2014 Yankee Nightmare Scenario: Tanaka Hurt

Yesterday, I mocked the Cleveland Indians' chances of beating Masahiro Tanaka. This morning, I began to worry that he might be a flash in the pan. He's gone from 11-1 to 12-4. Tonight, I find…

On the 4th, the Yankees Aren't THAT Far Out of 1st

I have nearly a week of game reports to make up for. So I'll post only the facts that I think are relevant: Scores, pitchers of record, home runs, controversies. * Last Saturday: The Yankees got …

Yankees Disgrace Their Legends

Well. Say what you want about how England crashed out of the World Cup. They didn't do it after introducing, on the pitch, Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst, Gordon Banks, Kevin Keegan, Trevor Brooking…

Tanaka Hai, España No

When you're beginning a homestand against the 1st-place team in your Division, you want your best pitcher on the mound, and to get a bunch of runs, to make a statement. The Yankees sent Masahiro …

Whitley a Fine Complement to Tanaka

With Masahiro Tanaka and Chase Whitley starting games, the Yankees are now 16-3. Everybody else, 18-28. 11-2 of that is Tanaka. 5-1 of it is Whitley. This kid could be a keeper. (UPDATE: Alas, he got…

Masahiro and Villains

With Masahiro Tanaka starting, the Yankees are now 11-2. With anybody else starting, they're 22-29. Ouch. Tanaka started last night, in the 2nd of a 3-game series away to the Seattle Mariners. As…

Tanaka Keeps Yankees Going, Big Roadtrip Ahead

Yesterday's finale of the homestand, an afternoon game at The Stadium Mark II vs. the Oakland Athletics, seemed to prove what Connie Mack, manager of the A's in their Philadelphia days, tried…

Tanaka Time Is Party Time In The Bronx

For nearly 20 years, we Yankee Fans have been spoiled: We've nearly always had a starting rotation full of guys who would be aces or #2 starters on any staff. Now that we've been hit by the i…

Tanaka Bounces Back

It was a busy Memorial Day weekend, for reasons that will remain private (but, for the most part, enjoyable). And I was unable to post about the Sunday afternoon Yankees-White Sox finale. So I'll…

Two Weird Games at Wrigley

So the Yankees played 22 innings at Wrigley Field this week. In the 1st 17 innings, against a very weak Chicago Cubs team, they scored exactly 1 run. That was unacceptable. Fortunately, they did some…

And Masahiro Comes Along

As Ron Guidry did so many times in the crazy and magical season of 1978, last night, the Yankees needed Masahiro Tanaka to be the arch-stopper of losing streaks. Tanaka pitched like a 1970s-style ace…

Should We Be Concerned About CC?

The Yankees always seemed to have trouble against the Milwaukee Brewers, especially in Milwaukee, when the Brew Crew were in the American League. Their shift to the National League in 1998 removed th…

Thanks, Orange County Angels of Anaheim!

At first, last night's rubber game at Yankee Stadium II, between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the New York Yankees of The Bronx, was going to be a typically 2013 game for the Yankees: De…

Tanaka Dazzles Sox, Pujols Hits 500th Homer

Yankee Fans have been saying that Masahiro Tanaka has been the find of the season so far. Red Sox fans have been saying that he hasn't faced a good team yet. I guess he still hasn't. But he h…

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun, Yankees Play Two, Don't Allow a Run

A rainout on Tuesday forced a day-night, separate admission Interleague doubleheader between the Yankees and Chicago Cubs yesterday. Some clubs wouldn't like that. Some clubs shake it off and win…

Rollercoasters, In Baseball and In Real Life

The last 3 days have been a bit of a rollercoaster for me. The new job I was starting on Monday turned out to be a sham. I was told it was one thing, for which my skills and my experience were a good…

Tanaka Time!

The Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds tonight, 4-3, in front of a massive crowd at Citi Field. Okay, I lied. Yes, they did win, and I got the opponent, the score and the ballpark right. The crowd wasn…