St. Louis Cardinals outfielder, Oscar Taveras, has been killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic. Taveras’ family has confirmed the accident which also claimed the life of his girlfriend. Taveras was 22 years old and had a bright future ahead of him. Just 13 days ago, he hit a game tying home run against the Giants in the NLCS.
Oscar Taveras was described as the present and future of the Cardinals offense. Today, the baseball world mourns his loss.
Rest in peace Oscar Taveras. 
Tony Gwynn passed away today at the age of 54, thus ending a battle with cancer dating back to 2010.
Gwynn was very private about his medical struggles but he had attributed them to years of chewing tobacco use.
Gwynn was a player of legendary proportion. A 15 time all-star, 5 time gold glove winner, 7 time silver slugger and an insane 8 time NL batting champ. Tony played the game like few could.
He was also an amazing ambassador to the game and his work off the field truly showed what a great person he was. Tony received the Roberto Clemente Award in 1999 for best exemplifying the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.
Gwynn’s number 19 was retired with the padres and in 2007 he was elected the National Baseball Hall of Fame on his very first ballot with a whopping 97.6 percent of the vote.
Baseball will sorely miss Tony Gwynn. 
The ceremonial first pitch in baseball has been a tradition for almost as long as baseball has been around. But on a sunny Tuesday afternoon in San Francisco, fans got to see quite possibly the best one yet.
Monday, all eyes were on the Bronx as Derek Jeter started in his final home opener of his storied career.
But by Tuesday, all eyes had shifted to San Francisco and little Miles Scott was set to kick off the Giants home opener with a ceremonial first pitch to remember. Miles is a 5 year old Leukemia survivor who has touched the heart of millions. But due to unforeseen circumstances, Miles was not able to attend. Perhaps it has something to do with his now socialite status from his recent fame. Some have likened this child to Bruce Wayne (billionaire Gotham City playboy and heir to the Wayne fortune).
Luckily for fans, Batkid showed up just in the nick of time to take over First Pitch duties. It’s interesting to note that no one have ever seen Miles Scott and Batkid in the same place at the same time.
Ok. I’ve had my fun with this story, as anyone would because this kid is just so awesome.
Miles Scott’s one wish was to be sidekick to the famed superhero, Batman. Well, this child’s wish went viral. On November 15th, 2013, the city of San Francisco rallied around him in one of the largest and most elaborate Make A Wish plans ever. Actors were hired and sets were designed to give young miles multiple different crime scenarios where by the end of the day, he was able to save Gotham City.
The San Francisco Chronicle even produced a “Gotham City Chronicle” edition with the headline
BATKID SAVES CITY. Hooded Hero Nabs Riddler: Saves Damsel In Distress
The Mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee, presented Batkid with a key to the city and declared November 15th, Batkid day. Batkid even received a video of thanks from President Obama.
Flash foreword to Tuesday as Giants pitcher Matt Cain walked with Batkid hand in hand out to the pitchers mound so that he could deliver the first strike of the day with the help of Batman himself. The scene was one of the most heart warming, this baseball fan has ever seen. Batkid, Miles Scott is an amazing child and Tuesday afternoon, he reminded us what baseball is all about. It’s about the kids.
Thank You, Batkid. You are the greatest superhero of them all.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It’s that wonderful time of year again. No matter what team you prefer, you can be optimistic about the season ahead. No matter what moves your team made in the off season, it’s Opening Day and everyone is tied for first place. Here in the Bronx though, we know something that others don’t realize. No matter what moves your team made and no matter what “Sports Illustrated” says, this is our house and this is our time. Opening Day in the Bronx marks the beginning of a new pursuit for another championship. That’s because as far as we are concerned, the World Series has a home, and it’s home is on 161st Street and River Avenue. Welcome to the Bronx, where Opening Day might as well be a holiday.
Yankee Baseball is deeply rooted in the Bronx. The Yankee’s began their storied history with a brief stint as the Baltimore Orioles. They were formed in 1901 as one of the American League’s original eight teams. The organization moved to New York shortly after, in 1903. In upper Manhattan’s Hilltop Park, they played as the Highlanders until 1913 when the team’s official name was changed to the Yankees. In 1923, the Yankees moved directly across the Harlem River into the Bronx. Yankee Stadium was opened and there it stayed until 2008 when its heir was built. Bronx natives as well as other Yankee fans, have packed the house year after year starting with Opening Day on April 18, 1923. Not much has changed in that regard since that day. Yankee fans are among the most loyal fans in baseball. Despite the traditional weekday scheduling, Opening Day in the Bronx promises to be a max capacity event.
If you are a Yankee fan then you know what I’m talking about. It’s that day of the year when the kids get to play hooky from school while the adults play hooky from work. It’s a day for tradition, and we as Yankee fans know a thing or two about tradition. Every year, my brother, my friends and I get bleacher seats for the home opener. We all take the day off and wake up early. We meet at my house for breakfast and then its onto the train and down to Stan’s. We get to the bar no later than 9:30am because after all, we are celebrating our holiday. Stan’s is a haven for Yankee die hards, especially on this particular day. Everyone is there for the same reasons; eat, drink and be Yankee fans.
I don’t know if you have been to other stadiums but I have. Baseball really is an amazing game no matter where it’s played, but it just has this special aura in the Bronx. It belongs here. Even with a new $1.3 billion mammoth of a stadium, Opening Day still feels special. We have the only perfect game ever thrown in the World Series, we’ve got Mr. October and Mr. November, and we started standing on two strikes. We’ve blown ‘em away and we’ve walked ‘em off. We have pulled off upsets and we have swept opponents aside on the way to 27 World Championships, and all that starts with Opening Day. This year has the makings of an interesting season. Everyone seems to be underestimating our Bombers. Labeling this team as underdogs is a crucial mistake and they have everything it takes to make teams pay.
Tradition means everything to us fans. It’s a way of starting off the season on the right foot. After all, if we break tradition we may jinx our beloved Yankees. Lets keep the traditions going and lets enjoy another beautiful Yankee game. We deserve it because we have the greatest team in the world and we are the greatest fans in the world. It’s time we do our pre-game rituals and then head to the stadium. Scan your ticket, grab a beer, find your seat and quiet down because role call is about to begin. It’s Opening Day, and all is right in the Bronx.
So come that special morning, you will find me at Stan’s bright and early. That’s our tradition. What’s yours?
Derek Jeter has officially reported to spring training and sat down to address the media mainly about how his ankle is feeling. If you don’t recall, last year during the ALCS, Jeter broke his ankle and had to be carried off the field. He had been playing on what was thought to be a bone bruise but later turned out to be a stress fracture. Jeter revealed to the media that he had screws inserted into his ankle and that they would be there forever. When asked how the off season went, Jeter told the press that it was terrible having to rehab from this injury. Jeter admitted to having to learn how to walk again and even using a motor scooter to get around his 30,000 square foot home.
However, when Jeter was asked if he would be good to go on opening day, his answer was simple. “Why not?” Jeter sees no reason why he wouldn’t be fine to start the season on April 1st. He claims that his ankle is completely healed and that his only hurdle is getting the rest of his 38 year old body into game shape. Jeter was recently cleared by team doctors to resume all baseball activity but said he would not play in a spring training game until March.
I’ve noticed that many baseball “fans” believe that Jeter is too old to come back from this injury and too old to produce on a high level. These people compare him to other short stops and other players of his age. What people don’t understand is that there isn’t a single player in the league like Derek Jeter. If anyone can come back from this injury it is him. To those who say that he is too old to produce, let’s not forget he led the league in hits last season. Jeter believes he can have another year like last year and the Yankees are relying on him to do so. One thing I’ve learned about Derek Jeter since he came up with the club in 1995; he rarely disappoints.
Pitchers and catchers have officially reported to spring training and baseball is now underway. I can confirm that baseball people are doing baseball things in both Florida and Arizona. As camp gets underway, many teams still have issues to work out and even though not a single game has been played, baseball writers all over America have already made their predictions for the World Series.
I’m not a believer in an off season champion. Just because you look good on paper doesn’t mean it will translate. But in the spirit of spring training, I will make my own World Series prediction based solely on what teams look like on paper. The World Series will be played between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Washington Nationals. Toronto will have beaten the Angels to arrive in the fall classic and the Nats will have beaten the Braves in the NLCS. Your world champions will be the Washington Nationals. What a great 2013 season that was! So exciting!
Like I said, I don’t believe this will be the outcome of the season. This is what I believe would happen if “on paper” meant anything after a 162 game season. I made these picks because I think that the Braves and the Nationals are two of the most well built ball clubs we’ve seen in a while but I think the Nats are slightly better. The Angels are always a dangerous team and with Hamilton they just got even more dangerous. They likely have the best hitting outfield in the league and Pujols at first. I also think that Toronto is going to have their turn this year. They had a shot last year until they were riddled with injuries. But that’s the thing. These are my predictions but I don’t think they will happen because after 162 games, players get hurt or have off years or don’t mesh well together. Meanwhile other players have surprisingly great years and stay healthy and a teams vibe carries them somewhere no one ever saw coming.
So there you have it, my prediction that won’t happen. So if you are a fan of any of the teams I picked to lose, don’t worry, there is still a chance.
The Steinbrenner family has a rule. That rule was not even broken for the captain himself. The rule is that the team does not talk about a new contract with a player until that players contract has expired.
Today, word broke that the Yankees have broken that rule. The team has reached out to Robby Cano in hopes of extending the leagues best second baseman. The organization wants Cano to be a Yankee for the entirety of his career and this is the first step. There is no word on whether or not Cano is open to discussing an extension or not but word is that he does not intend to give the Yankees a home town discount.
