New York Yankees News

Creditor A-Rod objects to Rangers auction plan
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July 29
ESPN.com
 
"Former Texas Rangers and current New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez filed an objection to the Rangers' bankruptcy plan Wednesday over concerns about whether he would receive the $24.9 million he's owed in deferred compensation. Rodriguez's attorney, Joe Wielebinski of Dallas, said in the filing that his client is objecting "out of an abundance of caution due to the potential uncertainties in the plan." The Rangers went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late May. Rodriguez isn't the only player listed as a creditor. Current Rangers third baseman Michael Young is owed nearly $4 million. Other former players among the list of creditors include Kevin Millwood ($12.9 million); Vicente"
Batting coach Kevin Long has hit it off with Yankees' hitters
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July 29
Bergen Record
 
"The desert creeps up to the walls of Pinnacle High School, spilling out from the hard-packed, open landscape of southern Arizona. The school towers over the desert scrub that surrounds it, rising like an oasis on the outskirts of Phoenix. This is where Kevin Long rebuilt Nick Swisher, a long, long way from the Bronx, just a few weeks after the Yankees celebrated championship No. 27. Trust me, the Yankees' hitting coach told Swisher in December, and put your career in my hands. We need to revamp your swing. We need to rebuild you from the ground up. Swisher gave him that trust after a frustrating postseason. And Long helped turn him into an All-Star. "I trust him so much that I know"
No deals yet for Yankees
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July 29
The Journal News
 
"With baseball's trade deadline 72 hours away, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said his day-to-day routine has not changed in anticipation of a move. "It's pretty normal for me to talk to (general manager Brian Cashman) a couple of times a day anyway," Girardi said. "I'm not really talking to him any more now than I normally would. I'm sure if something heated up, it might become more." As it stands, the Yankees have not been closely linked to any individual player. They are believed to be monitoring the market for relievers, bench players and possibly an impact bat, but for the most part things have been quiet since their near trade for Cliff Lee. Blue Jays reliever Scott Downs is perhaps the"
Yankees hammer Fausto Carmona and Indians, 8-0; A-Rod remains at 599 homers
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July 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"One start after possessing arguably his best stuff of the season, Indians right-hander Fausto Carmona dropped his compass somewhere between the dugout and the mound Wednesday night. Carmona gave up seven runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings as the Tribe lost to the Yankees, 8-0, at Progressive Field. The Yankees improved baseball's best record to 64-36. They are 46-26 all-time at Progressive Field. A.J. Burnett, who has been awful on the road for most of the season, allowed seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Two relievers combined to give up one hit. Not all went swimmingly for New York. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with a double but failed to blast career homer No. 600. Captain Derek"
Opponents Are Learning: Don't Test Gardner's Arm
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July 29
New York Times
 columnist Ben Shpigel
"Being fast has its advantages for Brett Gardner, who excels at chasing down fly balls, stealing bases and beating out grounders. It can also overshadow some of his other talents, which were on display Tuesday night, when he threw out the Indians' Shin-Soo Choo at the plate on a perfect one-hopper to end the first inning. "The word's out on him now," said Rob Thomson, the Yankees' third-base coach. Thomson, who works with the team's outfielders, said he had spoken with coaches around baseball who have noticed that Gardner's arm strength and accuracy have steadily improved. His eight assists - six as a left fielder - are tied for third in the major leagues behind Jose Bautista of Toronto"
Berra, in the Hospital Since Mid-July, Is Released
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July 29
New York Times
 
"Yogi Berra, who missed Old-Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium and the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., after injuries from a fall on July 16, was released from the hospital Wednesday morning. Berra, 85, had been in the hospital since July 17 for rehabilitation to regain his ability to walk, Dave Kaplan, a friend and the director of the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center in Little Falls, N.J., said in a telephone interview. Some published reports indicated that Berra was released from the hospital July 18, which Kaplan described as inaccurate."
Yankees Win While Waiting for Rodriguez to Hit 600th
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July 29
New York Times
 
"The ball sliced into the right-field corner, and Alex Rodriguez galloped toward second base. Sliding headfirst, Rodriguez wrapped his hands around the bag, ripping it from the ground, and for a moment he lay there on his back with the base in his hands. The longer it takes for Rodriguez to hit his 600th career home run, the more his priorities may be shifting. "I thought the milestone was doubles," Rodriguez said, "so I took the base with me." Rodriguez was in a wisecracking mood late Wednesday night after the Yankees trounced the Cleveland Indians, 8-0, at Progressive Field, where four pitchers extended his chase for history another day. On the whole, Rodriguez was pleased with his"
It's A-Fraud any way you slice it
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July 29
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 columnist Gene Collier
"By the time you read this, the number of Major League Baseball players with 600 home runs might have swollen to seven, but it'll be an ugly swelling, marked by the telltale needle marks of guilt and suspicion. They were playing with specially marked baseballs Wednesday night in Cleveland, just in case homer No. 600 by New York Yankees slugger A-Fraud Rodriguez flew into the seats and someone tried to foist a phony relic of a baseball into the bidding for historical artifacts. You don't think someone would try to deceive A-Fraud, baseball, the game's unseemly memorabilia industry? Not that they wouldn't deserve it. Hilariously, A-Fraud told the New York Times this week he's not a big fan of"
Toronto has high asking price for Downs
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July 28
SI.com
 
"Toronto's asking price for reliever Scott Downs is high, and no it's known how high (at least for in-division deals involving Toronto's fellow AL East members). The Blue Jays asked the Yankees for top catching prospect Jesus Montero and the Red Sox for one of two two prospects, either pitcher Casey Kelly or shortstop Jose Iglesias. The New York Post first reported the Boston names."
Yankees balk at Blue Jays' price for Downs
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July 28
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain is no longer Joe Girardi's only option to pitch the eighth inning. That doesn't mean, however, the struggling right-handed reliever isn't coveted by other clubs who might be trying to buy low because of Chamberlain's recent woes. After the Diamondbacks asked for Chamberlain to be part of a Dan Haren deal, a source who has knowledge of what the Blue Jays want for lefty reliever Scott Downs said Toronto requested Chamberlain. That stays true to the industry believing the Blue Jays' asking price for a 34-year-old reliever who can become a free agent is far too high. When the Red Sox contacted the Blue Jays about Downs, Toronto asked for highly regarded infield prospects Casey"
Joba loses 8th-inning gig
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July 28
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain has lost his exclusive eighth-inning job, but is in no jeopardy of being sent to the minors, sources told The Post. Joe Girardi refused to say yesterday that Chamberlain has lost his job, but a club official explained: "The first thing we felt we had to do was take him out of the eighth inning." That began Monday night when David Robertson and Boone Logan protected a one-run lead in the eighth in what became a 3-2 victory over the Indians. Robertson replaced Javier Vazquez with a runner on first and no outs and induced a double play. Logan then came in to strike out lefty Shin-Soo Choo. It is possible Chamberlain, whose up-and-down season has hit new lows with eight runs"
Tribe topples Yankees; A-Rod stuck at 599
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July 28
New York Post
 
"Could anybody have been surprised that high drama entered into the equation when Alex Rodriguez strutted to the plate in the ninth inning last night? The Yankees trailed the Indians by three runs with two on and two outs on Rodriguez' 35th birthday and the cleanup hitter looking to become the seventh player in history to reach 600 homers. Chris Perez' first pitch was a called a strike as the Progressive Field crowd buzzed. The next one sucked all the drama out of the night when Rodriguez hit a grounder to short that gave the Indians a 4-1 victory in front of 27,416. "It would have been a fantastic present," Rodriguez said of a game-tying three-run homer that would have allowed Rodriguez to"
A.J. Burnett says Coghlan's freak accident won't deter him from throwing pies
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July 28
New York Daily News
 
"Celebrating has become dangerous in baseball, but don't expect A.J. Burnett to curb his pie throwing. Florida's Chris Coghlan tore the meniscus in his left knee on Sunday as he jumped to deliver a celebratory pie in the face of Wes Helms following his walk-off single. Coghlan, the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year, might require surgery that would sideline him for the next 6-8 weeks. "I feel sorry for him," Burnett said. "You cant take the fun out of the game, but you have to do it right, I guess. It's an unfortunate incident, but I'm still going to throw pies." Burnett has delivered about 20 pies since joining the Yankees."
Joe Girardi hopes Joba Chamberlain can reclaim eighth-inning set-up job
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July 28
New York Daily News
 
"Joba Chamberlain might have lost his job as the Yankees' eighth-inning go-to-guy, but Joe Girardi made it clear that he hopes the current situation is temporary. "We want him to pitch at the level he's capable of pitching at," Girardi said. "Until we get Joba right, I might look at matchups a little more." Girardi went to Dave Robertson and Boone Logan in a one-run game in the eighth on Monday night, passing over the struggling Chamberlain, whose ERA this month is 8.10. "The guys down there know my stance; when you're pitching well, you're going to pitch," Girardi said before Tuesday night's game. "If it's the eighth inning, there's a good chance I'll go to Joba tonight. We'll have to wait"
A-Rod doesn't homer again in 4-1 defeat
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July 28
New York Daily News
 
"Is it too soon to call Alex Rodriguez's homerless streak a drought? A-Rod failed to go deep for the fifth straight game, although in all fairness, nobody had much success against rookie Josh Tomlin, who shut down the Yankees in a 4-1 Indians victory. The stage was set for a dramatic moment for Rodriguez, who celebrated his 35th birthday Tuesday. A-Rod came to the plate in the ninth inning representing the tying run, but Chris Perez - who served up a homer to Rodriguez on May 31 - got him to ground out weakly to end the game. "I thought it would have been a fantastic present, but it didn't work out," said Rodriguez, who has five career homers on his birthday. "I've had some good birthdays,"
Mark McGwire refuses to talk about PED use, won't 'judge' A-Rod for his steroid use
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July 28
New York Daily News
 
"Big Mac says he has "moved on from" his forever link to the Steroid Era, and will no longer address questions about what steroids he used or where he got them during his 16-season major league career. "That's a chapter of my life that I've moved on (from)," Mark McGwire, the Cardinals' hitting coach, said yesterday in the visiting dugout at Citi Field. "I've already answered all those questions." After years of being a recluse, and one very awkward congressional appearance in 2005 when he testified that he was not in D.C. "to talk about the past," McGwire finally came clean about his long-time steroid use in a televised interview with Bob Costas in January. A week later, McGwire was"
Whipped-Cream Pie Tradition Will Continue, but With Safety in Mind
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July 28
New York Times
 
"When shoving whipped-cream pies in his teammates' faces, A. J. Burnett abides by one rule. "I always try to somewhat think safety first," Burnett said. That principle will keep guiding Burnett, who said the freak injury to Chris Coghlan, an outfielder on the Florida Marlins, will not prevent him from continuing his signature practice after dramatic late-inning victories at Yankee Stadium. Coghlan landed awkwardly on his left knee Sunday, tearing his meniscus, after jumping to rub a celebratory shaving-cream towel in Wes Helms's face. Coghlan was placed on the disabled list Tuesday and, if he needs surgery, could miss up to eight weeks. "I don't exactly go full-sprint into somebody with a"
Yankees Are Foiled by a Pitcher in His Debut
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July 28
New York Times
 
"Josh Tomlin last pitched in Durham, N.C., handling a Class AAA lineup that included J. J. Furmaniak, Angel Chavez and Jose Lobaton. His assignment at Progressive Field on Tuesday was a bit more challenging: to subdue the mighty Yankees, the highest-scoring team in baseball. In a sense, he already held the advantage. The Yankees, for reasons they cannot pinpoint, often succumb to pitchers they have never faced before. Add to the list Tomlin, who in his major league debut outdueled C. C. Sabathia to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 4-1 victory. As Sabathia labored, Tomlin shined over seven-plus innings, allowing three hits and a run. None of those hits were by Alex Rodriguez, whose penchant"
Yankees on Soria's no-trade list
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July 27
ESPN.com
 
"If the Yankees are indeed interested in acquiring Kansas City Royals All-Star closer Joakim Soria, they will face one more hurdle -- a no-trade clause. The Yankees are one of the six teams on Soria's no-trade list, a baseball official with knowledge of the contract tells ESPN New York. Rumors have been circulating that the Yankees want to make Soria their new eighth-inning man to replace Joba Chamberlain. The no-trade clause is one hurdle, but the biggest mountain that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman must move is the Royals' reluctance to trade Soria. Kansas City has told teams it will listen on Soria, but it will take a boatload of talent to acquire the right-hander."
Joba loses setup role, but Yankees won't send him to minors
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July 27
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain has lost his exclusive eighth-inning job, but is in no jeopardy of being sent to the minors, sources told The Post. Joe Girardi refused to say on Monday night that Chamberlain had lost his job, but a club official explained: "The first thing we felt we had to do was take him out of the eighth inning." That began last night when David Robertson and Boone Logan protected a one-run lead in the eighth in what became a 3-2 victory over the Indians. Robertson replaced Javier Vazquez with a runner on first and no outs and induced a double play. Logan then came in to strike out lefty Shin-Soo Choo. It is possible Chamberlain will be used as part of a mix in the eighth inning. But"
Nats have not made progress on signing Dunn
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July 27
Foxsports.com
 
"The Nationals may trade first baseman Adam Dunn if they can't sign him to an extension before Saturday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. At this point, it doesn't appear that the sides have made significant progress. So, we can expect the Dunn market to heat up in the coming days. The White Sox have been the most serious suitor, but sources say the Tigers, Rangers and Yankees maintain some level of interest, as well. The Rangers are also pursuing Florida's Jorge Cantu and Baltimore's Ty Wigginton, among other right-handed bats. Dunn is the quintessential left-handed slugger. He's hitting .281 this season with 23 home runs and 63 RBIs. And while the White Sox remain focused on Dunn, one source"
Joba Chamberlain doesn't get the call in eighth inning
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July 27
Bergen Record
 
"Overlooked in Monday's eighth inning, Joba Chamberlain didn't reveal any disappointment that manager Joe Girardi chose David Robertson and Boone Logan to preserve a one-run lead. "I was stretched and ready to go [if needed]," Chamberlain said tersely. Girardi said he preferred the matchup of Robertson against Asdrubal Cabrera (who hit into a double play) and Logan against fellow lefty Shin-Soo Choo (who struck out). "It's just what I decided to do tonight," said Girardi, adding it would be a mistake to say he'd lost confidence in Chamberlain. Still, Girardi has a stated preference for relievers in set roles and admitted his choice might have been different if Chamberlain weren't"
Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and the Yankees' eighth-inning situation
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July 27
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Yankees manager Joe Girardi prefers to assign bullpen roles because he likes the idea of relievers having some sense of what's coming when the bullpen phone rings. Yet, when the phone rang in the eighth inning on Tuesday night, with the Yankees clinging to a one-run lead, a situation that once fell in the domain of Joba Chamberlain, Girardi asked instead for David Robertson. "I don't want to start a thing, 'who's our eighth inning guy?'" Girardi said, soon after the Yankees' 3-2 victory against the Indians. Of course, it was too late for that, especially after Chamberlain was made into a spectator while Robertson and left-hander Boone Logan efficiently protected the Yankees' lead in relief"
CC Sabathia may play for the hated Yankees, but he's not hated in Cleveland
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July 27
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Bill Livingston
"CC Sabathia sat in the visitors' clubhouse at Progressive Field Monday afternoon, his baseball cap hanging above him in his locker. He wears the black hat, or at least the navy blue one now, of the New York Yankees. That other guy who passed through town -- the one who played for the Cavaliers and wore a Yankees cap when the Indians were playing New York in the playoffs here three years ago -- left too. It will be harder for LeBron James to come back than it is for Sabathia. "It definitely helped that I was traded [to Milwaukee in 2008 for the stretch run in the National League]," said Sabathia, who signed a $161 million contract as a free agent with the Yankees after pitching the Brewers"
Alex stuck at 599, Joba jilted, but Yankees prevail
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July 27
New York Post
 
"Alex Rodriguez is going to hit home run No. 600. Tonight. Tomorrow night. Maybe the weekend. The milestone homer is coming. The same can't be said about Joba Chamberlain automatically working the eighth inning. Rodriguez didn't become the seventh player in baseball history to reach 600 homers last night, and Chamberlain was bypassed for Javier Vazquez, David Robertson and Boone Logan in the eighth inning of a 3-2 Yankees victory over the Indians in front of 27,224 at Progressive Field. "I am not concerned, it's going to come," said Rodriguez, who turns 35 today, and who went 0-for-4 last night. He is 6-for-17 since home run 599 was hit last Thursday. "This week. Next week. Next month." For"
Yankees, Red Sox eye Jays lefty
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July 27
New York Post
 
"The Yankees and Red Sox were separated by eight games and one team in the AL East going into last night's action. However, the blood rivals are nose to nose in the race for Blue Jays' lefty reliever Scott Downs. "It's the Yankees and Red Sox," said a source with knowledge of Toronto's plans. "And he is clearly the best reliever out there." With Damaso Marte on the disabled list due to a shoulder problem, manager Joe Girardi's lone lefty option in the bullpen is Boone Logan. Thus, the interest in Downs. Fellow lefty Will Ohman is also available, but one talent evaluator said, "It's not even close between Downs and Ohman, Downs is far better."The Yankees have a scout following the Astros and"
Granderson's eighth-inning homer keys 3-2 Yankee win, Rodriguez has hitless night
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July 27
New York Daily News
 
"Alex Rodriguez may be having trouble connecting on his next home run, but lately that hasn't been a problem for Curtis Granderson. Granderson's two-run blast in the eighth inning Monday night lifted the Yankees to a 3-2 win over the Indians, beginning the Bombers' seven-game road trip on the right note. It was Granderson's third home run in two games, following up his two-homer performance Sunday. "It's only been two days," Granderson said. "You love to have it that way, so hopefully it's a sign of good things to come." A-Rod's bruised left hand didn't keep him out of the lineup, but he was unable to complete his journey into the 600 club. Rodriguez went 0-for-4, extending his homerless"
Javier Vazquez turns in another solid outing for Yankees
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July 27
New York Daily News
 
"Javier Vazquez continued his impressive run Monday night, limiting the Indians to two runs on five hits over seven-plus innings. Vazquez walked three and struck out five, improving to 9-7 and lowering his ERA from 4.68 to 4.54. Since May 12, Vazquez is 8-4 with a 3.10 ERA, allowing only 60 hits and 26 walks over 84 innings during 13 starts and one relief appearance. Those numbers have helped him erase the memory of his brutal start to the season, in which he went 1-3 with a 9.78 ERA in his first five starts. "I'm pretty happy that I'm helping the team," Vazquez said. "After the first month, I tried to just forget about it and help the team from here on. I think I'm doing that.""
Girardi opts for David Robertson and Boone Logan in eighth over Joba
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July 27
New York Daily News
 
"It's official: the eighth inning is up for grabs. Joe Girardi said Monday he would "probably lean toward" Joba Chamberlain in a tight game in the eighth, but Monday night it was Dave Robertson and Boone Logan getting the outs as Chamberlain sat in the pen. Javier Vazquez started the eighth, but after he issued a leadoff walk to Michael Brantley, Girardi turned to Robertson to face Asdrubal Cabrera. "I liked the matchup," Girardi said. "I looked at the charts, I looked at everything and I liked the matchup." Cabrera, who was 0-for-5 lifetime against Chamberlain and had never faced Robertson, hit into a 6-4-3 double play, then Girardi called on lefty Boone Logan to face Cleveland's best"
Rule Change Could Put Steinbrenner Up for Hall This Year
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July 27
New York Times
 
"In the aftermath of his death July 13, George Steinbrenner was widely endorsed for a place in the Hall of Fame. Because of a change in the election procedures announced Monday, his chance could come as soon as December. The National Baseball Hall of Fame's board of directors announced that it had restructured its process for voting on executives, umpires, managers and long-retired players who were not elected by the baseball writers in their first 15 years of eligibility. Candidates will be grouped by era — 1871 to 1946; 1946 to 1972; and a last group beginning in 1973. That is the year that Steinbrenner bought the Yankees, who won seven championships under his ownership. Each year at the"
Beating Cancer Bonds Two Ballplayers
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July 27
New York Times
 
"Chris Malec received mail from across the country after learning he had testicular cancer, but a handwritten note from a survivor named Colin Curtis stood out. When Malec, then an infielder at the University of California, Santa Barbara, received the diagnosis in 2005, it created a ripple in college baseball. Curtis, an outfielder at Arizona State who beat testicular cancer when he was a teenager, wrote to assure Malec that he would also conquer the disease. The Yankees drafted Malec in the 16th round in 2005 and Curtis in the fourth round in 2006. They met for the first time at spring training in 2007. Now, Malec is playing independent baseball, and Curtis has been an impressive reserve"
Two Calls to Bullpen, but None for Chamberlain
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July 27
New York Times
 
"The first time Manager Joe Girardi needed a reliever to preserve a one-run lead in the eighth inning this season, he called on Dave Robertson. Ever since that night in Boston, the second game of the year, the eighth inning has been the domain of Joba Chamberlain. It does not appear to be that way anymore, with Chamberlain never warming up as Robertson, and then Boone Logan, combined to record three pivotal outs Monday night in the Yankees' 3-2 comeback victory over the Cleveland Indians. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth, retiring Matt LaPorta with a runner on second to end the game, because Robertson and Logan were able to accomplish what has eluded Chamberlain throughout his inconsistent"
Robinson Cano gets 1,000th hit
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July 26
Bergen Record
 
"Robinson Cano's two-run double in the eighth inning was his 1,000th career hit, a milestone he reached in 3,232 at-bats. In the expansion era, the only homegrown Yankees to reach the mark in fewer at-bats are Don Mattingly (3,042) and Derek Jeter (3,112). "I see how I'm doing, I'm not going to lie," said Cano, 27, adding he wasn't thinking about 3,000. "The only thing now that I've got my mind on is 1,500," he said. "That's closer.""
'Grand' day as Curtis belts pair
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July 26
New York Post
 
"Curtis Granderson was looking for "the feel." When he got to the Stadium yesterday, the Yankee center fielder's basic feel was one of overriding nausea, thanks to that spiffy .240 batting average. So he went for early optional hitting. "To try to get the feel," he explained. "Sometimes you got the feel and sometimes you don't. Even after batting practice, I was still looking for it." He found it in the third inning. Then again in the fourth. With all the fans in the ballpark looking for Alex Rodriguez's historic 600th homer, it was Granderson who put on the power display in the Yankees' 12-6 win over Kansas City, victimizing righty Sean O'Sullivan -- the guy who stymied the Yankees as an"
Joba shakes off 8th-inning homer, focuses on 1-2-3
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July 26
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain felt the positive was how he finished, not how he started the eighth inning yesterday. But he was one base-runner from not finishing the inning at all. Yankee manager Joe Girardi, after watching Chamberlain surrender a walk and then a Scott Podsednik home run to turn a comfortable 7-3 Yankees lead into a 7-5 fret, admitted he was ready to go to David Robertson. "I was prepared to bring him in if Joba gave up another base-runner," Girardi said. The crowd seemed ready to make the move for Girardi. What remained of the 47,890 gathering that was considerably reduced by a 2:32 rain delay was in an ugly, booing mood. "It won't be the first and it won't be the last," said"
Yanks pass, righty dealt to Angels
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July 26
New York Post
 
"The Yankees' refusal to give in to what they believed were unreasonable demands by the Diamondbacks for Dan Haren resulted in the right-hander being dealt to the Angels yesterday for pitcher Joe Saunders and a package of minor-leaguers. "I haven't looked at it that closely," GM Brian Cashman said when asked what he thought of the deal. The Yankees and Diamondbacks talked, but the Yankees balked at paying the entire $31.75 million remaining on Haren's contract that is guaranteed through 2012. And they also were against including pitching prospect Ivan Nova. Plus, the Yankees will need plenty of money to ink free agent Cliff Lee this winter and don't want to have Haren's money negate the"
Reign delay: No. 600 now likely on road
Comment
July 26
New York Post
 columnist Larry Brooks
"About half of the crowd of 47,890 remained in the house for Alex Rodriguez's at-bat in the eighth inning that came at 6:30 p.m., five hours and 22 minutes after Phil Hughes' first pitch of the afternoon, and followed a two-hour, 32 minute rain delay that halted play in the top of the sixth. That represented about twice as many people who would have remained in the Stadium had Rodriguez not been chasing history, not still been stuck on 599 after his first four-at bats of the long day's journey into nightfall. "It was amazing how many stayed and how great the fans have been," Rodriguez said following the 12-6 victory over the Royals that ended with him still one homer shy of 600 after he was"
Royal pain for A-Rod despite Yankees' victory
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July 26
New York Post
 
"Alex Rodriguez adores the way Yankees fans finally accepted him as one of theirs last year. He was truly impressed that twice in three days people stayed through extended rain delays on the chance Rodriguez hit a milestone homer. Now that he didn't drill No. 600 in The Bronx, Rodriguez hopes he doesn't get a second chance. "I'd rather hit it somewhere else," Rodriguez said of the homer that will make him the seventh player in baseball history to reach 600. Of course he would, since the Yankees open a four-game series in Cleveland tonight and follow that with three against the Rays at Tropicana Field. And it's not like Rodriguez has gone frigid at the plate. In yesterday's 12-6 win over the"
Joba Chamberlain tests Girardi's patience in tense eighth inning, Phil Hughes' home woes persist
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July 26
New York Daily News
 
"After Joe Girardi said last week that Joba Chamberlain needed to earn the role of eighth-inning man, the reliever tested his manager's patience Sunday. Chamberlain began the inning by walking the Royals' No. 9 hitter, Chris Getz, and then allowed a two-run homer to Scott Podsednik. Girardi was ready to yank him for David Robertson. "If it's something that we have to do, we'll address it," said Girardi of putting Robertson in the eighth-inning role. "I was prepared to bring (Robertson) in if Joba gave up another baserunner." After the home run, Chamberlain got Jason Kendall to ground out, struck out Wilson Betemit and got Jose Guillen to fly out."
A-Rod hit by pitch, leaves game stuck at 599 homers in New York Yankees' win over Royals
Comment
July 26
New York Daily News
 
"The rain delay lasted two hours and 32 minutes - as long as many entire baseball games - yet still a great number of the 47,890 at the Stadium remained. They wanted to see and feel the big moment when Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th career home run. Instead, they got to see and feel something very different: the scary sight of the history-chasing slugger lying on the ground in the batter's box after being hit by a pitch on his left hand. Kansas City's Blake Wood unleashed a 95 mph fastball that Rodriguez couldn't avoid. The ball glanced off his forearm and toward his face, just barely missing it. He spent more than two minutes on the ground being examined by team medical staff. But after the"
Solutions Are Elusive in Handling Hughes
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July 26
New York Times
 
"The Yankees' relationship with Phil Hughes is complicated. They need him to pitch well to help stabilize a rotation in flux, but they are limiting his innings to preserve his arm. "Is there a better way?" Manager Joe Girardi said. "It's hard to find." In recent starts, Hughes has not been sharp, which might have been a result of extended time off in the Yankees' attempt to balance priorities. Hughes's turn in the rotation was skipped once in late June, and he had long rest over the All-Star break in mid-July."
Suspense, and a Brief Scare, in the Wait for No. 600
Comment
July 26
New York Times
 
"After the Yankees' 12-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, Alex Rodriguez left Yankee Stadium with a purple mark on his left hand, a smile on his face and — for the third day — a total of 599 home runs in his eventful career. Things could have been better. He might have hit the milestone No. 600 for the remnants of a crowd of 47,890 fans who endured a rain delay of 2 hours 32 minutes in the sixth inning. And things could have been a whole lot worse. When Kansas City reliever Blake Wood threw a fastball up and in on Rodriguez with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, the pitch hit Rodriguez on the forearm and the wrist and deflected near his face."
Tejeda chokes off Yankees' comeback as Royals hold on for 7-4 victory
Comment
July 25
Kansas City Star
 
"Robinson Tejeda's evolution into a shutdown set-up reliever passed another major test Saturday afternoon when he worked two scoreless innings that steered the Royals to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees. Just ask the man who understands, perhaps, better than anyone. "We expect that now," closer Joakim Soria said. "He's been doing that all season." Sure, Tejeda's two innings don't mean much if the Royals don't rough up New York starter Sergio Mitre for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings while building leads of 6-0 and 7-2. Or if shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and center fielder Rick Ankiel don't turn in sparkling defensive plays. Or if Kyle Davies doesn't avoid major damage in working 5 1/3"
Torii Hunter wants to see Alex Rodriguez reach milestone
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July 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"Torii Hunter was 16 in the summer of 1992 when he first met Alex Rodriguez, then a star high school shortstop from Miami, at a Junior Olympics tournament in Boise, Idaho. "He was 6-foot-3, he was the only one using a wood bat — a taped-up wood bat, I'll never forget it — and he hit one 430 feet," the Angels center fielder said last week at Yankee Stadium. "I went back to Arkansas and told everybody, 'Hey, there's a guy named Alex Rodriguez who is going to be the best player ever.' They were like, 'What? Is he better than Shawon Dunston?' I said, 'Ten times better.' And Dunston was good." Hunter and Rodriguez were both first-round draft picks in 1993, and though they have never been"
Forget Mitre's bad start, Cashman doesn't need to rush in on Haren deal
Comment
July 25
New York Daily News
 columnist John Harper
"We should have had one of those A-Rod moments that seem to follow Alex Rodriguez around, him coming to the plate with two outs in the ninth and a chance to make home run No. 600 a game-ending grand slam. Such drama no doubt would have made a capacity crowd at the Stadium feel it was worth sweating out the suffocating heat Saturday afternoon. But first base umpire Chad Fairchild incorrectly called Mark Teixeira out at first base to end the game, and so instead the paying customers were left to wonder how they wound up drawing the short Sergio Mitre straw. Or, to put it another way, the Yankees' ugly 7-4 loss to the Royals was mostly fuel for the latest trading-deadline debate: Should the"
Top prospect Montero exits after HBP
Comment
July 25
New York Post
 
"Jesus Montero, the Yankees' top prospect and potential trade chip, was listed as day-to-day with a left forearm bruise after being hit by a pitch last night. The 20-year-old catcher left Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's game immediately after he was plunked by Rochester's David Bromberg with one out in the bottom of the second inning. A source said Montero later appeared in the dugout with a wrap on his arm and that no X-rays were needed. Montero was the centerpiece of the package of prospects the Yankees planned to send to Seattle in exchange for Cliff Lee before the Mariners opted to deal the left-hander to the Rangers. He also would be a likely candidate to head to Arizona if the"
Rushing for Haren could sabotage Yankees' Cliff plan
Comment
July 25
New York Post
 
"The Yankees all but had Cliff Lee on their roster two weeks ago. They are going to make sure they do not do anything to let him slip away again. That is a major reason they are hesitant to obtain Dan Haren from the Diamondbacks. Now is the moment to stop reading if you believe the Yankees have no payroll guidelines. But if you believe Hal Steinbrenner is going to hold the payroll to about $200 million again in 2011 — and that is how the Yankees' front office is operating — then it will be difficult to obtain Haren and still find the $25 million or so under the seat cushions for Lee. And Lee clearly is the Yankees' top free-agent target of the coming offseason, just like he was earlier this"
Davies keeps A-Rod's quest for 600 in check
Comment
July 25
New York Post
 
"Kyle Davies was well aware of where Alex Rodriguez stood on the career home run chart. He knew Rodriguez was at 599. But Davies, who had surrendered Rodriguez's 500th blast at Yankee Stadium nearly three years ago, did not alter his approach. "It wasn't the fact I didn't want to give up the 600th," explained the Royals starter yesterday. "I didn't want to give up [Colin Curtis'] second. I just wanted to keep us in the ballgame here." And that he did. Davies (5-6), on a day that made the surface of Mercury seem balmy, lasted 5 1/3 innings to earn his first victory since May 28. He got good run support early, as the Royals battered Yankees starter Sergio Mitre, and withstood three Yankees"
A-Rod left holding the bat
Comment
July 25
New York Post
 
"The game was there to be won and then it was lost. History was there to be made and then it was not. Mighty Alex did not strike out. He was just left on deck. All the drama that might have been, the milestone 600th career home run that could have brought the Yankees all the way back on yet another steam bath of a day in The Bronx, evaporated with all the rest of the could'ves and would'ves of our lives and with Alex Rodriguez denied one more trip to the plate. A-Rod had been sitting on 599 for nine at-bats since going deep against Kansas City in the seventh inning on Thursday night. He'd gone 1-for-4 yesterday and waited on deck, swinging a bat over his shoulder, as Mark Teixeira faced"