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Yankees Injuries: What Yankee fans forget about the Dynasty Era

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Time and time again we read how the Yankees need to "build a new core" and time and time again, Yankee fans forget one thing that really made those years magical. What happened to Tanaka might hopefully serve as a reminder. (It won't)

There's no way to properly quantify the immense blow to the Yankees yesterday when Masahiro Tanaka's injury was announced. Words like "defeated" and "deflated" certainly come to mind. Words that I'm reading are more in tune with "fire sale" and "sell." I'm sure those words are going to be repeated ad nauseum as we approach the trade deadline, as are discussions about how the Yankees need to build a new core. You know, just like that. Tank, get prospects, and then the Yankees are riding shotgun into Dynasty City, where the currency are rings and the tears of other fans.

It doesn't work like that. I don't think I can stress this point enough. It really, really does not work like that. If it did, every team would do it and not go through twenty plus years of being awful. Ask the Cubs and their fans how over a century of ineptitude has worked out for them. The Yankees, despite the good times of the late 90's, do not have this magical button which just allows them to win. I will spell it out for you as plainly and bluntly as possible. Ahem.

They. Got. Lucky.

Now keep in mind, this does not take away from the amazing accomplishments of those years. They were an incredibly talented team, filled with fantastic players ranging from great veterans to future Hall of Fame prospects. Even with all of that, they got lucky. No team wins four championships in five years, or comes a few outs away from winning five championships in six years, based entirely on skill and talent alone. It's luck, and to repeat what they did during that time is extremely improbable.

One key thing that people don't remember about those years is that the Yankees did not get injured. It's a really important thing to remember. You can talk about a player's skill, their passion, their offense, their defense, their incredible slider, or even their clutchicity. Few people mention or remember their health. When Robinson Cano was so casually dismissed by fans and certain a YES broadcaster for not hustling enough, what they often forget is that he was out there almost every day for nine years. You know who that reminds me of? Derek Jeter and the majority of the Dynasty Era team.

Those teams, and the majority of Yankee teams after 1996, did not suffer the kinds of injuries we have seen the past two years. No fluke balls to the hand. No pulled hamstrings running down the line. Nothing. The Dynasty Era teams didn't lose 3/4th of their lineup or 4/5th of their rotation to the injury bug. We're through the looking glass people. It's coming up on the All Star Break, and in half a season we've gone from David Phelps in a long relief role to David Phelps being our number two starter in the rotation. That should tell you everything you need to know about how important health is to any team, and why the Yankees of the Dynasty Era and beyond were so fortunate.

If you want another example, I recently asked some members of Amazin' Avenue exactly what happened with the Mets teams from 2007-2008, during which time the Mets were on the verge of what looked like a possible, incredible playoff run of their own. What I was told is that it was a combination of injuries and bullpen problems. Just the tiniest injury can completely derail a team's season. Losing Masahiro Tanaka is pretty much the worst thing that could have happened this year.

So here we are, three games away from the All Star Break trying to make sense of the future of this team, not just for this year but for next year as well. I do not envy Brian Cashman his task this trade season. As sad and hilariously as it may be, the Yankees are still in contention due to the AL East being a dry, overcooked, inedible meatloaf of a division this year. Who knows what happens the rest of the year, but fans should keep in mind the wise words of John Lennon:

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

Cashman could do everything right and the Yankees could miss the playoffs. Cashman could do everything wrong the Yankees could make the playoffs and win the World Series. A fire sale could get back talent and then said talent could get injured. Somehow, Brian Roberts is still standing. Plan as you might, there's only so far planning can go. Sometimes, there's nothing you can do. Sometimes, your young ace with a magnificent slider gets a partially torn ligament.

This is neither hope, nor is it giving up. This is just a fact. A lot of what can make or break a season has little to do with the players you acquire and more to do whether or not said players stay healthy. This is true of every team in the major league right now. The Yankees of the Dynasty Era did what they did because not only were they talented, but that incredible talent did not get injured. Whether you use this knowledge as comfort or as a rally cry to coax Gene Monahan out of retirement is up to you.

Just try and remember this the next time you think tanking, drafting high, and rebuilding is the ultimate answer to the Yankees current problems. It is not, nor will it ever be. The majority of the time, the answer is health.


Looking back at great Yankee moments in All-Star Game history

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Hint - last year's is one of them. This year's will be, too.

With the 2014 All-Star Game coming up next Tuesday in Minneapolis, it seemed apropos to take a look back at the great Yankee All-Star performances of the past.  Let's start back at the beginning, in 1933, when the first All-Star Game in MLB history was held.

1933 - Ruth hits the first homer in All-Star Game history

The first game was held in Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox, and the AL beat the NL 4–2.  The Great Bambino, Babe Ruth himself, went two-for-four and hit the first home run in All-Star history (because of course he did), a booming two-run blast to deep right field that put the AL up 3–0.  Yankees pitcher Lefty Gomez threw three scoreless innings to earn the first "W" in the history of the Midsummer Classic, and even helped his own cause by hitting an RBI single in the second inning that opened the scoring.  Ruth made another memorable play later in the game - this time with his glove.  In the top of the eighth, with the AL clinging to a two run lead, Ruth robbed Chick Hafey of what would've been a two-run (and game tying) homer with a leaping grab in right.

1937 - Lou Gehrig finally finds success

After a few unimpressive All-Star Games from 1933-1936, the Iron Horse finally busted out in 1937 in DC's old Griffith Stadium.  In his final All-Star start, Gehrig went two-for-four with a double, a homer, and four runs batted in, helping the American League secure an 8–3 victory over Joe Medwick, the great Dizzy Dean, and the National League.  Gomez also started this game (he made seven straight All-Star teams between 1933-1939) and picked up his third All-Star Game win, which remains a major league record to this day.

1949 All Star Game - Joe DiMaggio proves he's still got it

The 1949 All-Star Game was one of the most important in the history of the game because, for the first time, African-American players were selected for the team.  It also happened to contain one of the greatest All-Star showings ever from a New York Yankee. That Yankee was Joe DiMaggio, who wasn't even supposed to play.  Now, I know what you're thinking - why was the great DiMaggio not going to be an All-Star?  Well, he wasn't as young as he once was, and he'd been battling injuries all year.  He had barely even played that season, and accordingly, the fans didn't vote him onto the team.  After manager Lou Boudreau added him as a reserve, starter Tommy Henrich hurt his knee and DiMaggio snuck into the starting lineup, but did it ever pay off.  DiMaggio helped lead the American League to an 11–7 victory, hitting a single, a double, scoring a run, and knocking in three more. While the game itself was a bit sloppy (six combined errors were committed between the teams), DiMaggio proved that he still had it, even slightly hampered and just two years from retirement.

2000 - Derek Jeter becomes the first Yankee All-Star Game MVP

While plenty (pleeeeeeenty) of Yankees have made All-Star teams in the fifty-one years between 1949 and 2000, and plenty of them played well on those teams - Mickey Mantle had some good All-Star showings in the 1950s, and Dave Winfield actually had identical stats at the plate in 1983 as Jeter would wind up with in the 2000 game, though he wouldn't win an award for it as his performance was overshadowed by Fred Lynn hitting the only grand slam in ASG history - none of them really stood out.  Derek Jeter's All-Star performance in 2000 stands out.  Originally selected as an reserve, an injury to Alex Rodriguez allowed AL manager Joe Torre to insert his young shortstop into the starting lineup, and Jeter rewarded him with a three-for-three performance.  He hit a first-inning double off Randy Johnson, then smacked two singles off Kevin Brown and Al Leiter, eventually ending up with two runs batted in and one run scored.  For his performance, Jeter became the first Yankee named All-Star Game MVP, and the choice ended up being fairly obvious - he was the only AL player with multiple hits, and none of the American League pitchers were especially dominant that day.

2008 - Old Yankee Stadium hosts its final All-Star Game

2008 marked the last season of baseball played in "The House that Ruth Built," as the under-construction New Yankee Stadium would be ready for the 2009 season.  In honor and reverence to the old stadium, 2008's All-Star Game was of course held there, and boy, did old Yankee Stadium play host to one hell of a Midsummer Classic.  The game lasted 15 innings, with the AL eventually squeaking out a 4-3 win after Michael Young hit a sacrifice fly off then-Phillies closer Brad Lidge in the bottom of the inning, scoring Justin Morneau.  Because the old Yankee Stadium didn't already have enough history, this game tied the record for longest All-Star game by innings, and set the record for longest All-Star game by time (four hours and 50 minutes).  Afterward Jeter said, "It seemed like the Stadium didn't want it to end.  That's what we were talking about.  It just wanted baseball to continue and I thought that was fitting."  Fitting indeed.

2013 - Goodbye to Mo

Before we had Derek Jeter's Farewell Tour, we had Mariano Rivera's.  As spring training in 2013 ramped up, Rivera announced he would retire at the conclusion of the season, and while he sadly didn't get one last taste of October baseball, every stadium he visited treated him to amazing ovations across the country, and his final All-Star Game was no exception.  While he wasn't presented with any mementos like a black cowboy hat with matching boots, or a somewhat creepy sand sculpture - and while he was called in to pitch the eighth inning, not the ninth - he did receive a terrific reception when his time finally came.  As "Enter Sandman" boomed across the ballpark, Rivera trotted out onto an empty diamond while the other All-Stars remained in their dugouts giving Mo his moment so that they and the raucous crowd could show their appreciation for the greatest closer of all time.  Rivera was named the game's MVP, joining Jeter as the only Yankee to ever receive the honor, but the rousing reception he received (the players' reactions are awesome) is what made this a truly special moment.  Miss you, Mo.

Obviously one more great moment will be added to the list this year when Derek Jeter makes his final All-Star appearance next week.  Hopefully, it will be just as emotional as Rivera's final farewell was, and perhaps he can conjure up some magic a la 2001 Cal Ripken.  It's sure to be a fun night of baseball, as the Yankees will be represented by the Captain and Dellin Betances (Masahiro Tanaka was voted in, but he is, soul-crushingly, now injured).

What is your favorite moment from a past or present Yankee in an All-Star Game?  Any big moments I missed?  Let us know in the comments!

Masahiro Tanaka apologizes to Yankees fans for injury

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Classy move, Tanaka.

Masahiro Tanaka is set to miss at least six weeks due to a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. The Yankees' ace knows that the timing is poor, given the team is trying to hold on in the both the American League East and the wild card races. While it's not his fault that he's injured -- unless we're going to start to fault guys for playing baseball to begin with -- he took the time to apologize to fans anyway.

Devotees will remember that fellow Japanese star Hideki Matsui apologized when he injured his wrist and underwent surgery back in 2006 while with the Yankees. Daisuke Matsuzaka did the same for Red Sox fans after concealing an injury at the start of 2009. What have we learned? Japanese baseball players are a lot more polite than the kind of fans who would demand apologies from their favorite athletes.

Hey, maybe you don't expect an apology when [team] ace goes down with an injury, but that's because you're classy enough to come to SB Nation for all of your #sports needs. We're talking about people besides you. You know the ones.

Yankees lineup vs. Orioles - Tanaka apologizes for getting hurt

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awwwwwwwwwww

The Yankees head to Baltimore in hopes of putting all the bad news behind them.

The top of the order is Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter, and Jacoby Ellsbury, with Mark Teixeira, Brian McCann, and Brian Roberts following. Ichiro Suzuki, Yangervis Solarte, and designated hitter Kelly Johnson round out the order.

Following the announcement that he has a partially torn elbow ligament, Masahiro Tanaka actually apologized for getting hurt and not being able to help the team:

"As recently announced from the team, I will be going through some treatment and rehab on my injured elbow over the next several weeks. I give everything I have every time I take the ball. With that, I also know that there will always be a risk of injury when playing this game that I love. Right now I feel that the most important thing for me is to keep my head up, remain focused on the task at hand and devote all my energy into healing the injury in order to come back strong.

"I want to apologize to the Yankees organization, my teammates and our fans for not being able to help during this time. I accept this injury as a challenge, but I promise to do everything I can to overcome this setback and return to the mound as soon as possible."

Amazing that he would do such a thing. It's ok, Tanaka, we know it's not your fault. Just be ok, please.

Yankees 2, Orioles 3: Kuroda struggled with command, offense struggled to score

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Kuroda held the Orioles to 2 runs, but the Yankees ultimately lost in extra innings as the offense failed to pick him up.

Hiroki Kuroda started tonight's game as the lone starter from the original rotation, and aside from one inning, he pitched pretty well. Unfortunately, the Yankees' offense followed what seems to be the emerging theme from this season which is: score early then never score again.

The Yankees got on the board in the second inning when Brian Roberts hit a home run to right against his former team. Kelly Johnson, DH for the night, added their second and final run in the third inning, when he also hit a home run. In the fourth inning, things started off promisingly. Brian McCann slapped a ball down the right field line, but was held to a single as he is without a doubt the slowest runner on the team. With one out, Ichiro Suzuki hit his second double of the night, a deep line drive, which moved McCann over to third base. Yangervis Solarte and Kelly Johnson both came to the plate with runners on second and third, but failed to bring the runs in. In the seventh inning, Ichiro, Solarte and Brett Gardner somehow managed to all pop out into foul territory.

The second half of the fourth inning was even worse. First, Kuroda hit the lead-off batter, Steve Pearce. Then Adam Jones hit a high chopper which bounced off of Derek Jeter's glove (and ended up being ruled a single), and allowed Pearce to advance to third. A poorly timed wild pitch from Kuroda let Pearce score the Orioles' first run of the night. Kuroda was able to get Nelson Cruz to strikeout, before throwing yet another wild pitch which allowed Jones to take third. Chris Davis then hit a sac fly to score Jones. Clearly struggling with command issues, Kuroda hit the next batter, J.J Hardy, before finally getting the last out in the inning.

Kuroda threw his third wild pitch of the night in the sixth inning, but he was able to hold the Orioles to just two runs. He ended the night having pitched 7 innings with 3 hits, 2 ER, 3 Ks, 3 wild pitches and 2 HBP. Aside from Jeter's incident in the fourth inning, the defense made some nice plays tonight. Mark Teixeira made a rolling corkscrew type of play on a grounder hit by Chris Davis to end the sixth inning. Later in the game, Solarte was able to leap and catch a chopper hit by Nick Markakis to relay the ball to first in time to get the out.

Dellin Betances came on in relief in the 8th inning and he notched three strikeouts through two innings without giving up a hit. The Yankees last real chance to score came in the ninth inning when McCann hit a lead-off single up the gap. Francisco Cervelli came in to pinch run for him, with Brian Roberts at the plate. Roberts showed bunt, and his first attempt rolled foul. His next attempt stayed fair, but Chris Davis was able to get the ball to second base in time to get Cervelli out. Ichiro followed with a strikeout, Solarte walked, and Zelous Wheeler grounded out to third to end the inning.

The game went to extra innings for the second time in two days, and the Yankees ended up with the same outcome, though at least it was not so drawn out. Adam Warren came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th and promptly gave up a double to Manny Machado. He was able to strikeout Ryan Flaherty before Nick Hundley came up and hit the game winning single up the middle.

At least the bullpen wasn't decimated. It was kind of the team to lose quickly in extra innings.

Shane Greene will make his second start of the season tomorrow at 4:05 pm EST, against Chris Tillman, who has been bumped up a day to take Ubaldo Jimenez's start, after Jimenez injured his ankle.

Box score

Orioles walk off Yankees with 3-2 win in ten innings thanks to Nick Hundley's single

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It took ten innings, but the Orioles beat the Yankees on Friday night on an unlikely walkoff from Nick Hundley to win the game, 3-2. Miguel Gonzalez pitched eight innings for the Orioles for the second straight game and the O's won despite only having five hits.

In a barren night for the offense, the Orioles only had three players record hits. They only scored two runs against a Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda, who hit two batters and had three wild pitches, and they never walked. Their own starter, Miguel Gonzalez, gave up two home runs. Losses come in all shapes and sizes. So do wins. The Orioles overcame these insignificant details to take the game on a walkoff Nick Hundley single in the tenth inning, beating the Yankees 3-2 on Friday night.

They all count just the same in the standings, even the wins where the team gets no hits from the third inning until the tenth inning and only five hits in total. The team only had five chances with runners in scoring position in the entire game, and most of those were the result of wild pitches. Sometimes the hows and the whys are unimportant, just that they did it, and on Friday night, they stole a game they might not have deserved. As we all know, deserve got nothin' to do with it.

The heroics looked like they might end up being anything but. Manny Machado led off the tenth inning with a double to right field, but he was stuck there after #8 hitter Ryan Flaherty failed to get down a bunt. Flaherty's bunt attempt was a near disaster: He popped the pitch straight back, but substitute catcher Francisco Cervelli couldn't get there in time. Flaherty struck out instead, bringing up Nick Hundley.

Why, with the winning run on second base, did Buck Showalter not pinch-hit for his light-hitting catcher in favor of someone like Delmon Young? This question does not matter either. Hundley drove a single into center field, easily scoring Machado and giving them a win that you have to feel like they stole. Or maybe good teams make their own luck. It was Hundley's second hit of the night, extending his hitting streak to eight games.

Kuroda pitched seven innings for the Yankees, surviving one wild inning where he hit two batters and gave up two wild pitches. The O's scored the two runs they got against Kuroda in the fourth inning, when they only got a lone hit, an Adam Jones single past Derek Jeter that advanced Steve Pearce, whose jersey was lightly grazed, to third base. Pearce scored and Jones took second on the first of the wild pitches, then Jones took third on another wild pitch. He scored the Orioles second run on a Chris Davis sacrifice fly.

Davis looked like he wanted to strike out, but he made contact and flew out deep enough to left that left fielder Brett Gardner didn't even bother to throw home.

Those two runs tied the score at 2-2, with the Yankees having gotten runs on a pair of solo home runs, one in the second inning by former Oriole Brian Roberts and one in the third from ninth/designated hitter Kelly Johnson.

Roberts jumped on the first pitch he saw, a total meatball, to hit his fifth home run of the season in the stadium that was his home park for 13 years. The crowd barely had time to notice he was at bat before he homered. He was neither booed nor cheered. He was just there. The Yankees fans among the crowd of 45,389 - a significant percentage - cheered the home run.

A shaky fourth inning for Gonzalez saw him give up a single to slow-footed Brian McCann, who couldn't score two batters later when Ichiro Suzuki doubled to right field. That cost the Yankees, who followed up with two weak fly balls that couldn't score McCann either. They only got one more baserunner against Gonzalez, an eighth inning hit-by-pitch of Johnson that may have been intentional.

In the end, Gonzalez pitched eight innings, the second consecutive start where he has done so. The home runs were unfortunate, but half that outing was cruise control, too. His final line was eight innings with six hits, two earned runs, no walks, and five strikeouts.

The Yankees didn't threaten again until Gonzalez was out of the game. McCann led off the ninth inning with a single off of Zach Britton. Roberts attempted to bunt him into scoring position, but Davis made a great play and pounced on the ball to throw out the runner at second, despite Yankees manager Joe Girardi using a pinch runner. Then again, it was pinch running one catcher for another.

A two-out walk to Yangervis Solarte moved Roberts into scoring position, but Britton got an easy grounder to third from pinch hitter and former Oriole farmhand Zelous Wheeler to end the threat.

The game turned into a question of whose relievers would suck first. The Yankees deployed strikeout machine Dellin Betances for the eighth and the ninth inning, giving them the early upper hand in that quest. Betances came into the game having 65 of his last 128 outs being strikeouts, with a 13.67 K/9 for the season. That's actually ridiculous.

The Orioles did not get any chances against Betances, either, with the lone baserunner across two innings being a Pearce HBP which may have possibly been a retaliation for the possible retaliation HBP of Johnson. Baseball players are weird. Betances struck out three of the seven batters he faced. He's struck out over 40% of the batters he has faced, which is also ridiculous.

T.J. McFarland came on in the tenth for the Orioles, facing the top of the Yankees lineup: Gardner, Jeter, and Jacoby Ellsbury. The O's were undoubtedly the first team to deploy a reliever who makes you nervous. McFarland had an easy inning, though, getting three straight groundouts to keep the game tied.

Since they scored in the bottom of the tenth, McFarland gets the win to go to a 3-2 record on the year. The Yankees' Adam Warren took the loss after his tenth inning effort, falling to 1-5 on the season, though his ERA is a respectable 2.79 - almost half a run lower than McFarland's.

By winning the game without hitting a home run, the Orioles have now had three of their last six wins come without home runs. That followed a streak of 33 straight wins where they recorded a home run, and they've now homered in 43 of their 51 wins. They've homered in 22 losses too, just for fun.

Friday's win guarantees that the Orioles will have sole possession of first place in the division at the All-Star Break. They remain three games ahead of the Blue Jays, who beat the Rays on Friday night.

The O's and Yankees will be back in action on Saturday afternoon, with Chris Tillman moving up to start the Saturday game against Shane Greene following the ankle injury to Ubaldo Jimenez. The game is scheduled to get underway at 4:05.

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Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 7/12/14

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LoHud | Chad Jennings: Masahiro Tanaka's injury sets up many questions for the Yankees that they will need to answer.

Pinstriped Prospects | Jacob Hopkins: A look at how last year's international signings, like Leonardo Molina, Yonauris Rodriguez, and Frank Frias, are doing in the minors.

Baseball America | Ben Badler: Yankees catching prospect Luis Torrens makes the BA Hot Sheet for the week.

It's About the Money | Tamar Chalker: The Yankees are moving Rob Refsnyder back to the outfield, for now, but does it make sense?

Sporting News | Jesse Spector: A review of the broadcasting duo of Ken Singleton and David Cone from this week.

ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: The Yankees are taking a big risk by choosing to rehab Masahiro Tanaka instead of just getting him the surgery.

Minor League Ball | John Sickels: Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte should finally get a shot in the majors.

ESPN New York | Mike Mazzeo: A look at the Yankees' free agent contracts and how much value they are actually offering.

LoHud | Chad Jennings: What will Jeff Francis do on the Yankees?

Page Six | Mara Siegler: DerekJeter is secretly the owner of a company that sells banana hammocks

New York Times | Tyler Kepner: With Masahiro Tanaka out with an injury, the Yankees' season is in doubt.

CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: Babe Ruth signed his first major league deal 100 year ago.

Pinstriped Prospects | Jed Weisberger: The Yankees should cash in on their catching surplus, including Gary Sanchez and John Ryan Murphy.

The Record | Bob Klapisch: Masahiro Tanaka holds the fate of the Yankees' season in his hand with the results of his rehab.

Weekend Digest: LOLawsuit; Ortiz's "free pass"; Yanks' Tanaka injured

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MLB news from the past week.

Sleeping fan at Yankees/Red Sox game sues for $10 million

During ESPN's Sunday night game April 13 between the Yankees and Red Sox, one guy was caught napping and became the subject of focus for Dan Shulman and John Kruk. Apparently, what they said about him was so absurdly evil that it prompted this sleeping fan to file a lawsuit against Shulman, Kruk, the Yankees and MLB. Truthfully, it was no worse than any other commentary focusing on fans.

Judge for yourself, but there is no number of facepalms that could equate to such a titanic level of fail.

Jury finds Dodgers to be negligent in Bryan Stow case

Three years after a brutal attack left him with lifelong trauma, Bryan Stow and his family received some solace on Wednesday when the Dodgers were found to be negligent in providing adequate security the night he was attacked. The jury determined Stow suffered $18 million in damages; the Dodgers are to pay $13.9 million of that.

David Ortiz angry at "free pass" comment

Monday night, MLB Network discussed comments John Lackey and Buck Showalter made regarding Nelson Cruz and his 50-game suspension last year and at one point, David Ortiz's name came up as someone who received a "free pass" in the Biogenesis investigation. Ortiz saw the segment and stated his expletive-strewn case.

He [the MLB Network host] wants to make it sound like I got a free pass because nobody can point fingers at me directly. But the reason why I got that fake [expletive] free pass that he's saying is because they pointed fingers at me with no proof.

"It's easier to do it that way than having something that they can say, 'Yes, you did this, you did that.' My [expletive], I call straight-up bull. Let me tell you. You don't get no free pass here, especially a guy like me. I don't get no free pass. That free-pass B.S. that they want to talk about over there, they can shove it up their [expletive].

Masahiro Tanaka has partial UCL tear, apologizes to fans

Before anyone says "There goes another one!", three Yankees doctors all suggested rehab for Tanaka, who apologized to Yankee fans for being out of action for at least six weeks. This is yet another blow to the Yankees pitching staff, which also lost Sabathia, Nova, and Pineda to injury. To shore up the rotation, the Yankees traded for A's lefty Jeff Francis in addition to acquiring Brandon McCarthy from Arizona last week.

Billy Hamilton is a ninja


Baby Bomber Recap 7/11/14: Jose Pirela picks up three hits in RailRiders win

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Recapping the Yankees' minor league affiliates' results from July 11th - lightning style.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:W 5-1 vs. Rochester Red Wings

RF Jose Pirela 3-4, double, RBI - batting .324 this season
2B Rob Refsnyder 1-4, RBI
DH Kyle Roller 1-3, BB, K
1B Austin Romine 3-4, 2 RBI, K
C John Ryan Murphy 0-3, BB, 2 K - batting .205 w/ SWB

Jairo Heredia 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K - 52 of 79 pitches for strikes
Pat Venditte 2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, WP
Edgmer Escalona 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K

Double-A Trenton Thunder:L 4-5 vs. Akron RubberDucks (10 innings)

CF Mason Williams 0-5, 2 K
LF Ben Gamel 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K, CS, OF assist
DH Gary Sanchez 0-3, 2 K, HBP
1B Zach Wilson 1-4, HR, RBI - second homer of the season
RF Tyler Austin 0-4, E9 - throwing error, sixth of the season
3B Rob Segedin 2-4, 2 doubles, 2 RBI, K

Manny Banuelos 2.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 5 WP - 30 of 58 pitches for strikes
Taylor Garrison 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K
Mark Montgomery 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K
Manny Barreda 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Tyler Webb 2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, WP

High-A Tampa Yankees:L 1-2 vs. Bradenton Marauders

CF Jake Cave 1-4, BB, 2 K, SB - batting .305 this season
SS Cito Culver 1-4, double, K
1B Greg Bird 2-4, K
3B Dante Bichette Jr. 1-3, BB, K
RF Aaron Judge 1-4, K - batting .274 w/ Tampa

Brett Gerritse 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K - 46 of 69 pitches for strikes
Chris Smith 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB
Kyle Haynes 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs: Postponed for rain

Short Season-A Staten Island Yankees:W 5-4 vs. Lowell Spinners

SS Vince Conde 2-4, RBI, BB - pro debut
2B Ty McFarland 1-4, double, BB, K, SB
LF Chris Breen 1-4, double, BB, 2 K - batting .291 this season
RF Austin Aune 2-4, double, RBI, 2 K
C Isaias Tejeda 1-5, HR, 2 RBI, passed ball - second homer of the season
DH Nathan Mikolas 2-4, K, SB

David Palladino 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, hit batsman - 9 GO/1 AO
Jonathan Holder 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R/1 ER, 1 BB, K
Andury Acevedo 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, K
Rony Bautista 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Gulf Coast Yankees 1:W 8-2 vs. GCL Blue Jays

CF Leonardo Molina 1-4, double, BB
DH Alvaro Noriega 3-5, RBI, 2 K
1B Miguel Mojica 2-4, double, BB
C Roybell Herrera 2-3, double, 4 RBI, BB

Orby Tavares 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, K
Jose Mesa 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, K
Deshorn Lake 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Dayton Dawe 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, WP

Gulf Coast Yankees 2:L 2-5 vs. GCL Astros

LF Frank Frias 2-4, 2 RBI, CS - batting .351 this season
1B Bo Thompson 1-4, K
3B Allen Valerio 1-4, 2 K, CS
C Jesus Aparicio 1-3, K

Carlos Diaz 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, hit batsman
Felix Santiago 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, hit batsman
Nestor Cortes 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, hit batsman
Mike Noteware 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, K, hit batsman, pickoff

Daily Yankees Predictions 7/12/14: Greene in Birdland

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Despite one bad inning, Hiroki Kuroda pitched a great game last night. However, the offense did that thing were it only scored early and then decided to take the night off. Sad. Shane Greene gets his second start tonight.

One bad inning. One bad inning from Hiroki Kuroda and the Yankees defense was all it really took for the Orioles to win last night. This is the problem when your offense only scores a little bit early in the game and then takes the night off. There can be no mistakes.

7/11/14 Daily Prediction Answers

1.How many innings does the opposing starter pitch?8
2.How many relievers does the opposing team use today?2
3.Combined number of hits given up by both starting pitchers9
4.Total number of walks from the Yankees 1, 2, & 3 batters only0
5.Total number of RBIs from the Yankees 4, 5, & 6 batters only1
6.Total number of hits from the Yankees 7, 8, & 9 batters only3
7.Name one Yankee you think will hit a home run tonight.Roberts/Johnson
8.Best overall Yankee of the night?Kuroda/Roberts/Johnson

Results to come later

7/12/14 Daily Predictions & Fun Questions

1.How many innings does the opposing starter pitch?
2.How many relievers does the opposing team use today?
3.Combined number of hits given up by both starting pitchers
4.Total number of walks from the Yankees 1, 2, & 3 batters only
5.Total number of RBIs from the Yankees 4, 5, & 6 batters only
6.Total number of hits from the Yankees 7, 8, & 9 batters only
7.Name one Yankee you think will hit a home run tonight.
8.Best overall Yankee of the night?

What rookie not named Refsnyder do you want to see called up soon?

Rate your handwriting from illedgible to exquisite

Favorite thing to do in Arts and Crafts class?

What's for dinner tonight?

Shane Greene gets the start for the Yankees this afternoon. Whether the offense decides to show up is still under investigation.

Let's Go Yankees

Let the John Danks trade rumors begin!

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It all started innocently.  Matt Zaleski, a White Sox organizational soldier, was going to make a spot start for the Charlotte Knights tonight instead of the scheduled starter Deuente Heath.  In an otherwise forgettable game, the Knights gave up a 10 spot in the eighth inning, Zaleski gave up one hit and struck out three over three innings.  No real news, but nice to see for a guy with 11 seasons in the White Sox organization none the less.

A short time later, I was waiting to pick up my daughter from a pool party.  I knew after getting home, I'd have a post to finish up for Saturday and flipped through Twitter to kill some time.  Then, I read this tweet.

OK, this tweet has a lot to process.  Deunte Heath seems to have pitched his way back onto the Sox radar with a 4.04 FIP at Charlotte this season. I double checked and the Sox still had 39 players on the 40 man roster, so it wouldn't be a big deal to add Heath if they really needed to.

Then, I remembered that the Sox only have two games before the All-Star break.  All the pitchers are really available Sunday except for Sale, Carroll, and probably Noesi.  What would they really need Heath for unless....

Unless one of the Sox starting pitchers will be gone between now and Sunday. 

So that really means John Danks.  Rumors that the Yankess were interested in Danks picked up this week when John Heyman included Danks as number six in a list of impact players available.

6. John Danks, SP, White Sox: Chicago is looking for younger players as it continues its logical rebuilding path. He should be movable because he's pitching well enough in the second year after Tommy John surgery. The Yanks would work for Danks.

OK, so Danks had a torn shoulder capsule and not Tommy John surgery, and Brandon McCarthy has been traded to the Yankees already.  The article was also written before Masahiro Tanaka went on the DL with a UCL tear. The White Sox also didn't tame the rumors with the move in Charlotte.

Rumors this spring mentioned the Sox' interest in the Yankees young catchers, so there are things for the two teams to discuss.  The White Sox could also be interested in upper level pitching as well since the Sox have become pretty depleted at Charlotte.  The Yankees top prospect is Gary Sanchez, a 21 year old catcher, but that might be a hard pill to swallow for the Yankees. Luis Severino seems to be their best pitching prospect not on the DL right now, and is playing at high A Tampa. Catcher J.R. Murphy, playing at AAA now, was also mentioned going to the Sox this past spring.

So it would appear that the trading deadline trades are upon us again.  Dunn, Viciedo, Beckham, De Aza, and Danks would all seem to be players the Sox would be interested in moving between now and the end of August.  If Matt Lindstrom can make if back before the end of August, the Sox would probably try to move him as well.  Get ready for more rumors and hug alerts than you can handle.

Reasons to be optimistic about the Yankees even after Masahiro Tanaka's injury

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The loss of Tanaka is a blow to the team, but there are still things to be excited about.

The news of Masahiro Tanaka's partially torn UCL came as a huge blow to the Yankees. It remains to be seen whether rehabbing will fix the problem, or if he'll end up needing Tommy John surgery, but regardless of whether he rejoins the team this season or not, it doesn't mean there isn't anything left to look forward to. Here are some things Yankee fans can still be excited about:

1. Dellin Betances. He has been lights out, with 84 strikeouts through 55.1 innings pitched. That's 19 more than the next closest reliever (Carlos Torres), and he has an ERA of 1.46, BAA of .123 and 0.70 WHIP. My favorite thing about having to listen to the Away broadcast on road trips is when the opposing team starts talking about Betances with a mixture of awe and worry in their voices. He's got to be the number one remaining bright spot on the team.

2. Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury. Gardner's shown that he was worth the contract he landed over the offseason. He's batting .281/.354/.420 with 119 wRC+, 15 SB and 8 HRs. Gardner's career-high number of home runs hit in a season is 8, which he reached last season, so he should set a personal best in that regard. He's been the most consistent hitter on the team, and just last night he snapped his streak of having reached base safely in 24 straight games. That's supposedly the longest streak in the majors this season of anyone batting in the leadoff spot. Ellsbury has also been playing well in his first year as a Yankee. He's batting .284/.348/.403 with 107 wRC+, 25 SB and 6 HR. His speed in the outfield and seeming ability to get to mostly everything, combined with his speed on the base paths make Ellsbury really fun to watch.

3. David Robertson. D-Rob hasn't totally tanked in the role of closer. In fact, he's been really good. Sure, he likes to make things interesting by walking a guy here or there, but he only has 2 blown saves. The rotation may have been wiped out, and the offense is struggling, but at least we aren't all gathered in a corner crying and begging Mariano Rivera to come back and save the team.

4. Mark Teixeira. Tex is hitting much better than we could have hoped for. After playing all of 15 games last season, and returning from wrist surgery, Tex is currently batting .237/.334/.459 with 17 home runs and 121 wRC+. Though below his career numbers (and partially in part to the offense being terrible), Tex is leading the team with home runs and RBI. At the very least, he's the main guy hitting for power on the team, so we can at least count on some more home runs. He's on track to pass the 24 that he hit in 2012. Additionally, we can count on at least a few more episodes of Foul Territory (maybe skip the Tanaka one though).

5. The injury to Tanaka happened prior the Trade Deadline, so there is plenty of time for Brian Cashman to try and work some magic like he did in the McCarthy for Nuno deal. We can almost certainly count on the rotation and/or the offense being improved, which might mean that the team isn't out of contention. Fortunately for the Yankees, the AL East has not been playing well, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that the team stays in the race and even makes a playoff run. It depends on how the next few weeks play out.

6. Yankee prospects such as Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder have been tearing up Triple-A. Pirela: .319/.359/.449 8 HR 12 SB. Refsnyder: .308/.431/.551 6 HR .355 BABIP. We could see one or both of them called up at some point, either to try and help the team, or because the season is lost and they might as well get a chance. Even if it is the latter, it would still be fun to watch them play.

Even if the entire season is lost and doomed, there are still things to be excited and optimistic about. Add yours in the comments below.

Orioles vs Yankees lineups and game preview for Saturday, 7/12

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The Orioles look to go 11 games over .500 and the Yankees look to not go below .500.

Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees
4:05 pm, Oriole Park at Camden Yards

TV: MASN, WJZ
RADIO: 1090 WBAL, Orioles Radio Net

PITCHING

Chris Tillman is starting for the Orioles in place of the injured Ubaldo Jimenez. He last started on Monday against the Washington Nationals and gave up two runs in seven innings pitched, with six strikeouts and one walk. Over his last seven starts, Tillman has had two clunkers, both against the Texas Rangers. In his only start against the Yankees this season, on June 22nd, Tillman pitched seven shutout innings, though he did walk four.

NamePAABH2BHRBBSOBAOBPSLGOPS
Jacoby Ellsbury242372115.304.333.522.855
Brett Gardner231851043.278.409.333.742
Ichiro Suzuki212140002.190.190.190.381
Derek Jeter181661022.375.444.438.882
Mark Teixeira141340013.308.357.308.665
Kelly Johnson131240113.333.385.583.968

Shane Greene is making just his second start in the majors, his first coming on July 7th against the Indians. He went six innings and allowed just two runs on four hits in that start, and picked up the win. Greene is a righty with a fastball in the low-mid 90s, and he was pitching to a 4.61 ERA at AAA before being recalled.

LINEUPS
NEW YORK YANKEESBALTIMORE ORIOLES
Brett Gardner - LFNick Markakis - RF
Derek Jeter - SSSteve Pearce - LF
Jacoby Ellsbury - CFAdam Jones - CF
Mark Teixeira - 1BNelson Cruz - DH
Brian McCann - DHChris Davis - 1B
Ichiro Suzuki - RFJ.J. Hardy - SS
Brian Roberts - 2BManny Machado - 3B
Kelly Johnson - 3BRyan Flaherty - 2B
Francisco Cervelli - CNick Hundley - C
Shane Greene - RHPChris Tillman - RHP

Let's go O's!

Yankees lineup vs. Orioles - What can the Yankees acquire from the Diamondbacks? Tanaka won't be at the All-Star Game

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The Yankees hope to get a win today and make up for their extra innings loss to the Orioles last night.

Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter, Jacoby Ellsbury are at the top of the order. Mark Teixeira bats cleanup, Brian McCann is the designated hitter, and Ichiro Suzuki is in right. Brian Roberts, Kelly johnson, and Francisco Cervelli round out the lineup.

The Yankees have announced that Masahiro Tanaka will not be attending the All-Star Game next week. Sad face. I was looking forward to seeing him there, but now we get nothing.

It's clear to everyone that the Diamondbacks are ready to sell. They have already rid themselves of right-handed starter Brandon McCarthy to the Yankees and lefty reliever Joe Thatcher and more are likely to go on the market as we get closer to the trading deadline. Like any team looking to rebuild, they have a list of untouchables that they do not want to give up, and that's understandable, though some of their choices are a little odd.

Most of these players make sense. Including Brad Ziegler and Mark Trumbo do not, but whatever, Kevin Towers. This leaves a laundry list of players who are potentially available. That list would include second baseman Aaron Hill and third baseman Martin Prado, both of whom are signed for the next two seasons. Right fielder Gerardo Parra has one more year of arbitration, and there is also left-handed pitcher Wade Miley, under team control through 2017, and shortstop Didi Gregorius through 2018.

Yankees 3, Orioles 0: Greene impresses again as he shuts out Baltimore

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I like you, Shane Greene.

In his first career Major League start, Shane Green looked pretty good. In his second, he looked even better. Greene pitched 7.1 shutout innings, striking out nine, as the Yankees beat the Orioles 3-0.

After two scoreless innings, the Yankess got on the board in the third. Francisco Cervelli led off the inning with a single. Brett Gardner then grounded into a force out at second, but was too quick to get doubled up at first. Derek Jeter then singled, putting two on with one out. After a Jacoby Ellsbury strike out, Mark Teixeira doubled, scoring Gardner. Jeter was also sent home but he was thrown out at the plate. Despite that, the Yankees had a 1-0 lead.

Greene didn't allow a hit for the first 4.2 innings, but he got in a bit of trouble after allowing his first. Manny Machado got the Orioles' first hit with a two-out single in the fifth. Ryan Flaherty then also singled, moving Machado to third. During Nick Hundley's at bat, Flaherty stole second, putting the go-ahead run at second. Green battled with Hundley but eventually struck him out to preserve the Yankees' lead.

The next inning, Greene again escaped a jam. He allowed hits to Nick Markakis and Steve Pearce. Greene got Adam Jones to ground into a double play and struck out Nelson Cruz to, again, get out of the inning damage-free.

In the top of the seventh, the Yankees picked up a pair of runs. Kelly Johnson led off the inning with a single. After Markakis made a sliding catch to rob Cervelli of a hit, Gardner struck out. Jeter then singled through the left side of the infield. It looked like it was going to be a close play at the plate, but Johnson beat the throw home and it was 2-0 Yankees. Ellsbury then doubled to right. That scored Jeter and made it 3-0. Brian McCann then added another single, but Ellsbury was thrown out at the plate.

Greene pitched a scoreless seventh and the came back out for the eighth. After getting Steve Clevenger to fly out, Greene would be taken out. He went 7.1 innings, allowing no runs on four hits and two walks while striking out nine. As good as his first start was, this one was even better.

David Huff came in and allowed a single to Markakis on the first pitch he threw. That one pitch would be all he would throw, as Girardi went right back to the bullpen and brought in Shawn Kelley. Kelley came in and got two outs to keep the Yankees up three.

After the Yankees couldn't add more runs in the top of the ninth, David Robertson came in to try and get the save. Against the heart of the Orioles' lineup Robertson pitched a 1-2-3 inning to give the Yankees a 3-0 win. It was enjoyable. I give it two thumbs up.

The Yankees and Orioles will wrap up their series in Baltimore tomorrow. Kevin Gausman will get the start for Baltimore, while the Yankees' starter is currently unknown. First pitch will be at 8:05 eastern.

Box score.


Orioles 0, Yankees 3: Shane Greene proves to be too much for the Orioles offense

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The Orioles weren't interested in playing baseball today, apparently.

The Orioles played nine innings of uninspiring baseball today as they were shut out by a rookie who wasn't even very good in the minors. Chris Tillman and two relief pitchers put together a decent game that on many days would have helped the Orioles win, but on this day the offense wasn't interested in doing its part.

The O's hitters were just completely useless against starting pitcher Shane Greene, a fellow making just his second big-league start and who possessed a 4.61 ERA at AAA this season. In fact, Greene faced our own Norfolk Tides on June 5th and gave up eight runs in three innings. But in today's game against the team that the Tides are all hoping to get to, Greene didn't give up a hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning. After that the Orioles looked like they might finally do something against him, putting two runners on fifth and sixth innings. But ultimately they were unable to get the hit they needed with runners on base, and the kid that got lit up by the Tides one month ago pitched into the eighth inning without giving up a run. His final pitching line was 7 1/3, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K. Oof.

Chris Tillman had what I'd call a middling day. He certainly did enough to keep his team in the game, but he was far from dominant. He walked three and threw a lot of waste pitches that didn't entice many swings. The damage could have been worse if the Yankees hadn't gotten two runners thrown out at the plate (though only one would have been charged to Tillman, in fairness).

In the third inning, Mark Teixeira hit a two-out double down the right field line with Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter on base. Gardner scored easily, but Jeter, a 40-year-old man trying to score from first, was thrown out. In the seventh inning, which was Tillman's last, Kelly Johnson singled and moved to second base on a wild pitch, which made it easy for him to come in and score on a single by Jeter. Jeter went to second on the throw home, and that was the end of Tillman's day.

T.J. McFarland came in to pitch in relief, and it's kind of weird that he has become the go-to lefty in the pen. But when your best lefty has been designated as the closer and the only other lefty is Brian Matusz, I guess it makes sense. McFarland did not retire the lefty he came in to face, as Jacoby Ellsbury doubled to right field to knock in Jeter and make the score 3-0.

McFarland then intentionally walked Teixeira to get to Brian McCann. That move worked out, but not in the way it was supposed to. McCann singled up the middle to Adam Jones, and Ellsbury was waved in to try and score. The throw to the plate wasn't even close Nick Hundley had the ball with plenty of time to spare. Joe Girardi came out to argue that Hundley was inappropriately blocking the plate (he wasn't, not even close). He waved at his players to stay on the field as the 7th inning stretch people got set up around them. Finally he chose not to challenge as someone began singing America the Beautiful behind him. He was still complaining about it to the umpire when we returned from commercial, because he is the worst.

There was little action from either side after that, as Ryan Webb pitched two perfect innings for the Orioles and the Yankees used three relievers over the final 2 2/3, including a 1-2-3 9th from closer David Robertson.

So that game was a stinker, but tomorrow Kevin Gausman will take the mound as the Orioles try to wrap up the first half with a win. The game is on ESPN at 8 p.m.

Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 7/13/14

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The Wall Street Journal | Daniel Barbarisi: The Yankees now have to mull their options with Masahiro Tanaka.

It's About the Money | Domenic Lanza: The Yankees need to reward their minor league system by calling up Pat Venditte.

NoMaas | Vizzini: Masahiro Tanaka's injury should lead the team to sell.

LoHud | Chad Jennings:Brian Roberts has had the honor of playing with both Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken.

The Record | Bob Klapisch: Could Tommy John surgery diminish Masahiro Tanaka's effective slider?

New York Post | Ken Davidoff: Despite the injuries, teams haven't forgotten about the Yankees and their ability to prove everyone wrong.

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: As Masahiro Tanaka is set to undergo PRP treatments, a look at the successes and failures of the procedure.

New York Post | Joel Sherman: A look at the trade market for pitchers as injuries begin to mount.

Sports On Earth | Dirk Hayhurst: Masahiro Tanaka's injury reminds us that injuries just happen, it's not because pitchers are weak now.

New York Daily News | Anthony McCarron: Even with all the injuries, the Yankees can still spend their way into the postseason.

Pinstripe Pundits | Chris Mitchell: The PRP treatments might not work for Tanaka, but it's worth giving it a try.

It's About the Money | Matt Bove: A look back at the CC Sabathia extension in the wake of his recent struggles and knee injury.

Yankees all-time All-Star team

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Just in time for All-Star festivities let's take a look at an all-time Yankees All-Star team.

The 2014 MLB All-Star Game is right around the corner and with it comes good news and bad news for Yankee fans. The good news is that Derek Jeter will be front and center, starting in his final All-Star appearance. What's more, rookie Dellin Betances will be making his debut in the midsummer classic after a lights out first half. On the flip-side, Masahiro Tanaka will not be able to flash his brilliance on Tuesday due to an arm injury and the Yankees are limping into the break. Injuries are piling up, the offense is still puttering, and it seems that they'll hover around .500 for the remainder of the season. To help ease that pain, let's take a stroll through Yankees history and imagine what their all-time All-Star team might look like.

Just like the 2014 AL All-Star squad, this team consists of 34 players, including 9 starters, 13 reserves and 12 pitchers. While there's no shortage of great players to choose from, the focus here is on players that spent a significant portion of their career as a Yankee and made a lasting impact on the team. Keep in mind this list is subjective, so be prepared to disagree.

Starting Lineup

Batting
Order
PlayerPositionBats
1Mickey MantleLFS
2Joe DiMaggioCFR
3Babe RuthRFL
4Lou Gehrig1BL
5Bernie WilliamsDHS
6Yogi BerraCL
7Derek JeterSSR
8Graig Nettles3BL
9Willie Randolph2BR

Few would argue that one-through-four in this lineup are the four greatest players in franchise history. In this scenario, Mantle defers to DiMaggio and moves to left field. The most interesting choice here is probably Bernie Williams at DH and batting fifth. At his best, though, he was a high-average, high-on-base hitter with above-average power from both sides of the plate. He could certainly hold his own in the middle of this stacked lineup.

Bench

PlayerPositionBats
Don Mattingly1BL
Tony Lazzeri2BR
Robinson Cano2BL
Alex Rodriguez3BR
Phil RizzutoSSR
Charlie KellerLFL
Roy WhiteLFS
Earle CombsCFL
Tommy HenrichRFL
Bobby MurcerOFL
Bill DickeyCL
Thurman MunsonCR
Jorge PosadaC/DHS

Nearly everybody on this bench was a fan-favorite in one era or another and had long, healthy, productive careers in pinstripes. And then there's A-Rod. Regardless of how he did it, though, or the blind eye that Major League Baseball turned towards him while it was happening, he's put together a decade's worth of Hall of Fame-level play in the Bronx. Robinson Cano is perhaps another disappointing addition to this team. Had he stuck around he easily could have catapulted himself into the starting lineup.

As good as this bench is, one could probably construct one just as good using an entirely different set of former Yankees. Hall of Famer Joe Gordon has a solid case to be a starter on this team ahead of any of the second basemen chosen. In the outfield, a Hall of Fame trio of Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, and Reggie Jackson would give anybody a run for their money. Alas, longevity and a more balanced skill set won out on this roster.

Pitchers

PlayerPositionThrows
Whitey FordSPL
Ron GuidrySPL
Andy PettitteSPL
Lefty GomezSPL
Spud ChandlerSPR
Red RuffingSPR
Waite HoytSPR
David ConeSPR
Eddie LopatSPL
Goose GossageRPR
Dave RighettiRPL
Mariano RiveraRPR

Yankees pitchers historically don't have anywhere near the reputation that their batters do, but there are still plenty of excellent options. What these starters lack in dominance they make up for with consistency and the ability to get the job done when it mattered most. As with the bench, there are also plenty of pitchers you could say were snubbed here, Allie Reynolds and Mel Stottlemyre chief among them. Of the more recent era, David Cone was chosen over Mike Mussina because of his significance as the key acquisition that sparked the Yankees' run of success in the mid to late 90's.

One trend that's evident from this team is the role Yankee Stadium has played in shaping the history of the franchise. As an asymmetric park with a short right field and deep left field, left-handed batters and pitchers are much better off playing there than right-handers as 15 of the 22 batters on this roster are either lefties or switch hitters while more than half of the starting pitchers are left-handed. Yankee greats are truly a product of their environment.

Let us know how you would change this roster in the comments below.

What has Joba Chamberlain become?

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What am I looking at here?

Since Joba Chamberlain left the Yankees he's decided to grow some facial hair. Obviously, this isn't really news since many players have allowed their beards to grow after leaving New York. Except Joba has kind of taken it to the extreme, becoming even more Joba-like than ever before.

I feel like I've seen him somewhere before:

Like when he was Yukon Cornelius from the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas special

Yukon_medium

via thegoldensombrero.com

or Tyler Labine from Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Td_dale_tyler_labine_medium

via www.moviepilot.de

He played Gimli, the dwarf

Gimli-gimli-11402476-960-404_medium

via images2.fanpop.com

and Hagrid

3907799-sym_hagrid_medium

via static.comicvine.com

He was a double for Damian Lewis on Homeland that one time

Damian-lewis_588796_medium

via galeri8.uludagsozluk.com

but was probably best known as the muppet Sweetums

Sweetums_pirate_medium

via img1.wikia.nocookie.net

I miss baby-faced Joba when he was still young and innocent and not as hairy. Can anyone else figure out where they've seen this man before? It's very important.

Yankees lineup vs. Orioles - Bryan Mitchell called up; Michael Pineda throws bullpen

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The Yankees send Chase Whitley in hopes that he can regain his early magic and not give up a ton of runs to doom this offense.

Brett Gardner is in center field, with Derek Jeter in his normal spot and Jacoby Ellsbury as the designated hitter. Mark Teixeira is hitting cleanup while Brian McCann is behind the plate again and Brian Roberts is at second base. Ichiro Suzuki is in right-field and Kelly Johnson is in left field, because holy crap why are you doing this, and Yangervis Solarte is at third.

The team has called upBryan Mitchell and optioned Zoilo Alonte to make room on the active roster. As inconsistent as Mitchell has been this year, hopefully he will have a more memorable (for a good reason) stint with the team than last time where he warmed up in the bullpen, never got into a game, and hurt his elbow by overthrowing. Maybe he can give the Yankees more value than Jose Ramirez was able to.

Michael Pineda threw a 25-pitch bullpen in Tampa yesterday and he came out alive on the other side. A mid-August return still remains the best case scenario. At this point the Yankees might decide to rename the bullpens at the team's complex the "Michael Pineda Memorial Bullpen" for all the time he has spent there. It must feel like a second home at this point.

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