The New York Yankees, by their own standards, have had a very quiet time as they build towards the new baseball season. Here’s a summary of what has happened to their roster from 2012 and a brief look at new signings.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 5,600 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 9 years to get that many views.
Interviewer: You really give a heroic performance of “O Little Town Of Bethlehem”. The way you do it reminds me a little of an Irish rebel song. There’s something almost defiant in the way you sing, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” I don’t want to put you on the spot, but you sure deliver that song like a true believer.
Bob Dylan: Well, I am a true believer.
The Yankees dominated in the American League Division Series (ALDS) against Baltimore but then just stopped hitting in clutch situations in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against Detroit. Consequently, this is a rather cursory glance at the pitchers during that period because the truth is that it doesn’t matter how well you perform if you have next-to-no run support. Few of the pitchers were outstanding and only a couple ran into real problems but the bats couldn’t make any noise at all during that fateful final series.
If, at the end of the regular season, someone should have predicted that the stars of the Yankees’ playoff run would be Raul Ibanez and the bullpen and that number 2, shortstop and Captain, Derek Jeter would end his series in hospital there would have been gasps of disbelief and ridicule. Let’s see who except Raul Ibanez among the batters managed to stand up and be counted (Jeter pun intended)
What are they gonna do? Sad Café lose their lead singer who passes away prematurely. But the more they sit at home and lick their wounds, the more they realise that they are sitting on a back catalogue which most other bands can’t dream of. So as with all the great bands of yesteryear, they finally bite the bullet and head back out on the road.
Mr Girardi has a tendency to use the full range of his expanded roster when it turns September 1st. Unfortunately, this means that players are used to pitch on an irregular rest period and the continuity and consistency of the pitching tends to fall apart. This may be the last season he has to face that temptation as the rules on September roster expansion seem likely to change soon. In the meantime, here’s how the Yankees fared under the current system.
The Yankees found themselves in a surprisingly tight finish in September and they needed players to step forward and give a good account of themselves. Few did. Who were they?
Who: John Foxx and the Maths
Where: The Cargo, Shoreditch, London
When: 5th September 2012
Is it live or is it Memorex?
