Edwar Ramirez AKA K-Ram Has Been Called Up!

Finally! This move should have been made already, but it's not too late to get his Bugs Bunny change-up baffling the A.L.. Now all we need is Britton and our bridge to Mo should work fine!

Punchless Yanks Lose

Feel free to stop embarrassing your fans any time now, Bombers.

Yanks Win!

Good to have the best closer in Baseball come in when you have a 1 run lead and 2 out and 2 on in the 8th. Moose pitched well, Farnz was Farnz, and Mo got the vicious 4 out save. And down on the farm K-Ram K'd 6 in three innings of relief. His AAA era is now .68. Or you can keep Myers and Villone in your pen. Go Yanks!

Bump!

The NHL salary cap just went up to 50.3M which is a little more than was expected. Use it wisely, Slats.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=212226&hubname=nhl

Too Many Knicks

The Knicks now have too many players under contract. That can probably be solved quickly by buying out Dan Dickou or Fred Jones, but they still have a lot of similar small forwards on the roster and, unless they play QRich at the 3, none of the others is necessarily ready to start yet. I wonder what Zeke's gonna do to clarify that position.

Demetris Nichols is yet another Knick

The Knicks have acquired the draft rights to Demetris Nichols of Syracuse, seen palming here. This gives them another very athletic, long armed 3 - oh, and this one can SHOOT! Something's up.

Chandler a Knick, too

The Knicks used the #23 pick to take run/jump/score and play D guy Wilson Chandler from DePaul. They are apparently done for tonight, but have a lot more to do this offseason.

Zach a Knick

Tonight, Isiah Thomas acquired 20/10 guy Zach Randolph, his nasty contract, Dickau, Fred Jones and their EXPIRING contracts for Channing Frye and Stevie Francis. Ranolph is the best player in the deal, but we won't see cap sanity in `09 like we thought we would, but we should be able to move Dickau and Jones.

Draft Day!

Wheel and Deal, Zeke!

Down on the Farm

Earlier tonight, in the 5th inning of their FSL High A game, Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata hit back to back homers! Here comes the power.

UPDATE: Jackson, Tabata and Marcos Vechionacci created the game winning run in Tampa today with three singles in the bottom of the 10th. Good stuff!

Amazing Discovery: Mo is Still On Yanks!

It's true! Torre just had him pitch the 8th in a game where the Yanks were down 4-0! I wonder what was wrong with him in the 9th inning of a winnable game last night.

UPDATE: YANKS GET SHUT OUT AND LOSE. O's GO FOR SWEEP TOMORROW. ROAD TRIP STANDS AT 1 AND 7.

Protecting the Farm!

No matter how bad things are, the Yanks will not trade Hughes, Chamberlain, Horne, Kenney, Betances or Tabata. This comes from a very good source.

No Mo Fo Joe

Something's gotta change in Yankeeland. Tonight they lost with Proctor on the mound in the 9th. What are we saving Mo for? When we're in last? Why bunt Cano with a slow runner on first and a pitcher who's not throwing strikes on the mound? Why let Cairo bat in two huge spots when all MLE's clearly demonstrate Phillips is the better option? Unreal. Something's gotta change.

Knicks Draft Scenarios

What will be done with the 23rd pick? Will it be used or traded? Will Isiah finally buy back in to the draft if he sees players he likes falling? Word is that something may be up with the Nuggets - the very team they fought!

Ranger Trades And Free Angency

After getting the best player in the draft, the Rangers are on to making free agent and trade decisions this week. NHL Free Agency opens on July 1st and teams have till then to lock up their own.

http://www.newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=2947
Video of Cherepanov and the Young D's!

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) on TCM right now! I advise you to toon in to the last GREAT appearance by Universal's Big Three: Frankenstein's Monster, Dracula, and the Wolfman. This was the last time they ever had the proper budget to work with, and neither the script nor Abbott and Costello (who are great in this) get in the way of the cool monster stuff. Dig it!

Unreal

1 and 5 to finish interleague. The Yanks should probably fire Torre, but they won't (and leadership is an issue here), so they need to get a bat and call up Ramirez and Britton. We can't give up on this season or the farm system. Go Cash, Go Yanks.

No Direction Home

He who bunts Abreu, who has almost never bunted. Thanks, Joe! Gotta start a new streak tomorrow, and this one better last longer than 1.

Yanks Win!

Kei was back and looked good through 4 before running into complications in the 5th. Still Joe could have let him finish the inning and collect the win. Melky had some big hits and ARod went 4-4 and now has 75 RBI's. It's JUNE. Go Yanks!

Draft Weekend!

The first round of the NHL draft is tonight! The Rangers are sitting at #17 with some tradeable assets if they want to move up, and this might be a year to do just that. There are three to five top players then a flat area. If this was a football draft, I'd stay in the flat area, but in a sport like hockey, where fewer players play at a time, and many other players are under organizational control without being the roster, you have to go for "special" when you can. Tonight, they can. Go Rangers!

Swept Away

The Yanks have done the unthinkable and lost three straight in Colorado. Was the air up there the problem, or were they just caught off guard? Andy Phillips is not the answer, and Kei Igawa goes against SF tomorrow night. Back to .50o. Wake up, Yanks!

No Help In Sight

Apparently, the Dunn deal is dead. The Reds were trying take a little much and unload way too much. It remains intensely important to the future of the franchise that Cash not now trade any of the future core guys to the Rangers for Tex. No Hughes, no Chamberlain, no Tabata, no Betances, you get it... We need a solution, but not one that takes apart the future. Dan should be by with more.

Yanks Lose

In another hideous, mismanaged display or impotency, the Yanks rolled over for an inferior opponent for the second night in a row. They need to salvage this road trip. Andy Phillips is not the answer, and there is no solution in sight.

Torre Hangs Andy Out To Dry!

The mastermind left a cleary gassed Andy Pettitte in in the 7th tonight and didn't take him out till the Yankees were down 5-1. Now the pen is fresh, having only needed to get two outs Sunday and having had an offday Monday. It's 6-1 now cause everyday Viz just gave up another run that will be charged to Andy. This has been a brutally mismanaged game, and it will take a lot of Yankee magic to pull it out down 5 with 6 outs left.

Dealin' Dellin!

Dellin Betances makes his 2007 debut tonight in the home opener for SI. He's grown and gotten thicker since last year, and he's ready to start his climb to the top! Go, Kid, Go!

Rangers Offseason!

Looks like Shanny will re-sign, then what? Gomez? You tell me! And I'll tell you they need to have a monster draft this weekend!

Yanks Lose

Mike Mussina gave the Yanks a quality start tonight, but they couldn't put together enough quality ab's to give him a win. Alas, we start a new winning streak tomorrow!

Phelps Out/Phillips Up

Andy's back, and let's hope this time he can hit major league lefties and breaking stuff. Seriously, the Yanks know Andy can't hold the job, so I'm sure either Dunn or someone else will be here soon.

Kobe to the Knicks?

I'm really not seeing anyway that this could happen that wouldn't create more riots out here. What are your thoughts?

God Bless You, LaVar!

There are disturbing reports at this hour that former Giant, Redskin and PSU linebacker LaVar Arrington has been involved in a terrible motorcycle accident. He's been rushed to the hospital and our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Nickels, his family and teammates at this time.

Dunn Deal?

Rumors keep getting louder that Reds slugger Adam Dunn could be a Yankee by the end of the month. Regular poster Dan has heard, what I have now also heard: Adam Dunn and David Weathers to the Yanks for Tyler Clippard and stuff. I don't know what the stuff would be, but Tyler Clippard is the name we'd miss. I'd still use this chance to add another 27 year old high OPS bat to the lineup. Dunn's deal becomes a rental if he traded (though he may have the right to offer the remaining options to the new team). Just the same, the Yanks can always re-sign him if they want to keep him. The prospect cost will be cheaper than getting Teixiera would be, and Dunn with his high walk approach would fit perfectly in the 5 hole.

NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least one Tiger won today, as Chien-Ming Wang made easy work of the Mets tonight. Wang has a career high 10K's and it was never in doubt after ARod's massive 2 run homer in the first. Po added one late and the final was 8-2, though it was never really that close. Off day tomorrow, then 9 on the road! Keep it going, Yanks!

Yanks Start a New Streak

ARod smacked #26 and Jeter smacked #5 and the Yanks generally smacked the Mets. Tyler Clippard had his second poor start in a row and was sent down to AAA to put it back together. He will be back and he will be valuable. Let's win again tomorrow!

Yanks Lose!

Clemens was great, but the Yanks decided to go fishing against a wild pitcher. What a waste of 27 outs. Time to start a new winning streak tomorrow.

NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pettitte was terrific and the Yanks just wrapped up their 9th straight win! They've also signed at least 20 of the kids they drafted last week, including a couple who might have been signability problems. Go Yanks!

8 Feels Great!

Moose joined the party with 7.2 innings of great 2 run ball. Homers by Posada (solo), ARod (2run) and Matsui (3run) pretty much told the story as the Yanks cruised to their 8th straight win, 7-2. Keep it going!

Holmes! on TCM

All day on TCM they are showing Sherlock Holmes flicks featuring the greatest Holmes of all, Basil Rathbone. Even as the series went from A pictures to B pictures to perhaps something cheaper, Rathbone shone through. Even then they changed the setting from Victorian England to the England of WWII, Rathbone shone through. No matter what Moriarity cooked up... Check em out!

Job-AA

Joba Chamberlain made his AA debut tonight. Through 5 innings he allowed no runs, 3 hits, and 2 walks. Oh, and he K'd 9! He showed swing and miss stuff with his fastball, slider, change and curve. That's DOMINANCE. And that's a FUTURE YANKEE!

7th Heaven!

And with 100 games left, the Yanks are back at .500. Not a great night for the bats - or the baserunning, but Bobby Abreu's 3-run jack in the first held up. Wang was great again for 7 and Farns and Mo brought us home!

10 Pitchers I'm Very Excited About

Andrew Brackman - North Carolina St U -- RHP -- R/R -- 6'11"

Ryan Pope - Savannah Col of Art & Design -- RHP -- R/R -- 6'03" 190

Adam Olbrychowski - Pepperdine U -- RHP -- R/R -- 6'02" 180

Manuel Barreda - Sahuarita HS -- RHP -- R/R -- 5'11" 165

Daniel Mahoney - Cushing Academy -- RHP -- R/R -- 6'04" 195

Ryan Zink- U Illinois Chicago -- RHP -- R/R -- 6'04" 210

Chris Carpenter - Kent St U -- RHP -- R/R -- 6'04" 215

Gregory Peavey- Hudson's Bay HS – RHP-- R/R -- 6'02" 185

Drew Storen - Brownsburg HS -- RHP -- S/R -- 6'01" 170

Gregory Holle - Christian Brothers Academy HS -- RHP -- R/R -- 6'06"

The Yanks searched far and wide this year for the kind of pitchers they love: righty power pitchers. As you can see they found them in all shapes and sizes and at all levels. Brackman, who spent a lot of his youth playing hoops has as high as ceiling as anyone in this draft. The Yanks have the organizational depth to let him take his time. Remember, the similarly sized Randy Johnson didn't get it going till his mid-20's. Pope and Olbrychowski were overlooked. Pope because of his school, and Olbrychowksi because he was moved from the rotation to the pen so often. Pope has a good fastball and great control. Olbrychoski has dialed 97.

Manny Barreda was the first of their HS targets and he has already signed. Short for a power pitcher at 5'11" he still dials 96 and has great secondary stuff. He could be the steal of the draft. Daniel Mahoney is a rangy projectible kid that they really need to sign.

Next, the Yanks took two power pitchers who've already had their TJ surgery: Ryan Zink and Chris Carpenter. Zink doesn't have his best fastball back yet. Carpenter does and seems to be leaning toward signing.

Peavey, Storen and Holle are three more high school pitchers they need to get signed up. Each has a college commitment, and will not be cheap, but each must be signed eventually. It's possible the Peavey will pitch some summer league before a deal is struck, but it also seems like he's very excited about being a Yankee. I don't know what's going on with Storen, but Holle seems very willing to become a Yankee if the money is right.

I liked a lot more of the pitchers picked, but these are the 10 keys. Brackman's ceiling is as high as Chamberlain's or Betances from last year, and overall, I think we might have a pitching class that's even more talented. It all depends on whether or not we can get the high school kids signed. It's great that Manny Barreda has already come on board. There should be more good news soon.

Thanks

What a run. One of the classic American shows went out on its own terms and I couldn't have been much more impressed. Family was redefined and ultimately family was remembered. What a great finale.

Six Straight!

It was the ARod and Abreu show today at the stadium. Wow. Alex finished 2-3 with 2 walks, 2 homers, 5 RBI and 4RS. He was lifted for Basak in the 8th. Abreu was 4-4 with a walk, a 2B, and 3B, 3RBI and 4RS. It was quite a display from the 3 and 4 spot in the line-up. Yanks have Monday off, but cannot lose any of this momentum. Go Yanks!

10 Bats I Am Very Excited About

Austin Romine, C, El Toro HS, R/R 6'01" 195

Bradley Suttle, 3B, Texas, S/R 6'02" 215

Chase Weems, C, Columbus HS, L/R 6'02" 170

Damon Sublett, 2B, Wichita St., L/R 6'1" 190

Taylor Grote, CF, The Woodlands HS, L/R 6'02" 195

Austin Krum, CF, Dallas Baptist U, L/L 5'09" 175

Carmen Anglelini, SS, Barbe HS, R/R 6'01" 195

Isaiah Howes, LF, Louisville, R/R 6'2" 210

Brandon Laird, 3B, Cypress College R/R 6'1" 205

Erik Komatsu, CF, Oxnard College, L/L 5'10" 190

BTW, that's Taylor Grote in the picture. The Yanks did a great job of adding patient hitters in the draft. These are the ten I am most excited about and really hope they sign. They appear in draft order, though I probably like Angelini the best. They are a mix of high school prospects, college prospects and juco prospects. I think every one of them is probably as good as or better than Colin Curtis or any other hitter we drafted last year. Chase Weems has a great lefty swing and hit 15 homers this year. They might do him the favor that the Cards should have done Ted Simmons and Joe Torre and move him to another position. In any event, it was time to jack up the offense and the Yanks did. I hope the Yankees sign them all.

5 Straight!

Roger gave us 6 innings of 3 run 7K pitching and the O did the rest. 9-3 Yanks. The circular O is more or less back, and though not maximally efficient, they were productive enough to still create 9 runs. Rocket got stronger as the game went on and 2 of the runs actually came on a fly ball that someone other than Bobpy Abreu would have caught. Abreu was still fine at the plate and Cano continued his correction with 3 more hits. Melky had another good game. Damon has given us a lift at DH. Keep it going, Spanks!

Retro Rocket!

Today, the Yankees go for five in a row behind arguably the greatest pitcher in baseball history. He's craftier than he was last time around, but what he can do for the Yanks psyche cannot be underestimated. Ready to hit back? Go Rocket!

The Yankees Had a MONSTER Draft

I wanted power arms and power bats and they got some of both. Overall they chose 23 RHP's 3 LHP's and one who throws both. The lefties were all taken late and I don't know much about them yet, but the righties are for the most part the kind of hard throwers I favor taking every year. They also took a number of C's, OF's and INF's. Here's a link to the complete list: http://tinyurl.com/yrvsha

The Yanks went after a bunch of tough to sign kids including Suttle, Grote, Krum, Angelini, Carpenter, Peavey , Storen and Holle. The Yanks need to sign all of them if they want to take the next step. Carpenter and Peavey are high upside pitchers with some knocks, but the kind Nardi can work wonders with. Both have some projecting them as relievers, but they are the type of hard throwers that Nardi would teach a third pitch to and keep them as starters. Angelini has a chance to be our next SS and he needs to be signed up. There are strong, organizational reasons for taking all of them, and the Yanks have no reasons not to.

Once again a great job was done by Damon Cashman, his crosscheckers and scouts. The Yankees drafts really changed when Damon took over the drafting and Cashman put the focus back on the farm. It keeps paying off!