Monthly Archives: May 2012

Watch this.

Mark Kriegel on what makes a good NBA GM.

You must check out the site:

Retro New York

It’s killer diller.

This is a dopey song. But a favorite. I’ve posted it before but sometimes you’re just in the mood…

[Photo Via: Bluthesten]

Moroccan brick chicken from Ceramic Canvas.

The Yankee winning streak came to an end on this afternoon at the hands of the Red Sox, 10-3. Once again, DiMaggio managed only a single, but the big story was Williams. He smashed three singles and a double, all four hits rifled between the first and second basemen, and raised his average to a league-leading .404. Though both men boasted eleven-game hitting streaks, Williams was clearly the hotter hitter. A quick trivia note: DiMaggio’s single came off veteran and future Hall of Famer Lefty Grove. Grove had also given up one of Babe Ruth’s record sixty homeruns in 1927, making him one of two pitchers to contribute to both historic accomplishments. Finally, young Johnny Sturm also managed to extend his streak, bring his total to nine.

Open thread on a day off for the Yanks. Gab away.

[Photo Via SNY’s Tumblr Site]

The Yankees head into a much needed off day on a two-game winning streak, but the team still finds itself in fourth place with a disappointing  23-21 record. A four game deficit in the loss column is hardly insurmountable, especially in May and particularly when the division leader has been a perennial loser for the last 14 years, but there are still some signs of caution evident in the Yankees’ relatively slow start.

Most Yankees’ fans probably have little doubt that the Bronx Bombers will soon overtake the first place Baltimore Orioles, but history suggests that the O’s chances of sustaining their fast start are actually pretty good. Regardless, the bigger question for the Yankees is will they be able to flip the switch and play at a much higher level for the remainder of the season. According to the franchise’s historical record, the road to the playoffs has been paved with a fast start, so this year’s team certainly has its work cut out.

Considering the 2011 Yankees started out 24-20 and still went onto win 97 games, this year’s slow start by franchise standards (70% of Yankees’ teams began with a better record over the first 44 games) hasn’t really caused a panic. However, it’s worth noting that last year was more of an exception than the norm. Not surprisingly, the Yankees’ final regular season record has been highly correlated to performance in the first quarter (r=.73 since 1901; r=.68 since 1961, when the 162 game season was initiated), so, if history holds, this year’s Bronx Bombers could be facing an uphill battle.

Yankees’ Historical Winning % (Full Season and After 44 Games) Correlation
 

Source: baseball-reference.com

Another somewhat ominous indication is the fact that only two Yankees’ teams who started the season as slowly as the current edition bounced back to win the division. What’s more, only six of the 46 first place finishes in franchise history started out with a winning percentage below .550. More often than not, when the Yankees’ have had a successful season, the team has gotten out of the gate quickly. This relationship is even stronger when only considering championships as nearly 60% of the franchise’s 40 A.L. pennants and 27 World Series victories came in seasons when the team’s winning percentage was at least .600 after 44 games.

Distribution of Yankees’ Postseason Teams Based on Record After 44 Games

Source: baseball-reference.com

Every season has its own set of mitigating factors that influence the final outcome. However, aggregate data can often smooth out some of the variables, providing a rough road map for what the future holds. As last year (which is probably the most relevant comparison, considering the proximity) proved, the Yankees are more than capable of shaking off early season doldrums, but that doesn’t mean fans, or the team itself, should minimize some of the struggles. If the Yankees do recover once again, they will need to perform much better across the board, and their ability to do so should not be taken for granted. In some arenas, slow and steady may work just fine, but in the pennant race, a fast start has always worked to the Yankees’ advantage.

“Fat City.”

Now, there’s a case of a fine book and a fine movie.

Suddenly working on a streak of their own, the Yankees won their fourth straight game (not including the suspended game from the day before) and three other notable streaks continued as well. Trailing 6-5 in the seventh, DiMaggio capped a four-run rally with a two-run single, bring the score to its final count, 7-6. It was his only hit of the game. Williams, for his part, singled twice, raising his streak average to a blistering .447. Neither of these accomplishments had yet been noted by the press, but it was reported that Yankee rookie first baseman Johnny Sturm was nursing an eight-game string. Manager Joe McCarthy had inserted him in the lineup just a day before the beginning of his streak, and reporters following the team were tracking his progress, waiting for the bubble to burst. They still weren’t on to the true story; eventually they’d figure things out.

There is a long profile on Ivan Nova by Jorge Arangure Jr. over at ESPN. Check it out.

[Photo Credit: AP]

Still the joint.

[Photo Credit: Alexey Nikishin]

David Lebovitz fixes a tasty-looking chicken salad.

In Living Color. Nifty redesign by John Turney over at Uni Watch.

Perhaps in anticipation of a new movie version of “The Great Gatsby” dig this photo gallery over at Gothamist.

Do the Steinbrenner’s want to sell the Yanks? This story suggests perhaps. Lonn Trust says the report is fiction.

Jon Heyman tweeted: steinbrenner: “i just read the daily news story. it is complete fiction. me and my family have no intention to sell the yankees  and expect it to be in the family for years to come.” (end of hal steinbernner statement)

[Image via Elevated Encouragement]

As requested the Score Truck screeched into the Stadium tonight before the Yanks take off for the west coast.

Curtis Granderson hit a home run in the first and Alex Rodriguez followed a couple of batters later with a two-run dinger. And Rodriguez was pumped.

He was even more amped when he crushed a solo shot to center field his next time up (and cursed himself when he grounded out with the bases loaded in his third at bat). The Yanks scrapped together a few more runs on a night when the Royals pitched, well, like the same old Royals.

Andy Pettitte was crisp, Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter turned a thrilling double play, as the Yanks won a laugher, 8-3.

And Bronx Banter was full of heppy kets.

[Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images]

Hear that? It’s the Score Truck, y’all.

Over at Lo-Hud, Chad Jennings asks: When is Alex Rodriguez going to drive in runs and hit for power again?

1. Jeter SS
2. Granderson CF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Cano 2B
6. Swisher RF
7. Jones DH
8. Martin C
9. Nix LF

Andy’s on the hill.

Keep it movin’ boys. It’s gunna be a good night.

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Pichaus and Tipa Tipa]

The Yankees and Red Sox entered Friday afternoon’s game at the Stadium in third and fourth place respectively, trailing the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox by a handful of games. Like the Yankees, the Red Sox had been struggling; their record sat at en even 15-15. While DiMaggio had been putting hits together recently, Boston’s great slugger, Ted Williams, was doing the same. Both players entered the game riding identical eight game hitting streaks, and both kept their streaks alive.

In keeping with the similar states of the two teams and their stars, the game ended in a 9-9 tie, called on account of darkness. The game wouldn’t count in the standings (it would eventually me made up as part of a July 1st doubleheader), but the stats were good. RBI singles for DiMaggio and Williams were enough to keep them streaking, but not enough to earn a win for either team.

[Photo Credit: Associated Press]

Put the needle to the groove.

[Photo by Genevieve Naylor via If Charlie Parker…]