Color Me Baffled

Elise Amendola / Associated Press

Yesterday, the Yankees made a big splash in the offseason, free agent sweepstakes by signing now former Red Sox outfielder, Jacoby Ellsbury, to a 7-year, $153 million deal. As reported on ESPN's Mike & Mike show this morning, Ellsbury's deal makes him the third outfielder of all-time to receive such a payout, and, he is the 4th highest paid Yankee of all time behind Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter, when you break down his salary per year. I said weeks ago that the Yankees needed to do what they had to, to get Ellsbury and solidify their outfield, especially since it seemed inevitable that Curtis Granderson would be playing for another team next year. Ellsbury had a solid 2013 for Boston, hitting .298 with 53 RBIs and 9 home runs. He was far better in the postseason, averaging .344 going 22-for-64 and scoring 14 runs. He's a damn good player offensively and a remarkable defensive center fielder. But I have to ask the question: if the Yankees are willing to pay him $153 million, why shouldn't Robinson Cano get a $200 million contract?

Is it just my perception, or has Cano been the best second baseman in all of baseball for several years

Kathy Willens / Associated Press

now? Am I mistaken, or has he also been one of the best players all-around in baseball for several years now, not to mention that he has been the Yankees' best player for at least the last four? Cano has been able to play the difficult position of second base with no injuries, unlike Ellsbury who has been plagued by injury since 2010. And, Cano hits for average AND power. Have the Yankees forgotten that the dynasties of the last two decades were built on power? In Ellsbury's 7 seasons of baseball, he's hit home runs in the double digits once. Cano's averaged  28 home runs a season since 2009. Again, Ellsbury is a damn good player. Cano is an all-around juggernaut.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reported this morning that Cano's camp is "salty" by Ellsbury's deal, and rightfully so. What message should Cano take from this when the Yankees have shown no issue with paying big money to a player that really isn't worth the deal right now and because of injury, probably won't be worth it in the long run, but are refusing to see him on a deal that he's earned? While I believe that athletes make erroneous amounts of money just to play a game, the bar has been set by the likes of the A-Rods and Albert Pujols of the sports world, and Robinson Cano is worth a 7-year, $200 million deal. To disagree with that now that Ellsbury has his deal, is absurd.

So the question now becomes this: which side of the Cano negotiations is willing to make a sacrifice in securing his return to NY? Most insiders believe that a deal will get done, despite the Seattle Mariners now suddenly emerging as the team making the most noise for his services. I can't fathom the Yankees allowing themselves to lose to any team in the league, let alone Seattle. And it simply doesn't make sense to; Robinson Cano is in the top 5 players in baseball. You don't just let him go over money. You find a way to make sure that a player of his caliber stays on your team. Maybe the Yankees sweeten the pot via vesting options after 7 years; maybe Cano is given a contract laced with options that benefit and protect him more so than any player past. I don't know what it will take, but the Yankees better do what they must to bring him back. Ellsbury has his money; time for the Yanks to "ante up" and make a lifer out of Cano.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on Twitter: @ra_cooper

Did A-Rod Make the Right Move?

Associated Press Photo

So unless you've been hiding out on a snow mountain in Siberia, you've heard of Alex Rodriguez' outburst yesterday during his arbitration hearing. Just to recap, arbitrator Fredric Horowitz ruled that MLB commish Bud Selig would not be forced to testify. A-Rod reportedly went into a rage and stormed out of the hearing, yada, yada, yada.

Several sports news outlets, ESPN in particular, have dispatched their insiders and legal experts to shed light on this situation and what it means. As most of us probably figured out once this latest news broke, Team A-Rod knew all along that Selig was not going to testify, which means that yesterday's antics were just that...antics.

Clearly the slamming of the desk and the use of profanity by A-Rod as reported, signifies that he will not testify during these hearings; a definite change from reports last week that said he was prepared to. This latest also a follow-up to the report that A-Rod "called in sick" from his scheduled pre-interview with MLB, also last week. It could also mean that these hearings could wrap up as soon as tomorrow which would definitely mean a decision before Christmas.

From the outside looking in, it appears that things are not going well for Team A-Rod and that they are moving to force this thing into federal court. With that said, I have one question...

Is this smart? Not that I take for face value every sports or legal analyst following this for their opinion; obviously the majority of them will report from their point of view. But no one seems to think a federal court case will go his way. One legal analyst on ESPN said this morning, that he doubts either side will even get to testify if it goes to court because the court will shut it down. Why? Because most courts would almost always rule that the arbitrator's ruling will stand. It would then be up to Team A-Rod to prove misconduct by MLB. How would they do that without the opportunity to argue their case? And if so, what evidence do they truly have of misconduct outside of what has been presented in arbitration? I would think that if they want a federal court to take them seriously, they're probably going to have to dig deeper than what Horowitz has already had his eyes on.

It's been my feeling from the beginning that A-Rod's cool demeanor (well, up until yesterday) through all of this could mean that his team has an "ace-in-the-hole" that they're withholding to play at the right time. If I'm right, then perhaps the best time would be during trial in federal court.

Stay tuned...

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on Twitter: @ra_cooper

A-Rod to Testify Next Week

Associated Press Photo

After a long hiatus, the Alex Rodriguez arbitration saga is set to resume next Monday, Nov. 18, with the star slated to testify on his behalf. It is expected that A-Rod will deny having purchased HGH or any PEDs from the now defunct Biogenesis anti- aging clinic, or from its former CEO, Anthony Boesch.

According to Newsday, who first broke this news, A-Rod will be required to meet with MLB investigators for a "pre-interview" before he testifies; this, a provision of the collective-bargaining agreement between baseball and the Players' Union. The meeting could bring further sanctions against A-Rod if investigators believe he's not telling the truth in his answers. It could also determine whether he actually gets to testify or not.

Stay tuned...

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on Twitter: @ra_cooper

Noteworthy News 11/12/13

Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Hiroki Kuroda all rejected their qualifying offers of $14.1 million which would have kept them in pinstripes for another year. Absolutely no surprise to me, although, I truly hoped that Grandy would accept as this will probably prove to be the nail in his Yankee coffin. However, according to this tweet by Mike Puma of The New York Post, the Mets are on the chase for Granderson. Makes sense; Mets had one of the worst offensive outfields in the majors last year. It would certainly feel strange to see Grandy in a Mets uniform, but it would be cool for him to stay in New York. I will still, however, keep my fingers crossed; I am truly a Granderson fan.

Several headlines came out of Yankeeland in the last day or two. Here are the most noteworthy:

• Yesterday, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that the Kansas City Royals are now in contention for the services of Phil Hughes, This would put Hughes back under the tutelage of former Yankee pitching coach, Dave Eiland.

• According to Bill Madden of the Daily News, at present, Cano is garnering no interest from any major league team other than the Yankees. Right now, Cano's price tag is too high.

• Jerry Crasnick of ESPN also tweeted yesterday that the Yankees have signed outfielder Antoan Richardson to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Richardson is a switch-hitter with incredible speed and a lifetime on base percentage of .381.

• Some positive news on Alex Rodriguez, our embattled third baseman met with the family of Avonte Oquendo, the autistic teenager from Long Island City who disappeared from his school on October 4 and hasn't been seen since. This, reported by Ken Davidoff, also of The Post. A-Rod spoke with Oquendo's mother, grandmother and brother at La Marina restaurant in Upper Manhattan in an effort to lend his support in their search for the missing teen. 

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on Twitter: @ra_cooper

Noteworthy News

Perhaps newly-donned sports agent Shawn Carter, a.k.a. Jay-Z, should pay a bit more attention to MLBPA's manual on player regulations. Reported yesterday by ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, the super agent may have violated said regulations by giving his client, Robinson Cano, a $33,900 watch as a birthday gift. Agents are not allowed to give gifts in excess of $500 without the price tag being reported to the union. Bad boy Mr. Carter...bad, bad, boy! Here are some more interesting notes from around the Yankeesphere:

• Curtis Granderson says he is considering accepting the Yankees $14.1 million, one-year offer but will continue to weigh his options. Granderson told MLB Network Radio that the offer is "definitely something you have to think about," and that he "appreciate[s] the Yankees extending that offer to [him]."

• The Yankees are doing their due diligence in the unlikeliness that Cano does not return. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported yesterday that the Yankees made a call to the Cincinnati Reds on second baseman Brandon Phillips.

• Alex Rodriguez' attorneys decided to take their battle with Major League Baseball up another notch, calling for MLB investigators to be probed by the feds. As reported by The New York Post, Lanny Davis, an advisor on Team A-Rod, released what we'd call on the Boulevard, "fighting words" in his assessment of Bud Selig & Co., and implied that perhaps their purchase of stolen documents from Biogenesis or the information MLB filed with the IRS, requires federal involvement into their "misconduct." Fanatics, this thing, is just getting started.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on Twitter: @ra_cooper

A-Rod Allegedly Failed Drug Test in 2006

Angel Franco / The New York Times

According to a report in The New York Times yesterday, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for a stimulant test in 2006; three years before his name was leaked as one of the 103 baseball players who tested positive for PEDs in 2003.

Information given to The Times on the failed test were from two sources involved in major League Baseball's collective bargaining drug program. According to the report, A-Rod was not identified for the failed test because players are only suspended for stimulant tests if they fail more than once.

A-Rod's lawyers vehemently deny the charges, noting that he has never failed any test given by MLB under it's drug program. The Daily News reported this morning, that Alex's lawyers filed an application with the arbitrator overseeing their appeal of his suspension, Fredric Horowitz, claiming that MLB leaked this "lie" to the media. Lanny J. Davis, a representative from A-Rod's camp, released this statement:

"The ethically questionable and possibly illegal misconduct of Major League Baseball in its investigation of Alex Rodriguez -- such as the knowing purchase of stolen documents for $125,000 in cash in a satchel in a Florida restaurant and putting in a good word with prosecutors for someone reportedly under federal and state investigation for distributing drugs to teenagers in the name of getting Alex Rodriguez -- is not just unseemly, it is shameful.

"I believe a federal investigation of this misconduct is needed -- and specifically, of the commissioner of baseball and the extent of his involvement and knowledge of the professional misconduct by investigators he hired, as reported by The New York Times." (via ESPNNewYork)

The Daily News also reported that a spokesman for MLB declined to confirm or deny whether A-Rod failed the stimulant test, citing their office's adherence to its collective bargaining agreement regarding announcements of drug violations by its players.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on Twitter: @ra_cooper

The Boulevard Is Back!

Good Monday morning folks! After a six month hiatus, and with my deepest apologies for what I can only describe as poor time management skills on my part, Bomber Boulevard is back. I know, it sucks to have to make a comeback on the heels of our biggest rival team--the Boston Red Sox--winning the World Series, but I find that now I have the time to get back to the business of baseball; most importantly, Yankees baseball.

So in the coming weeks during this offseason, the plan is to make note of every rumor; every acquisition; every trade and every salacious detail of the "Alex Rodriguez vs Major League Baseball Arbitration Drama" that is reported. While I'm sure that A-Rod will supply us fanatics with plenty of headlines to get us through this offseason, the Yankees should be making much noise as well; coming off of a season that I'd dare say was horribly painful to watch--particularly down the stretch as they completely collapsed and failed to make a real run for the playoffs--Brian Cashman & Co. have a lot of work to do to get this team back to being the biggest threat in the AL East.

And of course, I will bring to you all my final farewell to the great Mariano Rivera. I know it's been weeks since his last game was played; weeks since every team had cast their final good-bye; weeks since every sports writer and baseball blogger bid their adieu. But for me, Mariano's exit was more painful that I'd realized it would be and the words still have not come to me completely. But they will come, and I will get to share my feelings for Mo with you all.

So there. Baseball is officially over and it's time to get crackin' on the offseason. Stay tuned!

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on Twitter: @ra_cooper

Jeter Out Until After All-Star Break

AP Photo / Paul Sancya

Well, it can't get much worse than this. Unless of course, Derek Jeter ends up missing the entire season.

Jeter visited Charlotte, NC today to visit the doctor that performed his ankle surgery last year. A CT scan revealed a small fracture in the area that was originally injured. According to this tweet by ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand, Brian Cashman confirmed that, like Alex Rodriguez, the Captain will be out until after the All-Star Break.

My initial reaction to this is that Jeter was obviously given the green light to play too soon. First, he was shut down in Spring Training after the ankle became sore again. Then this week, he was ordered to cut back on fielding ground balls and running. Sounds to me like this last time, the Yankees knew something was up, as this visit to Charlotte was reported as "unscheduled."

The good news is that this new injury won't require further surgery. But simply put, it's time for Jeter to just sit down and let his body heal. I know it kills him not to play, but the area of the ankle is one that you don't want to mess around with. The Yankees can go forward and continue to weather the injury storm without him for now. So far, so good.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Kuroda Sparkles; Yankees Take Series Against Baltimore

AP Photo / Kathy Willens

Hiroki Kuroda was at his best last night, limiting the Baltimore Orioles to 5 hits but no runs as he pitched a complete game shutout in the Yankees 3-0 series win.

You would think during a shutout game that a starting pitcher would have to mix in a bevy of different pitches going through a lineup several times. But Kuroda managed to shut down Baltimore throwing nothing but splitters and sinkers. There may have been a few times he threw a curveball and he only threw one fastball the entire night to Adam Jones. The result was the Orioles being mainly limited to hitting ground balls.

In the end, Kuroda would allow 5 hits, no walks, and would strikeout 5 over 113 pitches.

I don't think anyone believed that Joe Girardi would keep Kuroda in the game for the ninth inning. With the Yankees leading by three, it would have been a save opportunity for Mariano Rivera. Also, considering how important pitching is to the Yankees right now, it would have been the right move for Girardi to rest Kuroda for the last frame. But Kuroda showed no signs of fatigue, and would have pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th, if not for Jayson Nix's fielding error that allowed Nick Markakis to reach first base.

The Associated Press

And while the loud bats of Robinson Cano and Kevin Youkilis were silenced last night, the Yankees got all the offense they needed in the fifth inning from Brett Gardner. After Brennan Boesch scored on a sacfly from Nix, Gardner hit a two run home run to right field scoring Francisco Cervelli, who had previously singled to left field.

Alex Rodriguez was with the team in the dugout for the second game in a row last night. Looks like Alex is re-acclimating himself to the fans and the media following all the drama of the Biogenesis scandal. I like that he's supporting the team this way and besides, no need to stay "underground" if you're not guilty, right?

The Yankees get the night off tonight but will begin interleague play against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Ivan Nova will get the start--and a chance to keep his spot in the rotation--against RHP Brandon McCarthy. Andy Pettitte's start has been pushed back to Friday, as the Yankees want to proceed with caution and give him more time to rest his back. Game time is 7:05 pm.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

MLB Playing a Bad Hand In Pursuit of A-Rod

The Associated Press

We knew that the drama surrounding Alex Rodriguez's alleged link to the Biogenesis scandal would  only intensify as the investigation by Major League Baseball ensues. What we might not have realized is how willing MLB might have been to cross the line in order to secure evidence that would lead to Alex's suspension. And perhaps I'm being completely naive in making that last statement.

The New York Times broke the story yesterday that MLB believes a representative from Alex's camp purchased documents that would divulge his connection to Biogenesis, a connection Alex denies. The documents, if purchased, were to obviously be destroyed. In it's haste to out-duel Alex in it's apparent game of "information tag," MLB also tried to purchase documents, unsuccessfully.

The information on this alleged purchase was leaked by two sources to investigators that have been in Miami since last summer. They in turn provided this info to MLB, who in turn decided to pay thousands of dollars to former employees more than willing to spill the alleged beans on A-Rod. As stated in the NY Times:

"Those ex-employees were paid for the time they spent talking with baseball’s investigators, the two people said, with the payments not believed to have exceeded several thousand dollars."

So MLB, in their desperation to bring down Alex Rodriguez, who they clearly are focusing the majority of this investigation on, are now paying people to secure information? Without their ability to purchase documents, and without the help of The Miami News Times who broke the scandal and refuse to assist them in their investigation, MLB has chosen to use testimony to go after A-Rod.

And why not? Every avenue MLB has taken to get something to tie Alex to biogenesis has been unsuccessful thus far. Hell, they can't even get the feds to supply any information linking A-Rod to drug use. And maybe that's because after the one test he did test positive for back in 2003, there just isn't any? Let's remember, Alex has passed every drug test given by MLB since 2003, and he is tested regularly and without warning like every other player.

In essence, MLB has become hypocritical in their pursuit of A-rod. These charges against him are driven by the belief of everyone that PED use is a bigger ethical issue than health issue. Well, I would say that when Major League Baseball goes underground to pay for testimony, there's something seriously wrong with the ethical landscape there. Not to mention the idiocy of a move like this, which would certainly lead to lawsuits by any of the players connected to this scandal and most assuredly the Player's Union if they are indicted on charges based on paid testimony.

So the saga continues. While I admittedly have my doubts about how clean A-Rod really is, I still believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Many haters and fans alike will disagree with me on that when it comes to A-Rod, but what else is new? Bottom line is, for those out there that want to see Alex fry, MLB is not doing a very good job of accomplishing that in a way that's fair and ethical.

Quote credit: Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Triple Play, You Say?

If you were looking for early signs that the Yankees could maintain their "awesomeness" in the absence of some of their superstars, last night's game against the Orioles was a clear indication that the Yankees, no matter who is in their lineup, just know how to ball.

In one of the rarest plays you will and may have ever seen, the Yankees made a 4-6-5-6-5-3-4 triple play in the 8th inning of last night's 5-2 win over The Birds. This was the first triple play of it's kind in Major League History.



With Nick Markakis and Alexi Casilla on first and second, respectively, batter Manny Machado who represented the tying run, hit a bouncer to Robinson Cano who flipped the ball to SS Jayson Nix to get Markakis for the first out. Nix then threw the ball to Kevin Youkilis at third, catching Casilla in a rundown. They would exchange tosses until Youkilis eventually tagged Casilla out.

Then, with Machado rounding first attempting to take second base, Youkilis threw the ball to Lyle Overbay, now catching Machado in a rundown. When Machado finally made the dash for second, Overbay threw the ball back to Cano who was able to get the tag on Machado and complete the triple play.

"That was awesome," CC Sabathia told the media after the game. "Any time you get a triple play, you're fired up."

CC would know. This was only the second triple play that the Yankees started in 45 years and CC.

The Associated Press

was the pitcher on the mound for both. The last was in 2010 against the Oakland A's, a 5-4-3 play started by Alex Rodriguez.

And speaking of fired up, CC was back in ace-like form, pitching 8 innings allowing only two runs (one earned) with no walks and 9 strikeouts. Mariano Rivera closed the game getting his second save.

There were also some not so good moments in the game last night. Eduardo Nunez was hit again, this time on his  right wrist, on a changeup by Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez. Nunez initially stayed in the game to run the bases, but realized on a practice throw to first that he would not be able to field at SS. Also, Michael Kay announced during the game that Andy Pettitte's start, slated for today, would be pushed back until tomorrow after suffering from back spasms.

Phil Hughes gets the start today against RHP Jason Hammel. Game time is 4:05 pm.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Mr. International Latin Lover

The Associated Press

Hey fanatics, you know me. I'll look for an Alex Rodriguez story anywhere that I can find it. This one comes courtesy of  Big League Stew's David Brown. Apparently, Alex, who has always been fond of the older, celebrity set, has found love with a 24 year-old student from the Dominican Republic.

Although I'm sure it will be some time before we get to see the lovely lady, I'm hoping she's the polar opposite of everything A-Rod has pursued thus far--blonde, muscular and athletic. Not that I have any biases against any of these traits, I just think he should go in a different direction since none of his previous choices have bode him well. How about a brunette, curvy brainiac Alex?? I kid, I kid. Honestly, whoever she is, I hope it works out for him. Maybe she'll be the presence in his life that keeps him moving in the right direction. Here's the story below via Yahoo! Sports:

Report: A-Rod finds international love with Dominican student

By David Brown | Big League Stew – 2 hours 35 minutes ago

A newspaper in the Dominican Republic reports that New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez has found the Apollonia of his eye. As Diario Libre puts it, "A-Rod is stuck on a young girl from Santiago."
 
That's not a line from "West Side Story," but the scene is reminiscent of Al Pacino's Michael Corleone character hiding out in Italy during "The Godfather," only to fall in love with a woman from his father's hometown in Sicily named Apollonia Vitelli.
 
While he doesn't have a price on his head literally, A-Rod has been in living in a recurring semi-exile while he rehabs his surgically repaired hip and weathers the latest PED trouble coming from the Biogenesis clinic in Miami. And that stuff about his charity. Rodriguez did poke his head out on opening day to be with his team at Yankee Stadium, but he otherwise has stayed in the shadows.
 
But, as usually is the case with Rodriguez, he didn't keep his profile low enough. The media found him in the old country:

[He] spent practically all day last Saturday together with his new love, which, according to Diario Libre sources, is Rebeca Yunen Finke, 24, an honors graduate in Business Administration from PUCMM.

That's why they say A-Rod can go "From Mr. 305 (Dade County) to Mr. Worldwide." Oh, maybe they mean Pitbull.
 

Rodriguez has dated the likes of Torrie Wilson, Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson and Madonna, but Ms. Yunen Finke isn't (or, wasn't) a famous person. And A-Rod apparently went about courting the young lady the correct way (like Michael did with Apollonia's father):

The person who picked up A-Rod at the Cibao Airport in a limousine was said to be the young lady's father, who took him to the Gran Almirante Hotel, where he took the presidential suite. He did not register in his own name.

The ballplayer arrived in his Gulfstream IV, an airplane worth US$38 million, last Friday at 8:09 p.m., together with a friend. He asked the authorities at the terminal to exercise maximum discretion regarding his arrival and departure.

(The sentence about how much A-Rod's plane is worth must have been written by Darren Rovell.) As for A-Rod getting any "discretion" from terminal authorities as to his arrival time, well, at least "8:09 p.m." isn't down to the second.
 
This is a good sign for A-Rod — one that he is settling down at age 37. The Stew is predicting big things for the couple and a big comeback on the field for Rodriguez in the second half of the season.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper 

Formula Works Against Verlander In Yanks Win

AP Photo / Carlos Osorio

It would take solid pitching and early runs to keep Detroit's Justin Verlander from dominating today's game. Fortunately, the Yankees were able to do both and secure their second win of the season, shutting out the Tigers 7-0.

CC Sabathia was not entirely on top of his game this afternoon, but he he gave the Yankees a strong outing, giving up only 4 hits and walking three in 7 shutout innings. CC mixed up his pitches today throwing more changeups than usual and putting more velocity on his fastball. He was only able to induce 4 strikeouts which is a low mark for him, but he managed to keep the bats of Detroit's lineup to grounders and fly balls; it proved to be enough to prevent the Tigers from scoring any runs.

But most notably, CC completely shut down the "meat" of the Tigers' lineup. Two of his 4 strikeouts came against Prince Fielder who struck out swinging in the first and fourth innings. All three of Miguel Cabrera's at-bats against CC ended in groundball plays. For the afternoon, Cabrera would never get on base.

David Robertson came in to pitch the 8th inning and would pick up where CC left off. Although he gave up singles to Torii Hunter and Fielder for his first hit of the afternoon, he struck out Cabrera and Matt Tuiasosopo swinging and induced a pop-up from Victor Martinez.

And although it was not a save situation, Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth inning. He too gave up 2 singles to Omar Infante and Ramon Santiago, but induced a groundout and flyout from Brayan Pena and Austin Jackson, respectively. He closed the game with a strikeout that caught Hunter swinging.

The offense got to work right away against Verlander. Although there were no runs produced in the first inning, Kevin Youkilis doubled on a fly ball to center field. In the second, Francisco Cervelli doubled on a flyball to left scoring Ichiro Suzuki, who was on first base after a force out. After Lyle Overbay flied out to left, Jayson Nix hit a monster home run to left. The Yankees were up 3-0 and never looked back.



AP Photo

Two more runs came in the third as Eduardo Nunez scored on a sacfly from Ichiro, and Vernon Wells scored on single from Cervelli. Nunez came in to pinch run for Travis Hafner on third base. Before the game, Nunez told Girardi that he could not go, as the pain and inflammation in his bicep muscle continues to prevent him from swinging a bat. He is however, available to pinch run.

In the ninth, after singles to centerfield, both Nix and Brett Gardner scored on another single from Youkilis.

And the Yankees are getting all that they've needed from Youkilis, Hafner and Wells. In place of Alex Rodriguez at third, Youkilis is batting .409 with 9 hits, 4 runs and 4 RBIs in his first 22 at-bats. Hafner is hitting to a .350 clip, having gotten a hit in all 6 games thus far. Wells is hitting .294 with 5 hits and 4 RBIs on two solo home runs.

Tomorrow, Hiroki Kuroda will keep his place in the lineup following his fnger injury, to face the Cleveland Indians against former phenom Ubaldo Jimenez. What I'm looking forward to, as I'm sure many of you are, is to see what Nick Swisher will do against his former team. Needless to say I'm hoping this won't be a good series for him. Game time is 4 pm.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Welcome Sights in Yankee Loss

The Associated Press

Hiroki Kuroda was forced to leave tonight's game against the Red Sox in the second inning after suffering an apparent contusion to the middle finger of his right hand. The blow was inflicted by a "comebacker" from Shane Victorino who, thus far, has hit nothing short of fantastic against Yankee pitching.

Seeing Kuroda walk off the field stung like the most painful bee sting you could ever experience. With the majority of the Yankees' regular starters in the lineup down with injuries, it will take stellar pitching to keep this team in contention, so seeing one of the best pitchers in their rotation go down does nothing to reassure fanatics that this team can stay afloat; I'm sure what it did was cause an already panicked fan base to dub the 2013 campaign as the Season of Murphy's Law. In the short term, you believed that the Yankees would probably lose their second game of the season which they did, 7-4. Cody Eppley provided little in relief of Kuroda, giving up 4 runs in the third to give Boston a 6-0 lead. The inning was all Boston needed to secure their second win and the series.

But from every negative comes a positive, and tonight, hope came from the bats of Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells.

In the 4th inning, Hafner knocked a blazing line-drive single into the Yankees bullpen; his first of the

The Associated Press

season and the first for the team. Wells, who went 3-for-4 tonight, crushed a 3-run home run to left field off of Alfredo Aceves. The homerun was also his first of the season.

Both homers are a welcome sight for a team that, in missing it's 3 top home run producers--Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira--will lose a bounty of homers that have been their bread and butter for the last few seasons.

Even more important, this is what the Yankees were hoping to get in signing Wells and Hafner; particularly Hafner as he will be the team's DH for the majority of the season. As for Wells, all 3 hits tonight came on fastballs; the first from starting pitcher Clay Buccholz at 93 mph. He looks like the Wells from a few years back when he was the star of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup. Wells was always an excellent fastball hitter, but his production had gone down in recent seasons as he's been plagued with injuries. Seemingly healthy, the Yankees are hoping that he's regained some of his bat speed and can provide much needed offense in the middle of the lineup. If tonight is any indication, the team will get from Wells exactly what they signed him for.

Tomorrow, our beloved Andy Pettitte will try to avoid a sweep against righty Ryan Dempster. Game time is 7:05 pm.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Yankees Lose Opener to Red Sox

Today was a "rainy" day for the New York Yankees two-fold. While what started as a sunny, warm afternoon turned into a stark evening of rain, the Yankees also got "rained" on by the Boston Red Sox, losing their home opener 8-2. No offense and subpar pitching conspired to turn the excitement of Opening Day into feelings of "concern" as to whether this game foreshadows what may be to come while many of the superstars are on the disabled list.

I threw that last line in there just to stoke the nervous Yankee fans that are already crying armageddon after today's loss. It's just the first game of the season, yet while I point that out, many fans are anticipating nothing but hard times for this team until the return of the bredwinners. Make no mistake, today's game did expose some problems that the Yankees need to work on--some in a hurry--but I have no doubt that this team will be okay.

AP Photo

One thing that needs to change is whatever goes on in CC Sabathia's head on Opening Day. While his role as the ace seemingly gets him the automatic start, he has yet to win a home opener for the Yankees. Today, mustering no better than 5 innings and giving up 4 runs in the second, doesn't do much to breed confidence in CC's ability to start this team's season on the plus side. He is now 0-2 in 5 Opening Day starts with an ERA over 7.

In that second inning, CC gave up a single to Jonny Gomes and walked Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Boston's new kid, Jackie Bradley, Jr. to load the bases. He then gave up singles to Jose Iglesias, Shane Victorino (for two runs) and Dustin Pedroia. The inning proved to be all Boston needed.

Some pluses for CC however were that he showed good movement on his changeup and slider. The fastball was not working well for him today, as he didn't have much speed on it and struggled to locate it.

AP Photo

And while CC did manage to hold the Red Sox at 4 runs until his departure after the 5th, the Yankees Kevin Youkilis double, Vernon Wells walk and Ichiro single. After Jayson Nix went down on strikes, Francisco Cervelli scored Youkilis and Wells on a line-drive single to right field. Boston starter Jon Lester held them at bay for one more inning, and Boston's next 4 relievers took over the rest. Boston would go on to score 4 more runs, one in the seventh inning and 3 in the ninth, to put the game away.
offense did little to nothing to back him up. Their only 2 runs came in the 4th after they loaded the bases on a

Other changes that need to happen now are hitters showing more patience at the plate; most notably Brett Gardner and Eduardo Nunez. Maybe the excitement of Opening Day made them take swings that they shouldn't have, but we've seen this in these two before and it's a big problem now. With so much offense now missing from the lineup, these two are the fastest and most explosive base runners the Yankees have. With the team needing to resort to small ball to get runs, these two have to get on. Speed and base stealing is what is going to propel this lineup until the home run hitters--Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson--return. I will say that Nunez did a very good job defensively today, making good throws and stops when he needed to.

Elsa / Getty Images

And speaking of A-Rod, seeing him in uniform in the dugout for the game today was a welcome sight. He was not introduced with the rest of the team, however, and I think that was right move. He would have surely been booed, and why /kill the excitement of Opening Day with that negativity. He did speak to the media briefly before the game, and as expected, would not answer any questions involving the Biogenesis investigation. He did tell the media that he was not worried, and that he felt everything would be good.

Game 2 resumes Wednesday at 7 pm. Hiroki Kuroda gets the start against Clay Buccholz,

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Which Yankee Will Go Down Next?

USA Today / Derick E. Hingle

That is probably the biggest question Yankee fans are asking now, as the reports of Mark Teixeira being out for 8-10 weeks with a strained wrist tendon have made it's way around the mediasphere. Tex suffered the injury yesterday while taking swings in the batting cage during warm-ups with the U.S. WBC team.

This incident is the second major injury for the Yankees in the past two weeks. On Feb. 24, Curtis Granderson broke his forearm during a Spring Training game after being hit by a pitch.  He too will be out for 8-10 weeks.

And of course, there's still the issues of Alex Rodriguez being out until mid-July or perhaps the entire season as he rehabs from his injured right hip; pitcher Michael Pineda still in the "slow" process of rehabbing from the torn labrum in his pitching elbow; Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter being "close" to coming off of the disabled list from last season, but still both not quite 100%.

Now, the good news about Tex's injury is that it will require no surgery. He'll rest the wrist for 4 weeks and then will begin rehab.

The bad news is that now, pretty much all of the Yankees long-ball power will be absent from the lineup when the season begins. With the exception of Robinson Cano, all of the Yankees who hit more than 15 homers last season are either on the disabled list or off the team (A-Rod, Tex, Grandy, Russell Martin, Raul Ibanez and Nick Swisher). In total, the Yankees have essentially lost 180+ home runs.

To say that the Yankees are, at the moment, a "challenged" team is an understatement. Not only do they now have to scramble to replace their latest ailing superstars, but both Grandy and Tex have sustained injuries that could affect their production when they return.

We all need to keep our fingers crossed and beg the baseball gods not to let anything happen to Robinson Cano before the season begins.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Cervelli: I Consulted With PED Clinic Following My Foot Injury

via cbslocal.com
 

Francisco Cervelli is the latest Yankee named in what I'm dubbing the "Biogenesis PED Scandal."

According to this report by Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, Cervelli's name appears "crossed out" on a list of names which also now reportedly includes Baltimore Orioles third baseman Danny Valencia, but most notably, Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun.

Upon news of his name being listed, Cervelli released this statement via Twitter:

Following my foot injury in March 2011, I consulted with a number of experts, including BioGenesis Clinic, for (cont)
— Francisco Cervelli (@fran_cervelli) February">https://twitter.com/fran_cervelli/status/298996276110970880">February 6, 2013

(cont)legal ways to aid my rehab and recovery.I purchased supplements that I am certain were not prohibited by Major League Baseball.
— Francisco Cervelli (@fran_cervelli) February">https://twitter.com/fran_cervelli/status/298996478972669953">February 6, 2013

Unlike Alex Rodriguez, Cervelli's name does not appear with "drugs taken or purchased" listed next to it. Regardless, Cervelli is now officially part of MLB's ongoing investigation

Cervelli's explanation sounds perfectly logical. What we don't yet fully understand about the Biogenesis clinic, is how it marketed itself in the anti-aging and sports industry. It seems reasonable that athletes may have used the clinic and Anthony Bosch to "consult" on injuries or anything related to the use of PEDs if the clinic marketed itself as such--that's what Braun is claiming he did, saying also that he has "nothing to hide." Braun is now the fourth player named in this scandal thus far that has failed a drug test administered by MLB. His result was "overturned" on a technicality.

Until MLB completes its investigation, I am withholding judgment on all the athletes named in this scandal thus far, and any other names that are yet to be released. However, I do applaud Cervelli for two things: answering the accusations immediately and having the guts to admit to purchasing supplements. That raised my eyebrow, and I'm sure many of yours, but his willingness to be as forthright as possible can only work in his favor.

Still waiting on you, A-Rod.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

A-Rod Denies Being Client of PED Clinic

According to this Twitter feed of the NY Post's Joel Sherman, Alex Rodriguez will officially deny the accusations outlined in this morning's Miami New Times News report citing him and other notable baseball players as receiving HGH and other banned substances from the federal investigated anti-aging clinic, Biogenesis.

According to what is to come in A-Rod's statement, he was never a client of the  clinic and has no realtionship to the clinic's chief, Anthony Bosch. A rep for Alex also tells Sherman that he denies using PEDs in the time frame outlined in this morning's scathing report.

Stay tuned...

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A-Rod, Other MLB Stars On Client List of PED Clinic

This morning, the Miami New Times News reported that Alex Rodriguez and several other big names in Major League Baseball are on a list of clients for the now-defunct Miami anti-aging clinic, Biogenesis.

The report comes after the New York Daily News reported this weekend that Biogenesis was under federal investigation for supplying PEDs such as HGH and numerous other banned substances to professional athletes.

Here is the evidence against A-Rod that the Miami New Times list in their report. The "notes" listed below were from the files of the clinic's chief, Anthony Bosch:

Born and raised in Miami and starring on the diamond since he was 18 years old, A-Rod admitted in 2009 that he had used steroids, claiming in an ESPN interview that his doping was limited to a three-year window — 2001 through 2003 — while he played under a record contract for the Texas Rangers. Ever since then, A-Rod claimed, he'd been playing clean. He'd never failed an MLB drug test since penalties were put into place.

Yet there was his name, over and over again, logged as either "Alex Rodriguez," "Alex Rod," or his nickname at the clinic, "Cacique," a pre-Columbian Caribbean chief. Rodriguez's name appears 16 times throughout the records New Times reviewed.

There, at number seven on the list, is Alex Rodriguez. He paid $3,500, Bosch notes. Below that, he writes, "1.5/1.5 HGH (sports perf.) creams test., glut., MIC, supplement, sports perf. Diet." HGH, of course, is banned in baseball, as are testosterone creams.

That's not the only damning evidence against A-Rod, though. Another document from the files, a loose sheet with a header from the 19th Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging and Aesthetic Medicine, lays out a full regimen under the name Cacique: "Test. cream... troches prior to workout... and GHRP... IGF-1... pink cream."

IGF-1 is a banned substance in baseball that stimulates insulin production and muscle growth. Elsewhere in his notebook, Bosch spells out that his "troches," a type of drug lozenge, include 15 percent testosterone; pink cream, he writes, is a complex formula that also includes testosterone. GHRP is a substance that releases growth hormones.

There's more evidence. On a 2009 client list, near A-Rod's name, is that of Yuri Sucart, who paid Bosch $500 for a weeklong supply of HGH. Sucart is famous to anyone who has followed baseball's steroid scandal. Soon after A-Rod's admission, the slugger admitted that Sucart — his cousin and close friend — was the mule who provided the superstar his drugs. In 2009, the same year this notebook was written, Sucart (who lives in South Miami and didn't respond to a message left at his home) was banned from all Yankees facilities.

The mentions of Rodriguez begin in 2009 and continue all the way through last season. Take a page in another notebook, which is labeled "2012" and looks to have been written last spring. Under the heading "A-Rod/Cacique," Bosch writes, "He is paid through April 30th. He will owe May 1 $4,000... I need to see him between April 13-19, deliver troches, pink cream, and... May meds. Has three weeks of Sub-Q (as of April)."

Four of the more notable MLB stars on this list are Gio Gonzalez, Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal. Cabrera, Colon and Grandal have all been suspended recently after failing tests which violate MLB's Anti-Drug program.

There is no way to know what the fallout from this will be just yet. While I'm ceratin that the Yankees and their PR machine are aware of this story, no statements or comments have come from their side. We can't expect to hear from A-Rod on this just yet; of course he will remain silent until his publicist and Yankee brass have "assessed" the best way for him to handle this situation.

Corey Sipkin / NY Daily News

Here's my educated guess. If this story is true, Alex can forget about any chance of ever getting into the Hall of Fame. Yes, we know that he's a PED user, but the dates outlined in this report put his use at just last season. So, it would not only mean that basically his entire career has been a success off of his PED use, but that he lied about his usage...again. If there were any writers of the Baseball Writers Association of America considering giving him a shot at some point to get in, there's no way they would now. You know--first time shame on you, second time shame on me, etc.

I am also not sure how the Yankees would be able to use this as a means to void his contract, which I'm almost certain is at the top of the list of questions fans already done with A-Rod will ask. It depends on what's in his contract, and I doubt there is any clause stating the Yankees can axe him for a "moral" violation. Also, he hasn't failed a test given by MLB since admitting to his usage during his time with the Texas Rangers. All we have are the "notes" of Bosch, but they are damning enough evidence to convince MLB that A-Rod continues to use. Whether MLB could use this as a reason to officially suspend him, I can't say either; what I'm almost certain of is that someone in MLB brass will work diligently to figure out a way how.

While I wait for the MLB and fan fallout to commence, I just want to say for me personally, that I am disappointed with Alex for this. I don't like being fooled twice, and I believed that he was indeed "clean." But will I no longer be an Alex Rodriguez fan? No. For those of you who follow me here, on Facebook or Twitter, you know the A-Rod fan I am. You also know that PED use does not particularly bother me because I understand the human propensity to cheat in order to be great or get ahead. Athletes are human like the rest of us and they want glory, just like the rest of us. What I don't like is being lied to. This was my problem with Barry Bonds; this was my problem with Roger Clemens; this was my problem with Lance Armstrong. So am I looking at A-Rod "sideways" right now, yes I am. Am I shocked or devestated, not even close.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

A-Rod to Fans: Thumbs Up!!

Alex Rodriguez has officially made it through the arthroscopic surgery to repair his left hip. The procedure was performed yesterday at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

So the easy part is over; now the hard work of rehabilitation begins. If this photo is any indication, Alex will be ready for the challenge.

Good luck and a speedy recovery to you A-Rod!!

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper