Manny Wants to be a Yankee?

Posted: Saturday August 09, 2008 07:47AM ET
Having successfully orchestrated his divorce from Boston and his landing in with the Dodgers, Manny Ramirez would like to make life miserable for the Red Sox during the next few seasons. According to people who have spoken to the eccentric outfielder since he was dealt to L.A. on July 31, Ramirez wants to sign a free-agent deal with the Yankees this offseason and get 19 chances a year to punish Boston. "He wants to play for the Yankees so he can get at the Red Sox," a close friend of Ramirez's told The Post.

MY TAKE ON THIS: Great distraction for the Yankees. Only a few teams can afford him for a whole season. Boras doesn't care.... he's going to make millions off him where ever he goes. The only way he wouldn't stand to make money would to have had the Red Sox pick up Manny's option for the next two years.

Joba Chamberlain goes to DL

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Joba Chamberlain has been placed on the 15-day disabled list by the New York Yankees, who have not yet revealed the extent of his injured pitching shoulder.


Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Wednesday night's game against Texas that he had no updates regarding Chamberlain's examination by noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Alabama. Chamberlain was sent to see Andrews after undergoing an MRI on his ailing right shoulder Tuesday. The 22-year-old right-hander was removed from Monday night's start against the Rangers in the fifth inning with stiffness in his shoulder.
Ian Kennedy was set to take Chamberlain's turn in the rotation and start Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, the New YMork Daily News reported.

MY TAKE ON THIS. Looks like Chamberlain will eventually be relegated to the bullpen and middle relief until Mariano goes. However, I think that he will be shut down for the season and any ideas to use him would be senseless. I don't think that Yankees are going anywhere, especially with another arm biting the dust. They had him in middle relief, but got greedy. Lesson Learned? Yankees just plain out SUCK. Take that!!!

Joba Chamberlain out for year?

ARLINGTON, Texas - New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain will be examined by noted orthopedic surgeon James Andrews today after undergoing an MRI on his ailing right shoulder.
Chamberlain returned to New York for tests on his shoulder yesterday. The team said before its game against the Texas Rangers last night that it would not reveal the results of the MRI exam until Chamberlain is seen by Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

“He’ll take his test results with him,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Until I hear from Dr. Andrews, that’s all I’ve got.” Chamberlain was removed from Monday night’s start against the Rangers in the fifth inning with what the club announced was a stiff right shoulder.
Yesterday, Chamberlain flew back to New York and underwent a series of tests, including an MRI, at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.

The Yankees already are without No. 1 starter Chien-Ming Wang and right-hander Phil Hughes. Subtracting Chamberlain from the rotation would be a huge blow to the team’s postseason chances.
“I think we’re all hopeful,” Girardi said. “I hope we don’t miss him for very long. “But you think of a guy of Joba’s caliber and you know he’s going to miss a start; that doesn’t mean the guy who replaces him can’t pitch well.” Girardi said the 22-year-old right-hander probably would miss his next turn in the rotation. Anything longer would be a setback for the injury-riddled Yankees pitching staff. “I envision him not making his next start,” Girardi said. “Beyond that, I can’t say.”

Girardi said his options for replacing Chamberlain include moving right-hander Darrell Rasner back into the rotation or recalling a pitcher from Triple-A Scranton. Girardi said the Yankees will be cautious with Chamberlain, even though the team is in a close playoff race.

Joba outduels Beckett; Sox drop a squeaker 1-0

July 25, 2008. BOSTON, MA -- The Red Sox dropped a tough one to the Yankees last night 1-0 in what turned out to be a pitcher's duel between Josh Beckett and Joba Chamberlain.

David Ortiz was back. Josh Beckett was pitching for the Red Sox. The Fenway Park crowd was pumped up for the renewal of the rivalry with the Yankees.

None of that bothered Joba Chamberlain. The right-hander took another big step in his transition from the bullpen to the rotation with his best major league start as surging New York beat Boston 1-0 Friday night for its seventh straight win. The third-place Yankees pulled within two of Boston and stayed three back of AL East-leading Tampa Bay, which won 5-3 at Kansas City. New York also bolstered its bullpen and lineup, acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and left-hander Damaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

For New York, Chamberlain's effort and the added help made it a big night.
"I've had quality starts against everybody," Chamberlain bragged. "You understand it's going to be a tough game. He [Beckett] is an unbelievable pitcher. He battles and claws."

"I was the second-best pitcher today," Beckett said, "and ultimately that gets you a loss most of the time." Chamberlain has allowed three runs or less in all 10 starts this year. On Friday, he gave up three singles -- one to Ortiz, who missed the previous 45 games with a left wrist injury -- and struck out nine in a career-high seven innings.

"He matched Beckett inning for inning," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

MY TAKE ON THIS: We are in biggg trouble and we need to take the final 2 games of this series. We can not let the Yankees leave Fenway Pock on Sunday night tied with us. This is truly a 3-team race and we have the least momentum out of those teams. We could find ourselves 5 games behind the Yankees and Ray in the next 10 days or so. Manny didn't even pinch-hit in this game, so that probably tells you something right there. Could be out for the weekend. Hopefully, he won't be DL'd. We are in big trouble. Get out the pooper-scoopers!!! Good bye, Manny. Hope you last until game 4 of this year's World Series. We need to have you against the Mets. After that....you are gone-a-mundo!!! I guess you'll get a 4-year $100M deal someplace.

Red Sox Jokes

On the first day of school a first grade teacher explains to her class that she is a Yankees fan. She asks her students to raise their hands if they, too, are Yankees fans. Wanting to impress their teacher, everyone in the class raises their hand except one little girl. The teacher looks at the girl with surprise and says, "Janie, why didn't you raise your hand?"

"Because I'm not a Yankees fan," she replied.
The teacher, still shocked, asked, "Well, if you are not a Yankees fan, then who are you a fan of?"
"I am a Red Sox fan, and proud of it," Janie replied.
The teacher could not believe her ears. "Janie, why pray tell are you a Red Sox fan?"
"Because my mom is a Red Sox fan, and my dad is Red Sox fan, so I'm a Red Sox fan too!"
"Well," said the teacher in a obviously annoyed tone, "that is no reason for you to be a Red Sox fan. You don't have to be just like your parents all of the time. What if your mom were an idiot and your dad were a moron, what would you be then?"
"Then," Janie smiled, "I'd be a Yankees fan."

Red Sox upend Yankees 6-4; Damon Hurt

July 4 New York, NY.... Kevin Youkilis made the final Fourth at the ballpark truly memorable, sparking a come-from-behind 6-4 victory for the Red Sox on Friday with one of the strangest triples you'll ever see.

Mike Lowell drove in four including a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the fifth against Darrell Rasner (4-7), who lost for the seventh time in eight starts. But Youkilis created the lasting memory, hitting a drive that left New York's Johnny Damon with a sprained and bruised left shoulder, a momentum turner that sent the punchless Yankees to their fifth loss in six games.

With New York leading 3-1 in the third, Youkilis hit a two-out scorcher with two on. Damon raced back, jumped and gloved it but as he crashed into the left-field fence, the ball popped out of the webbing of his glove. It bounced up off the top of the wall. And bounced. And bounced.
The ball came to rest on top of the fence, which was shaking from Damon's impact. The sellout crowd of 55,130 at Yankee Stadium wondered: Would it fall behind for a home run, roll back onto the field or just sit there?

Finally, the ball dropped back in and landed near Damon, who was sprawled on the warning track. A fan behind the fence frantically pointed to the ball. Youkilis cruised into third base as Boston tied it at 3. Damon checked his glove to determine whether he made the catch. Then he looked around for the ball. "I had no clue," he said. "When I didn't see it at first, I thought it might have been a home run."

Damon threw the ball back to the infield, threw his glove down and left the game. An MRI revealed a sprained acromioclavicular joint, and Damon said he would be out at least a few days. If the pain doesn't subside, he could wind up on the disabled list for the first time in a 14-season major league career.

New York fell into fourth in the AL East, percentage points behind Baltimore, six games back of the Red Sox and a season-high nine games behind division-leading Tampa Bay. The Yankees scored eight runs in their last five losses, batting .179. A day after going 0-for-10 with runners on base, the Yankees were 2-for-14. Josh Beckett (8-5) recovered from a three-run first that included a two-run double by Alex Rodriquez, A-Rod came in on Giambi's sacrifice fly, but New York didn't score again until Jeter's RBI double with two outs in the ninth off Jonathan Papelbon, a ball center fielder Coco Crisp gloved with a diving catch. Bell admitted umpires blew the call.

The battle resumes today with Justin Masterson (4-2 3.75) on the hill for the Sox opposing Mike Mussina (10-6 3.87).

Gotta start winning!!!

Oh gosh..... I woke up this morning and the Red Sox are really 1 1/2 games in back of the Rays. Thought it might be a nightmare but in all actuality, IT IS. I thought Tampa Bay would fall weeks ago, but they are at the point now where they are gaining confidence with every win and their hard-fought losses. This team is rolling. And the fact that Sox players made comments against them, really fires them up. I can see them making the playoffs, (hopefully) beating out the Spankees for that wildcard spot. The division? It took so many years for us to take that away from New York, I'd hate to give it up so quickly. Have to rest in our laurels for a few years.

However, Manny is Manny and the Yankees are The Yankees and they will go out and spend money on another starting pitcher or mid-relief in July if they begin to falter again. Too bad Joba (the hud) is doing so good. Wasn't anticipating that. Hopefully it would have thrown things into disarray, but he is a major element in 'stabilizing' their rotation. When and if Senior Citizen Rivera retires, he could move over to that role. Unfortunately and I'd hate to admit it, but he'd be damm good.

Yankee's Wang out until September!!!

Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang is expected to be sidelined until at least September after injuring his foot running the bases, prompting club co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner to chastise the National League for playing without a designated hitter. An examination in New York on Monday showed Wang partially tore a tendon and sprained his right foot Sunday during the Yankees' 13-0 interleague win at Houston. He will be on crutches and wear a protective boot for a minimum of six weeks, the latest blow to the team's banged-up pitching staff. "My only message is simple. The National League needs to join the 21st century," Steinbrenner said in Tampa, Fla. "They need to grow up and join the 21st century.

My Early Days as a Red Sox Fan

I was born back in 1951 in Holyoke, MA which is about 94 miles from Fenway Park. I vaguely recall going to my first games back in 1957 and I know that for two of the games, I saw the Red Sox play Kansas City and Chicago. I checked retrosheet, which lists boxscores of ALL games and I really couldn't determine which ones I first saw. They played each team 22 times back then, but I know that I went during the summertime. Back then my favorite players were Ted, Sammy White, Jackie Jenson, Frank Malzone (considered one of the top 3-4 third-baseman back then), Jimmy Piersall.

It seemed like whenever we went, we pretty much sat out there in left field (nice view of the Green Monster) and there seemed to be something like a New Hamshire Day, Connecticut day, etc. They had their 'pre-game ceremonies' which seemed to take forever for a kid 7-8 years old.

The game I remember the most? I was able to find the box score on Retrosheet, so I sure of the date, etc. I was a member of the Cub Scouts back then and on Saturday, July 11 we all went to see the Red Sox play the much-hated New York Yankees. I wasn't fully aware of the intense rivalry between these two teams yet. But there was only 24,232 people there and the Red Sox just weren't drawing the crowds they do in this era.

Starting lineups were: Yankees
RF Bauer 3B Lopez CF Mantle 1b Skowron C Berra LF Howard SS McDougald 3B Richardson P Maas

For the Red Sox:
SS Buddin CF Keough 2B Avila 1B Wertz RF Jensen LF Williams 3B Malzone C White
P Casale

So anyhow, the game was tied up 4-4 in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Sox loaded the bases and Don Buddin smacked a grand slam. The place was wild. I checked the stats from the game and Jackie Jenson went 3-5, Ted went 1-3 and Vic Wertz 2-3.

The Sox were behind 3-1 in the 8th, came up with 3 runs. Ted singled and Stephens came in to run for him and then play LF, which was typical back then because Williams was aging. Tony Kubek homered in the 9th to tie it up.