Congrats to Derek Jeter, who has been recognized by SI as the Sportsman of the Year.
Josh Alper ventures a guess as to why Albert Pujols was skipped over.
Tom Verducci does us a favor by not analyzing anything in a thoroughly unrevealing Q&A with Derek. I am surprised that there are two token questions about Jeter’s Turn2 Foundation before Verducci plods into the same old stale Derek Jeter talking points – playing in NYC, dealing with the media, Curt Schilling, ARod & steroids, etc.
Derek Jeter Lauded by SI
November 30, 2009 242 Comments
TURKEY DAY!!
November 26, 2009 229 Comments
Best to you all! Get back to the dinner table, you ain’t done yet!!!
MLB Trade Rumors MAD LIBS
November 24, 2009 216 Comments
MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that [_____] is interested in [____], citing a report from [______] (and Ken Rosenthal) that GM [_____] is looking to upgrade [____] and is “open to [_______]“. Although nothing has actually happened yet, the [______] have not yet decided whether to [______] or [______] free agent [_______], whose agent [________] has hinted that he might be favoring [_________] because of [_______]. The Yankees, the Red Sox, the [____], and the [_____] are said to be the front runners in the chase, with Red Sox in the lead, reports Peter Gammons.
Print out, fill in the blanks, and enjoy!
In Yankee news, Austin Jackson is getting a fire lit under him officially as the team picks up the minor league contract of a troubled… (more…)
Movie Review: "Sugar"
November 21, 2009 382 Comments
[official website]
Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
LibertyBoyNYC scores it: run-scoring double
This movie tells the tale of the biggest season in the life of Miguel “Azucar” Santos. Attending a baseball camp in the Dominican Republic sponsored by the Kansas City Royals, 19-year-old Sugar is a hard-throwing pitcher who has been training since age 16 in a culture that idolizes its baseball players. Everything seems to come easy in his sunny world – success on the mound, the adulation of local children, fun, sex – except for the tranquility of his family, who remind him of the ambition to be drafted and succeed in the United States. A local drinking buddy is scorned for having returned from a stint pitching in the minors empty-handed. A camp… (more…)
Kettle Cookin' on the Hot Stove
November 21, 2009 31 Comments
Fireballin’, $15.1M-bonus getting No. 1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg is strained and dislocated.
I guess they are sick of being in the closet and just outright call it “ESPN Boston” now. Hey, didn’t Pete Gammons say the same thing about the Sox and Mark Teixeira 12 months ago? Marco Scutaro is a type A free agent – just want to let that one hang out there.
Only the Yankees can make a Boras client doubt his agent. Tellum keeps playing the good cop. Don’t break up the band, baby!
Finally, a move worth arguing over.
Hey look, it’s the one guy who didn’t go south this year. Let’s trade him!
New Jersey Native Son Captures AL Rookie of the Year
November 17, 2009 636 Comments
Andrew Bailey, originally of Voorhees NJ, has been awarded the ROTY for the AL. Congrats to the big 25-yr-old righty, and to the state which has put out loads of talent over the years. Andrew saved 26 games for the A’s, striking out 91 batters in 83+ IPs, to the tune of a 1.84 ERA.
Drafted in the 6th round by the A’s out of Wagner College (where he was the career strikeout leader) in 2006, Andrew spent most of his minor league career recovering from a 2005 TJ surgery while kicking around low-A. In 2008, he was mainlined and spent a full season in double-A, where he grew into his power pitching role while mixing time starting and out of the bullpen.
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Thanks, All
November 9, 2009 296 Comments
I need to take a moment to thank all of you who have taken the journey through this 2009 baseball season with BBT. Having it end with a Yankee Championship is the icing on the cake. Improvements will be made to the site in the offseason, but I must assure you all that my goal is forever to give the baseball fan a forum to discuss this game that we all love so much. I have learned much these 12 months since I began this site, and I sincerely hope that you have to.
All the Best,
Ryan aka LibertyBoyNYC
Yankees Take a Step Back, Touch Down in Bronx for Series Finale
November 3, 2009 668 Comments
Yankees lose.
Did anyone think that the Yankees would take three from Philly, in Philly, with Cliff Lee on the hill? That fantasy is dispelled, and the defending champions have pushed the series back into the Bronx for a sixth and perhaps seventh contest. Pedro vs. Pettitte starts just before 8pm on Tuesday.
The Yanks scored in the first inning. Johnny Damon singled with one out off the end of his bat. Mark Teixeira went to 3-0 before Lee worked him back to 3-2 and induced a flyout. Alex Rodriguez sized up a 1-1 fastball on the outer half of the plate and socked a line drive through the infield that took off into the right field corner for a double. Damon was running on contact and came all the way… (more…)
Damon Dastardly, Jorge Hollerin’, ARod Slammin’, Yanks Up 3-1
November 2, 2009 780 Comments
Yankees win.
Cliff Lee can not throw on three days’ rest, and as a result, Joe Blanton found himself on the hill facing the nuclear-powered Yankee lineup. In the end he kept his team in the game to the tune of four runs and seven K’s over six innings, but cracks were driven deep into the Phillie bullpen and Brad Lidge (or, “Ledge” as coined by Uncle Sal) lost hold of a 4-4 tie in the ninth.
The action started early. Derek Jeter led off with an infield single on a bounding ball to the hole between second and first. Chase Utley got to it with a dive, but slipped coming back to his feet and didn’t get a throw off. Johnny Damon went 2-0 before rifling a double to… (more…)
Yanks Smash Hamels, Pick Up Pettitte, Series at 2-1
November 1, 2009 389 Comments
Yankees win.
The Yanks looked pretty powerful last night, bashing three home runs. To the surprise of the baseball world, these Yanks can actually put the ball out of the yard, away from the “friendly wind currents” of the New Yankee Stadium. And, even more to the surprise of the baseball world, Andy Pettitte has enough left in the tank to keep his team in the game – after a long career of ups & downs, revelations and admissions, through victory and defeat. Andy got the win last, his bar-setting 17th postseason victory in 26 decisions.
After an hour and twenty minute delay, the game started and the Phils took the initiative immediately. Cole Hamels mowed through the top three hitters on ten pitches. Jimmy Rollins… (more…)
