Nick is from the Bronx and grew up just a short subway ride away from the original Yankee Stadium. He spent many days of his youth sitting in those old seats and from that, he has developed a strong love for sports.
As I’m sure you have heard, this will be Derek Jeter’s last season in professional baseball. If for some reason you haven’t heard, Derek Jeter announced his retirement via a Facebook post last month.
Jeter has said he will do something this year that he has admitted to being bad at in the past. He will enjoy every last moment of this season. As he does that, my plan is to try to share all those moments with you. My goal is to let you enjoy every last minute of this final season as much as Derek does. My other goal is to hopefully convey just how impressive Derek Jeter has been throughout his career to those of you who think he may be a bit overrated.
So I hope you enjoy the future installments of “The Final Season.”
This is Sergeant Major Charles Bunyan and his beautiful family. They are truly wonderful people who go above and beyond what it means to be a military family. They are people that go out of their way to help anyone in need and are happy to do it.
SGM Bunyan is an exemplary leader in the New York Army National Guard and has helped so many soldiers find their way. His wife, Joan Is always there with a helping hand, a listening ear or any support she can give. She gives love and support to so many people and asks nothing in return. Their eldest daughter Brianna, and youngest daughter Lilly are about as sweet as they come. Two incredibly pure-hearted girls raised in a home filled with love.
Tragically, on December 19th, this amazing family was dealt quite a serious blow. Brianna ( the eldest daughter, 18) died in a car accident. The pain this family is going through this Christmas season is an unbearable one no person deserves. Especially not such good, giving people. These people have brightened so many lives. All I ask is that you click the link below and give back to this incredible family in their time of need. ANY AMOUNT WILL DO. No donation is too small or too big.
This fund was set up by Master Sergeant Adam Tucciariello, one of the many soldiers who has experienced the love and support the Bunyan family has to offer.
Today we found out some very sad news about the head of the MLB Players Association. Michael Weiner lost a 15 month battle with brain cancer. He has died at the early age of 51. Weiner was an active leader for MLB players and his positive impact on the game of a Baseball can not be overstated. Even through his 15 month battle, Weiner continued to work. He did not use his condition as a reason to quit but instead was an active leader until the very end.
Many players and Baseball writers took to twitter to express their sadness about the passing of Michael Weiner.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote:
“@Joelsherman1: Forget about his union work and intellect, Mike Weiner was as nice a person as I have met. Utter sadness, respect to his family #RIP”
MLB pitcher, David Aardsma wrote:
“@TheDA53: My heart goes out to the Weiner family. Michael was one of the most brilliant people I have ever know. We have lost a great great person!”
Mark Fiensand of the Daily News wrote:
“@FeinsandNYDN: Very sad to hear of Michael Weiner’s passing. Did great things for the MLBPA and the entire game, but more important was a quality person.”
“@FeinsandNYDN: Michael Weiner once told me there were few things he loved more than being with baseball players. His love for the game showed in his work.”
Former MLB player, Aaron Boone wrote:
“@AaronBoone_ESPN: Baseball and the world lost a good man today. R.I.P. Michael Weiner”
These were just a few tweets of the many pouring onto twitter. All of them follow the same theme. Michael Weiner was not just a great union head, he was a great friend and person. He will be sorely missed.
It was the night of March 31st 2013. Many of us Yankee fans were getting ready for Opening Day the next day. It was late, already dark for several hours. When out of the cold windy night I heard an unfamiliar sound. Between the gusts of wind on this particularly chilly March night, I heard the sound of chains rattling. The sound continued for some time, seemingly getting closer with each rattle. I began to feel my nerves jumping with each thrash of metal that now sounded like it was outside my bedroom door. I locked the door hoping whomever was out there would be stopped, but I was mistaken. The door swung open with brut force and the chains were thrown at my feet.
Connected to these many links was a familiar man. Though it couldn’t be him, it was, staring me directly in my eyes. I said, “what are you doing here?” Nervous yet excited to hear his answer, hear him speak. He told me of a crime committed against the game of baseball. He said it was a injustice to the game. I asked him who was to blame expecting any answer other than the one I received. “Yankee fans.” He replied in a stern voice. I told him he must be mistaken. That we Yankee fans are among the best in baseball. He emplored me to listen to his reasoning but I interrupted.
“You see sir, this city is the greatest city in the world and so is this team. Winning is our legacy and October is our birthright. We live and die by the World Series.” I believe I spoke passionately, enough to sway him and make him see that we Yankee faithful could not be guilty of a crime. To my surprise, I only angered him. “You do not see the error of your ways!” He said, but continued “there is still time for you to learn what I never did, during the coming months you will be visited my three ghosts. The Ghost of Seasons Past, Present and Yet To Come.” And with that, he was gone. I woke up the next morning believing I had some strange dream the night before. The season started that day.
Before long I was visited by the first ghost. The Ghost of Seasons Past:
He emplored me to pay close attention to Mariano Rivera. Mo had already announced that this would be his last year but after spending almost a full season on the DL with a torn ACL, you wondered how affective he would be this year. The ghost showed me that it was wrong to wonder. Mariano would not blow his first save until late May and would be just as dominant as ever. In his final act, he would take us back to 1996 and show us just how truly special his career is. Watching him has been like watching a man frozen in time and the ghost expressed to me how much I need to cherish the past and be grateful that some things haven’t changed. But then the ghost left and late May is where it all went south for this team.
Everyone was hurt and the guys that weren’t hurt, couldn’t hit to save their lives. No righty power was present. The team would constantly lose low scoring games. The Ghost of Seasons Past was right but this team wasn’t the same anymore. No way they can win a World Series. And as if things couldn’t look any bleaker during the Yankees hitting woes, the Ghost of Seasons Present showed up.
The Ghost of Seasons Present:
The ghost showed me players that the Yankees had failed to re-sign this past offseason. He showed me Nick Swisher that by the All Star break, was having his usual offensive year that could have strongly benefited this Yankee team, but he was doing it in Cleveland.
The ghost then showed me Russell Martin who’s offense had not only improved but who also had become a clutch hitter for the Pirates. A leader for the Pirates as well, being not only a presence at the plate but also behind it. Martin was helping them become one of the best teams in baseball. Meanwhile our catcher was hurt and linked to a steroid scandal and we were stuck with a lack luster tandem of Chris Stewart and Austin Romine.
The ghost finally showed me a player that wrote himself into Yankee playoff history. A player that tied an October game in the bottom of the ninth with one swing and later won it with another. He showed me Raul Ibanez. Ibanez at 41 was having a prime season. One of the league leaders in home runs through the All Star break, missing out on him hurt badly. Especially with the injuries to Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixiera and Alex Rodriguez, the team’s home run threats.
Realizing this could just be a lost season. A season decimated by injuries, the anger faded but the disappointment was still strong as the Ghost of Seasons Present left and the final ghost arrived.
The Ghost of Seasons Yet To Come:
This was the ghost I feared the most. This was the ghost that showed me what the Yankees would be like without its beloved captain. Derek Jeter broke his ankle last October only to re-break it in march. He then came back after the All Star break only to injur his quad in the first game. He came back about 2 weeks later only to injur his calf. He’s provided a small spark each time he’s come back but the ghost was showing me just how little time could be left in the story book career that I and many like me have been blessed to whiteness since day one. The ghost made me realize how much I need to stop obsessing about certain things and just enjoy watching the team I love play the game I love. The players won’t always be the same but the game always will. I have to cherish it no matter what. Find the joy in it even when they’re down because that is the whole point of baseball. It’s a game meant to entertain.
The final ghost left me and I awoke the morning of August 31st. I hadn’t missed it. The season wasn’t over! And miraculously, the bruised and battered Yankees are only 4.5 games out of the Wild Card. Jeter is back again and with the return of guys like Rodriguez and Granderson and the addition of Mark Reynolds, things are looking up. Austin Romine has really come around and shown this team he belongs here and with a gift from the Ghost of Seasons Past, Alfonso Soriano, the Yankees are a threat from both sides of the plate, capable of making any pitcher pay.
They may not make it to October, but they are fighting. They are grinding it out. We Yankee fans are a proud bunch but if October doesn’t end with a parade it’s “bah humbug!” We need to realize that October is not a right, it’s a privilege. And maybe a visit from these 3 ghosts will make us smile a little easier, cheer a little louder and beam a little brighter when our team grinds it out hard enough to have the honor of October baseball. This year, or seasons yet to come.
I think that’s what The Boss’ ghost was trying to teach me, trying to teach us all.
Alex Alex Rodriguez has effectively turned himself into MLB’s public enemy number one. He is now Baseball’s Villain.
It’s been almost six months since we first heard about the Miami based anti aging clinic that was allegedly pedaling performance enhancing drugs to more than 20 MLB players. And here we are, waiting with bated breath to find out exactly how Major League Baseball will deal with these dopers. We have already seen Ryan Braun served with a 67 game suspension that will cover the remainder of the 2013 season. Now word is Nelson Cruz will be suspended this week. Braun’s suspension doesn’t hurt the Brewers because they are not in a pennant race. Cruz’s absence is much more noticeable for a Texas team that seems playoff bound.
But what about the big fish? The 1,000 pound marlin that Bud Selig would love to reel in and mount on his wall of shame. The word around the baseball universe is that the amount of evidence the league has on Alex Rodriguez far surpasses the amount they had on Braun. The analogy has been used that the league has “a skyscraper of evidence on A-Rod compared to a Lego they had on Braun.” It seems as though Bud Selig is absolutely fed up with Alex Rodriguez because insiders are claiming that Selig is getting ready to put the final nail in Rodriguez’s coffin.
Commissioner Bud Selig poses with child wearing an “A*ROID shirt.
The team A-Rod has hired to defend him has said that they will fight any suspension handed down to Alex. This was stated just after word had leaked that the commissioner’s office offered Rodriguez a deal. Accept a plea of a suspension for the rest of this season and all of next season and Selig would not seek to ban him for life. Now that it seems Rodriguez will fight the ban instead of taking the deal, Selig is no longer messing around. A-Rod could appeal the ban based on the collectively agreed drug policy and he would still be eligible to play during that appeal process. Selig wants to make sure that doesn’t happen.
The commissioner now plans to use the Collective Bargaining Agreement to ban Alex Rodriguez rather than the drug policy. What’s the difference, you ask? Well, according to Article XI Section A1b of the CBA, the commissioner has the ability to ban a player for life based on preserving the integrity of the game of baseball. In this situation, Rodriguez can still appeal but he would not be eligible to play through the process. Also, instead of having an arbitration hearing to decide his fate, A-Rod would instead be appealing to very man that enacted the punishment, Mr. Bud Selig. Needless to say, Rodriguez would lose the appeal.
A-Rod could then take MLB to court but at that time, MLB would move to ban Alex based on the drug policy, to which he could also appeal. So Rodriguez and the MLB would be locked into a court case and an arbitration hearing. So lets talk scenarios.
Best scenario for Alex: He wins the court case and the CBA ban is dropped and then the arbitrator rules in his favor for the drug policy ban. No way the arbitrator lets him walk with the mountain of evidence he has against him. He still serves a severe suspension but is able to attempt a return to the game after a certain amount of time and look to collect on the remaining $60-75 million left on his contract.
Worst scenario for Alex: He loses the court case so therefore the arbitration hearing is moot and he is banned from the game for life. Never being eligible for employment in any regard by Major League Baseball. Plus he loses the rest of his money and the Yankees get out of a major contract.
It’s hard not to ask yourself why this man would even consider fighting at this point. Selig isn’t f**king around.
The Miami Biogenesis Clinic scandal has seemingly reached its peak. Major League Baseball and former NL MVP, Ryan Braun, have come to an agreement. Braun has admitted to using PEDs and has apologized for letting everyone down. The plea deal will be in effect immediately and he will serve a suspensions without pay for the remainder of the season, about 67 games. The agreement between the league and Bruan does a lot to boost the credibility of Anthony Bosch. Bosch was the head of the Miami clinic.
All of this information is bad news for Alex Rodriguez who is believed to be up next to face the music. CBS Sports writer, Jon Heyman, was the first to break the Bruan suspension and he believes that we will see the same situation if not worse for Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez is now faced with a decision. He can either let the league take their action and accept or fight it or he can use his injury to state that he is physically unfit to continue playing at the professional level and retire to ensure he collects every dime of his contract. It seems regardless of what he decides, we will know soon.
Derek Jeter is in the final stretch of his long rehabilitation that has kept him out of games in the Bronx since he broke his ankle back in October. Saturday marked the first action Jeter has seen in a live game since spring training when he re-broke his ankle. It’s been a long and emotionally painstaking road for the notoriously impatient Yankee captain and he is in a hurry to get back where he belongs. However, fans in Scranton, Pennsylvania wouldn’t mind if Jeter took a little longer to get back in his familiar pinstripes.
Since Saturday, Jeter has been playing for the Scranton Railriders, a Class AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees. He has put on quite the clinic, doing his best to prove to the suits in the Bronx that he is ready to help his team. The passed 3 games at the newly renovated PNC Park have all been sell out crowds of 10,000 and Jeter even admitted to being a little nervous before Saturdays game. So far, Jeter’s progress has been well documented. A few scouts even marveled at how honed in Jeter seems even after missing so much time. However, Jeter’s impact on the field may not compare to the impact he is having on this small town community in Pennsylvania.
Derek is staying at the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center and I’m sure it wouldn’t be difficult for a person of his means to stay shut in his hotel suite while he is not at PNC Park but the star shortstop has done just the opposite. He has gone out to many local business to show his face and his support. And with social media being so readily available, it doesn’t take long for business to pick up at whatever local eatery Jeter is at.
Jeter has been to Osaka on Adams Avenue for dinner, the Backyard Alehouse on Linden Street for drinks. He’s been to the Downtown Deli on Spruce Street in Scranton for lunch. He’s also enjoyed a couple of steak houses such as Carl Von Luger Steak and Seafood and State Street Grill in Clarks Summit. As you may know, Jeter loves his Starbucks so he has even paid a visit to the Steamtown Mall coffee-house for a triple grande non-fat cappuccino. Staff at each local business described Jeter as friendly and approachable. Many calling him just a normal guy. It didn’t take long for word to spread each time and Jeter graciously took photos and signed autographs for fans who were nice enough to keep their distance until Jeter was finished with his meal.
Mark Grambo, 23, had dinner with his mom and sister at the State Street Grill. He described Mr. Jeter as a normal guy, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and eating a salad.
“As a baseball fan, it doesn’t get any better than Derek Jeter,” said Mr. Grambo, noting that he’s an Atlanta Braves fan. “It doesn’t matter who you like, it was awesome. He’s the face of the game, a non-steroid using hero.” Grambo also said that within 20 minutes, the restaurant was packed.
Plenty of Yankee fans wait with bated breath for the captain to return but while he is in Scranton he seems to be doing all he can to generate revenue for local business owners. It seems the community around Scranton, PA will be sad to see Jeter go.
Well, it took less than a week for Alex Rodriguez to cause chaos in Yankee Universe via twitter. The embattled star took to twitter two hours ago and announced that he was cleared to play in rehab games. Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York reached out to the Yankee GM Brian Cashman, and asked him about Rodriguez’s tweet. Cashman, who is known for being forthcoming with the media, did not hold back his feelings. He told Marchand;
“You know what? When the Yankees want to announce something WE will. Alex should just shut the f**k up. That’s it. I’m calling Alex now.”
Clearly Cashman is not very happy with the Yankee slugger. Even more clear is the fact that Rodriguez picked the worst time to join twitter leaving us all to question who he is taking advice from over at camp A-Rod.
Details are still fuzzy but HBO has confirmed that James Gandolfini, the former Soprano’s star, has died after suffering a heart attack in Italy. Gandolfini was 51 years old and was best known for his role as Tony Soprano on the hit HBO show “The Soprano’s.”
Today, emotions were high at Fenway Park as the Red Sox were set to take on the Royals. The first game at Fenway since the day of the marathon bombing was sure to have an inspiring pre-game ceremony. Add in the fact that authorities were able to kill one of the bombers and arrest the second bomber last night and you get a very strong feeling of pride in Boston. Early this morning, the Red Sox tweeted that their home jerseys would be a little different today. Attached was this picture.
The Red Sox home jersey says just that, “Red Sox.” But today, they would read BOSTON for the city they so pridefully represent. On a day where fans came to use this mass gathering to show their pride as well, the team’s undisputed leader addressed the packed house after a touching tribute to the victims and first responders.
David Ortiz stood in the infield in his special BOSTON jersey with a large American flag draped over the Green Monster behind him, and he spoke to the fans and to a national TV audience. Ortiz explained that their jerseys did not say Red Sox today but instead Boston. He went on to thank the Mayor of Boston, the Governor of Massachusetts, and the Boston Police Department. He then said “This is our fucking city and no one is going to dictate our freedom.” He thanked the crowed and yelled “Stay Strong” as he walked off the field. League Commissioner Bud Selig was probably not too fond of Ortiz’s speech but the crowed went absolutely wild. Maybe using the F word was a little unorthodox but I think it showed passion and it made it clear that Ortiz is not just an athlete getting paid to be there. He is a Bostonian even if he’s not originally from Boston.
What happened in on April 15th was terrible. But it was Patriots Day in Boston and it is only fitting that we feel Patriotic about this amazing country and its amazing resolve. Maybe things like the Bruins game the other night and today’s Red Sox game seem silly to some people. And after something so terrible happens, you realize that these are just games and they are not that important in the grand scheme of things. But I’m a New Yorker. I screamed my lungs out when Mike Piazza hit the game winning home run against the Braves in the first game in New York after September 11th. I also stayed up late into the night to watch three amazing World Series games in the Bronx that October/November. Sports, at a time like this, may not be that important but they serve as a distraction. More importantly, they give us a reason to cheer again.
Allow them to reintroduce themselves as ROC Nation. Robinson Cano has stunned the baseball world by firing Scott Boras in the middle of extension talks with the Yankees. Boras is the biggest agent in baseball so for Cano to fire him during negotiations is bizarre. As if this wasn’t a strange enough development, soon after ESPNs Buster Olney reported the split, word circulated that Cano had found new representation. Cano signed a deal with hip hop mogul Jay Z.
At first I thought reports had to be wrong but apparently Jay Z has started a new endeavor. He has partnered with CAA talent agency to start his own sports management agency by the name of ROC Nation. Jay Z’s first client is Robinson Cano. When reached for a statement, Boras told members of the New York media that he hadn’t heard from Cano about a split but a tweet from Cano told a different story.
Rumors have been swirling and sources have been speaking. The word is that former Boras clients, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixiera had been in Cano’s ear about firing Boras. They allegedly told him that parting ways with Boras could only help his image with the fan base. Rodriguez and Teixiera both have fired Boras in the past, but only after major contract negotiations. Cano is the first major name to ever bounce the super agent before a big pay day.
Another rumor swirling is why Boras was not alerted of this blockbuster deal. The rumor is that the Yankees offered Boras a 6 year deal worth $27.5 million a year and Boras told the Yanks “no way” without consulting with Cano. If that is true, it makes sense why Boras would be the last to know about his termination.
As for Cano’s decision to sign with Jay Z, a lot of thought has gone into that. Sources say the Cano wants to be a name brand both on and off the field. Sweeny Murti from WFan said he was told Cano wants to be like Jeter and sees that only being possible in New York. Cano sees Jay Z as the best way of accomplishing all this. All in all, this move seems to be the first win of the season for the Yankees. The likelihood of Cano staying in pinstripes is much greater now that Boras is out and Hova is in.
Last year when Johan Santana tossed the first no-hitter in Mets history, Terry Collins was moved to tears by the display. Many had comments about Collins’ emotional reaction to Santana’s achievement. Even though this was a big day for the Mets organization, people said Collins didn’t have enough history with the club to be moved to tears. Some even went as far as making fun of him for it.
Now it has become a little clearer that maybe those tears had nothing to do with the club’s long history without a no-no until that day. Maybe Collins knew then what we are learning now. Johan was a lot closer to the end than anyone was willing to admit. Collins saw one last moment of greatness for one of the greats cut down by injury.
The Mets just broke the news that Santana has yet another tear in his pitching shoulder and his season is likely over. He will spend the entire year strengthening and rehabbing from his latest injury. But now the question is: is it worth it? Will Santana see the need in another difficult rehabilitation if another injury could be imminent. This latest shoulder tear could spell the end of Santana’s career.
Met fans can’t be mad at him either. You can be pissed at the situation and you can be disappointed that his Mets tenure was ultimately a bust. But comparing him to say Carl Pavano’s Yankee tenure would be inaccurate. Santana is a competitor. He’s a guy that gives 110% on the field and when he is trying to come back from an injury, he gives even more. His determination is something that has never been called into question. However, when talking about him, you can’t help but wonder what might have been if he could just stay healthy.
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