive" offer for Lee. But the Yankees can offer more money than any other team. They are a given to make the playoffs every year. If it at all matters, Lee will gain rock star status in New York. And it can not be overstated, the value of Lee's friendship with CC Sabathia. Expect Cashman to highlight all these points in his pitch to Lee and his agent.

Re-Signing Jeter and Rivera

Let's be clear about this folks, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera will be back in pinstripes next year. For the two most notable Yankees of their era, playing anywhere else would be blasphemous. With that said, however, re-signing both men won't be as easy as most fanatics probably thought it would be.

Mariono Rivera will probably be the easiest signing of the two. On the cusp of turning 41, Rivera knows the "contract game" of aging players and so, may accept a 1-year deal without much muss-or-fuss, but expect him and his agent to seek a 2-year deal. Not much has been written about what Mo may be seeking in terms of pay or what the Yankees are willing to lay out. Going year-to-year, Mariano could easily stay at $15 million per.

Derek Jeter, Derek Jeter, Derek Jeter. What can be said about the value of DJ to the Yankees organization? A whole lot.

He is the face of the franchise. His status as an iconic Yankee has been compared to Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. He will become the first Yankee to reach 3,000 hits in his career, and he will accomplish this next year. Even after the down year he had in 2010, Jeter's production both offensively and defensively, in both regular and postseason play, put him in an elite class of players in Yankees history. Revenue earned from merchandise and memorabilia that bear Jeter's name and number, far surpass any other Yankee of his era.

Do the Yankees need Jeter? Absolutely. My prediction, like many others, is that Jeter will get about $20 million per. That's just about the right number to make a player of Jeter's caliber comfortable. Sure, there's talk of Jeter's production dwindling and that he will be "over-payed", but is $20 million even close to what he's really worth to the franchise overall? No way.

What may make this a long negotiation, however, is how long Jeter wants to play. Jeter may ask for six years. Sounds like too much when you consider he'd be playing until he's 42 years old, right? But remember, A-Rod is locked in until 2017 when he will also be 42 years old. The Yankees would certainly never want to impress upon Jeter and his agent that A-Rod is of more value to the franchise than he is. It will be interesting to follow Cashman's strategy if Jeter does seek six years.

Who's the DH?

According to reports and tweets by his wife Laura, Jorge Posada may have to relinquish his job as catcher to make way for Yankees' Triple-A superstar, Jesus Montero. As of yesterday, Posada became the second Yankee this offseason to have surgery on his knee to repair a "minor" torn meniscus; Sabathia's procedure was on October 29. Sources close to the situation cited Cashman as informing Jorge "that he should come in [to Spring training] preparing to catch, but they are going to give Montero a real shot." Jorge was also told to "prepare to DH a lot." 

Posada's stats for 2010 were .248/.357/.454. with 18 homers and 57 RBIs; considerably down from .285/.363/.522 with 22 homers and 81 RBIs in 2009. Since being rewarded with a $52 million, 4-year deal in 2007, he's caught less than half of games played thus far. Given his injuries, Joe Girardi's seemingly unwillingness to play him more than three games in a stretch, and his age--he's 39--it's not surprising that the Yankees have decided to make this move. Do keep in mind though, that Montero will still have to compete for the right to dominate play time during Spring Training, so perhaps Jorge can still make a case for himself for at least one more year. And, Francisco Cervelli, who again proved to be a viable backup catcher this season, won't be too far back in the rear-view mirror as the possible lead.

But what could the DH role really mean for Jorge? If there's any truth to the belief that the Yankees may consider moving Jeter to 3rd to hide his shortened range, and have A-Rod be the everyday DH to protect his hip for the rest of his tenure, it's possible that Jorge may face an uphill battle in renewing his contract for 2012. We shutter to believe that fanatics, but it happened to Bernie Williams, right?