The Christmas Yankeeland

For those of you celebrating Christmas, we hope you got everything you wanted and more and are sharing the day with friends and family.

The Yankees brass certainly got what they wanted this holiday season, but there's more going on than just CC, A.J., and Tex.

The Yankees, believe it or not, did get a bargain this week when they avoided arbitration by re-signing 2-time 19 game winner Chien-Ming Wang to a one year, $5 million contract. Wang matched his career high in wins in 2006 and 2007, and was 8-2 this past season before rupturing his Achilles tendon in an interleague game in Houston on June 15.

As part of his Turn 2 Foundation work, Derek Jeter hosted 500 top academic achievers in Central Park this past week.

The Yankees signed catcher Kevin Cash to a minor league deal as insurance in the event that Jorge Posada isn't ready when the season rolls around. Cash, who spent the past season in Boston as Tim Wakefield's personal knuckleball catcher, hit .225 in 142 at-bats with 3 home runs and 15 RBI.

One spoof site says the Yankees have signed Santa Claus to a long term deal, but no good will come of it. Meanwhile a NC Observer columnist doesn't like the spending spree, but understands the logic behind it. Even better is this Providence Journal article talking about how wonderful the Red Sox are with their money.

The new MLB Network will kick off on New Year's Day with the first TV re-broadcast of Don Larsen's perfect 1956 World Series game.


The humorous Peter Abraham has a funny take on the "Night before Christmas".


Alumni News

A nice article on Donnie Baseball's son Preston and his own battle to make it to the majors.

Dennis Werth was a mediocre ball player for the Yankees ('79 - '82), but his son Jayson was just a member of the World Champion Phillies and his daughter Hannah is one of the top volleyball players in the country.

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The Plaques

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The Numbers

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Hump Day Rumors - 7/9 Edition

We've already been wowwed by the fact that two rumors, concerning CC Sabathia and Rich Harden, were very true. So what else is being heard through the grapevine?

The Arizona Republic reports that the Diamondbacks are seriously considering taking a look at Barry Bonds. GM Josh Byrnes didn't deny it either when asked. Funny how Peter Gammons didn't bring up the Red Sox interest until Joe Morgan asked him about it. Hmmm.

The LA Times reports that Dodgers hitting coach Mike Easler is to be let go in favor of the man who was originally hired for the job. That's right Donnie Baseball himself. Reports are he would take over on July 18.

The Miami Herald reports that the Marlins are seriously looking for a catcher. Cincinnati's David Ross, Kansas City's Miguel Olivo and Colorado's Yorvit Torrealba are tops on the list.

And the Daily News reported yesterday that the Yankees are taking a look into Victor Zambrano. Why not just get Britt Burns back.

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Our Fave 9

Here's some good food for thought. Figure out your favorite team of all-time. No, not just any Yankees. Don't pick the Babe unless you're well into your eighties. We're talking about your favorite team from the time you can really remember. So we really can't pick Mickey Mantle since his last year was when we were only 7 (coincidence?).

1st Base - Donnie Baseball. Don Mattingly was the guy who got us through those win less 1980s. Tino Martinez and Chris Chambliss get honorable mentions.

2nd Base - Willie Randolph. No question about it. Is there even a guy to get an honorable mention? Steve Sax, Knobby, Horace Clarke...we don't think so.

Shortstop - Derek Jeter. We were big Chicken Stanley fans, but this is a no-brainer.

3rd Base - Graig Nettles. Doesn't matter that A-Rod might be the greatest player off all-time. Nettles was the man back in the day.

Left Field - Dave Winfield. If only he hadn't clashed with King George the Unreasonable. Honorable mention to Roy White.

Center Field - Bobby Murcer. Bet you thought we were going to say Bernie Williams. Wait for that one. Honorable mention to Bernie, Mickey Rivers, and Elliot Maddox.

Right Field - Paul O'Neill. Reggie was never one of our faves.

Catcher - Thurman Munson. Sigh. Honorable mention to Jake Gibbs, Joe Girardi, and Jorge Posada.

DH - Bernie Williams. Okay, Bernie didn't do a whole lot of DH'ing, but he had to be on this team.

Starting Pitcher - Ron Guidry. This was a tough call between Gator and Catfish Hunter.

Closer - Mariano Rivera. Honorable mention to Sparky Lyle and Dave Righetti. We won't say Goose Gossage so this way he'll campaign and complain about the list.

Manager - Before choosing lets go through the list. We had Ralph Houk, Bill Virdon, Billy Martin, Bob Lemon, Billy Martin, Dick Howser, Gene Michael, Bob Lemon, Gene Michael, Clyde King, Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, Billy Martin, Lou Piniella, Billy Martin, Lou Piniella, Dallas Green, Bucky Dent, Stump Merrill, Bucky Dent, Buck Showalter, Joe Torre, Joe Girardi. Phew...quite amazing when you consider that Buck Showalter's first year was 1992. That's a lot of turnover.

So we would have to go with Joe Torre. No one else was there long enough. We really like Ralph Houk, but we were quite young. And the managerial ins and outs of the '80s or the Billy Martin eras (plural on purpose) was mind bending. Especially when you realize all those changes were basically the same core group of people.

If we had to put a lineup together, it would go like this:

2B Randolph
SS Jeter
C Munson
1B Mattingly
LF Winfield
RF O'Neill
CF Murcer
DH Williams
3B Nettles

We could switch that lineup many different ways, but boy would it score runs. Leave your Fave 9 in the comments section.

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LaTroy Would Rather Switch Than Fight

We were upset when we heard Morgan Ensberg was going to wear #21 in spring training, but we didn't lose any sleep over it. When Ensberg decided to switch to #11 and LaTroy Hawkins picked up #21 in a tribute to his idol, Roberto Clemente, we again didn't lose any sleep over it.

We're huge Paul O'Neill fans. He was our favorite player in the post-Don Mattingly era. We met him at a personal appearance and he was a genuinely nice guy. Signed our Paul O'Neill shirt, our Yankees yearbook, and took a photo with us. We think he deserves a day at the Stadium and possibly have his number retired.

That all being said, the Yankees fans behavior has been classless and boorish. To boo a guy for wearing a number of a beloved player is absurd. He may not have been as popular as Paulie, but we don't remember anyone booing Rubin Sierra for wearing #24 after Tino Martinez left.

Hawkins didn't help himself out any with a 6-run outing in early April. But the boos have had their effect. According to the Star-Ledger's Ed Price, Hawkins will be switching from #21 to #22. We only hope there is no fall out from fans of Roger Clemens or Jerry Mumphrey

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The Daily Yankeeland

George Steinbrenner was in the house yesterday, having lunch with Yankees employees in the Legends FieldGeorge M. Steinbrenner Field cafeteria. Hank Steinbrenner joined his Dad and was glad to see the old man around.

Yankee hitters faced live pitching for the first time, and couldn't have been too happy about going up against Joba Chamberlain. Hitters also got to face Chien-Ming Wang.

Ed Price wrote up on a nice piece in today's Star-Ledger on pitching prospect Mark Melancon (the 'c' is pronounced like a n 's'). Melancon was taken in the 9th round of the 2006 draft that also produced Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain. It will will be interesting to see how the Yankees use Melancon, who had Tommy John surgery in 2006.

Melancon was a starter in high school, but became the all-time saves leader at the University of Arizona after the Wildcats' closer flunked out of school. He's got a 90-94 mph fastball and a nasty, hard (83 mph) curve.

Don Mattingly is enjoying work with his son, Dodgers prospect Preston Mattingly, but this is not a happy time for Donnnie Baseball and his family.

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Trouble in the Mattingly Household

We love Donnie Baseball, and unfortunately his family is having some major problems. Apparently, his wife Kim may have an alcohol problem. This story is on "Walk Off Balk". If its true we hope Mrs. Mattingly gets some help real soon.

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The Daily Yankeeland

Agent Randy Hendricks and his firm have released an 18,000 word thesis to defend his star client Roger Clemens against allegations of steroid use. The Hendricks Report, not to be confused with the Mitchell Report, is a statistical breakdown of the Rocket's career, and includes 38 charts in making its case.

Charley Waters of the Minnesota Star-Tribune feels that a Johan Santana deal is imminent. Of course he's put stuff out before that turned out to be pure speculation. The Star-Tribune also feels that Twins GM Bill Smith may soon do his best Howie Mandel impersonation with the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox. "Deal...or No Deal?".

Hank Steinbrenner was a no-show at last night Baseball Writers' annual gala, but he did take a shot at those who say the Yankees championships from 1996-2000 were tainted.

There have been reports that have just touched on the subject, but apparently some reporters such as Jon Heyman have been more blatant in their handling of Don Mattingly's sudden departure from the Dodgers. It seems that Donnie and his wife of 28 years, Kim, have agreed to separate. We hope they can work things out.

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A Sneaker Fit for a King

LeBron James was seen, much to the chagrin of Cleveland Indians' fans, with a Yankees hat on during the American League Division Series this past fall. Now King James is hawking a new Nike sneaker line that is a tribute to the Bronx Bombers.

The Air Zoom LeBron V features the pinstripes as well as LeBron's, and Don Mattingly's, number 23.

The best feature, though, is an homage to the Bleacher Creatures under the tongue of the shoe. "Le-Bron Ja-Mes. Clap. Clap. Clap Clap Clap" gives the sneaker its own role call. Though not necessarily Yankees related (perhaps a nod to New Yorkers), the strap reads "Fresh for '08. Suckers!"

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