The blog is back!
Tino is back and so is the blog! Tino Martinez is actually here at the stadium. And, yes, he (vaguely) remembered that he was going to answer your questions. In May.
“Do you still have the questions?” Tino asked.
Yes! He’s going to answer them on the next homestand. Cross your fingers.
Derek Jeter: His numbers are MVP-worthy and his recent tear is incredible — heading into tonight, he is batting .509 with 14 runs, three doubles, four homers and 10 RBI over his last 14 games. Tino said this is the best stretch, offensively and defensively, that he’s ever seen from Jeter. And that’s saying something.
Elvis Andrus: He is, indeed, in the building. That was unbelievable range the Rangers shortstop just showed in sliding to field the Matsui grounder up the middle, then throwing home to get Alex. And on his 21st birthday, no less.
Jorge Posada: He is three home runs from joining the 20-home run club; six Yankees are already members this season. Jeter needs four. If his Tigers happen to face the Yankees again in postseason, Jim Leyland won’t call them “Murderer’s Row and Cano” this time around. He might go with Murderer’s Row.
Phil Hughes: Before the last road trip, he cut his locks. But you already knew that. When we asked him about it, he said, “My hair was taking up too much of my day.” Yeah, we know the feeling. He’s a funny guy.
Theo Epstein: The Red Sox GM claims that Jonathan Papelbon is looking forward to having Billy Wagner in the Boston bullpen, despite Papelbon’s previous comments. “I think Pap feels like he was misunderstood,” Epstein told the Boston media. “He’s not a Rhodes Scholar to begin with, obviously. When I talked to him directly about it, he couldn’t have been more excited about the prospect of adding Billy Wagner.” Just had to pass that along. That might be one of the best quotes from a general manager about one of his own players. Ever.
The Kimberly Jones Blog 
Welcome back Kim! We missed ya!
Hi Kim…I know I have missed reading your blog. Welcome back!
Kim I understand that some obvious questions need to be asked but I have to be honest you ask WAY TO MANY obvious questions! Like today 8/26 when you asked Jeter and Pettite if they were concerned about Jorge or when you asked Jeter if he enjoys being on the streak that he was in. What kind of questions are these!! Of course they are concerned for Jorge and of course A-Rod likes it when he hits a homerun. COME OONNNN. Please try a little harder.
Good to have ya back, Kim. I was starting to go through withdrawal here…Loved the Theo Epstein quote. It made me laugh…Still waiting to hear if Jeter had an opinion on Paula Abdul’s departure from American Idol. You did promise to keep us posted. Remember? ;o)
welcome back kim! i was also having some withdrawals! hope tino keeps his word this time. you might point out that paulie did his q&a when he was asked… 🙂
LOVE the theo epstein quote. he’s right though, papelbum isn’t the brightest crayon in the box. after running his mouth to the press last year about rivera closing the all-star game in old yankee stadium, no surprise he’s done it again with wagner. it’s that blatant disrespect for the hall of fame worthy closers before him (mariano is guaranteed, and 385 saves for wagoner is nothing to sneeze at either!) that makes papelbum….well, a bum! boston’s pr people have to cringe every time they see a mic in his face!
pettitte looked awesome tonight! and he finally got both offense and defense behind him. a couple of miscues with arod in the first and cano not fielding the relay throw cleanly to make the play at the plate, but andy always looked in control! hope posada is able to continue to control his bruised fingers with ice. i don’t care what the press says, yankees can’t afford to lose his leadership on the field for any significant amount of time during the pennant race!
Welcome back, great blog as always…yes, the Theo quote is funny…..and just how good is Elvis defensively? soft hands likw Omar?
Hey Kim,
No mention of Longoria? No mention of how many slices of pizza Kay ate? No mention of how many chicken wraps Flash bought? Come on – this is what this blog is known for!!
Chris
Good to see you back, Kim! I thought you had forgot about us out here in blogland. Anyways, thanks for the Theo quote. I made it my facebook status almost immediately, just to embarass all of my Boston friends. Haha, what a great way to start a morning!
On a side note Kim….do you think Cash will try to land Penny before the 8/31 deadline? I realize if he does, it will be under the radar in true Cashman style, but I figured you might hear something…Thanks!
Hey Kim
Nice to see you back on blog patrol miss you.
I have a Tino question: Tino how do you compare this 2009 team with the 1998 team?
Even though I think this years team is a machine in gear I’m not sure they would beat the 1998 team.(The toughness is missing in this year) Do you think this team could beat the 1998 Yankees if they were to play each other.
Bill from Long Island
One more comment:
When are we going to hear the MVP chant for Derek Jeter?
Jeter is so good it always seems like he is having a career year.
Welcome back Kim! Your insights and musings were missed.
Welcome Back Kim, I missed the Blog. You need to find out if Jeter is really engaged to Minka Kelly. Rumors are all over the web – although this won’t be the first time. Try and get a real answer out of him. He’s so private, so we may never know.
I’m so glad you are back Kim! I look forward to your blog every day! I was wondering where you were. I know I never post here but just wanted to you to know that I do love your blog and appreciate everything that you do for the pregames and postgames. Quick suggestion…I think that YES should do postgames when the games on are My9. Like this past Tuesday when Joba pitched on 8 days rest – I would have loved to see his postgame interview. I’m sure he said the same old thing but it sounds like he was truely frustrated and it showed big time. I would have loved to hear what Girardi had to say as well.
Anyway, I’m so happy that you are back! Keep up the great work Kim. Always look forward to your insights! 🙂
Welcome Back Kim!!!
So you haven’t foregotten us in blogland afterall. Jeter just
keeps getting better with old age (like Wine) and should
be shoe in for MVP. Theo’s quote on papilbum is right on
target but we already knew that pappy wasn’t all that
bright anyway. Now what’s up with Joba and his pitching
every 7,8 or 9 days (take your pick)? Might as well put him
in the bull-pin or just tell him to stop pouting and start
pitching. I think he needs a kick in the butt sometimes. Any-
way, welcome back and missed your insightful interviews.
Hi Kim,
Does Joba drive you crazy when you interview him after yet another bad outing? You see how Andy and AJ answer questions about their performances after a bad game. They blame themselves. AJ today … said if it wasn’t for that one bad pitch the game might have been very different.
Joba, on the other hand, NEVER takes the blame. All of his pitches are good and the hitters did their job. “You have to tip your hat to them” for hitting good pitches, he says. Give me a break! Reminds me of Ian Kennedy. Bad attitude. I will take Phil Hughes and his great attitude any day of the week. I think it is time to trade Joba in the offseason and try to get something while his value is still high … before it is too late.
Welcome back!
It’s time for Joba Chamberlain to grow up and get over himself.
He hasn’t proved himself enough to be as arrogant as he is. It’s clear that he has terrific skills. However, success as an athlete also depends upon emotional make up and the ability to see your weaknesses. Right now, Joba more weaknesses than he cares to admit.
Hi Kim, just wanted to let ya know that even us out-of area
yankee fans are on-board through the internet. That’s the
YES site is bookmarked as is WFAN. So I can pick you up with you and Adam, listening in, you add alot Kim with the association you have with the players, the game and behind the scenes stuff. Good going, keep blogging.
from music city (nashville,tn.)
Don
Nice to have you back! Great quote from Epstein. Looking forward to seeing what Tino Martinez has to say. I am obviously not the only one who thinks Jeter is having an MVP year, but I feel the same way about Teixiera. That sucks not having a clear-cut choice. Can’t they just be co-MVP’s?
I agree with the first post….that your questions are sometimes painful. “Do you enjoy being on the streak you’re on?” ??? Seriously?? That’s the kind of stuff you used to ask when you first started Kim.
I’ll be coming back to look for the Tino Q&A because he’s a favorite of mine….but that’s about it. You’ve deserted your readers one too many times for my liking Kim. Not that you care….I know. But really…..never take your audience for granted Kim. Someday they just might not be there…or at least some of them.
Yankees Fan Should Sense Imminent Peril In October 2009.
Too bad for Yankees fan that Derek Jeter or Derek Jeter-ness can not cloned or that a Jeter serum can not be developed in time for the upcoming playoffs. Derek Jeter plays baseball, seeking to live out and achieve special moments while some player(s) around him cringe at the imminent closer toward ultimate failure. Realist Yankees fans are watching their team make mush of most their opponents during this 2009 season but there?s an inner feeling of growing caution not to pre-crown this group as World Series Champion just yet. They have a lot to prove to themselves and to Yankee-dome.
Wow, the Yankees power stats rings through and can put even the best and deepest pitching staffs in the major leagues on alert. Yes, the Yankees made adequate additions to their pitching staff along with utilizing the pitching talents through their farm teams. Let not forget, the Yankees have the best closer in the history of the game, a pitcher that since June 6 has given up a mind boggling 2 ERs in 30.2 IP, 24 for 24 in Save opportunities, with 31 Ks and with only 7 BBs given. Mr. Rivera has not really been seen as a serious Cy Young contender his entire career but maybe he will get some love from Baseball Writer?s this year. Hint: Eric Gagne (2003 Cy Young Award Winner). Just 5 ½ years remove from that award, Eric Gagne is a pitcher in an independent league because he is no longer Major League material. Mr. Rivera has a track record of longevity, consistency, and dominance. By now, Mr. Rivera should have at least won 2 or 3 Cy Young Awards; for his performance during the 1996 championship run and the stretch of 1997 to 1999 where he did not blown a regular season save. No justice.
But Mr. Rivera is not why I am writing this on an unusually chilly Sunday morning in last August on the east coast. I am writing to shed light on what may be a good season turned quickly sour in the first round of the playoffs. Yankees nation is, no doubt, hoping that they do not play the Anaheim Angels in the first rounds because for some reason this is when the Yankees revert back to little league status. More fairly, the Angels are just a better baseball playing club than the recent power-stricken Yankees? clubs. Baseball elitists know that most of the time sound baseball skills and techniques will beat power laden lineups.
Moreover, Yankees has not had a big hit in the playoffs since Aaron Boone?s homerun in the 2003 playoffs that lead to another World Series appearance. Stardom that was short lived as the Yankees bats went silence against the Marlins in the World Series and then Boone?s foolhardy pick up game during off season would cost him his Yankees career. Are we to assume that this is the year that A-Rod will come up with that elusive big post season hit. A familiar microscope that A-Rod clearly does not look forward to and has failed at. Will Mark Texiera be able to succeed over the pressured microscope of the New York media and fan-fare? Will A. J. Burnett be able to succeed under that microscope. Will C.C.? A microscope whose analysis only states one thing: WIN.
Presently, we have alot of overpaid Yankees that has much to prove to themselves and to their fans. Many big stars have come to this legendary ball club seeking a World Series championship but found out that it would not come as easily as they thought. Ask Mike Mussina, Jason Giambi, Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Hideki Matsui, and Johnny Damon. They all may have thought that simply putting on the pinstripes would virtually guarantee them a championship; they all found that not to be true. Its really hard to win one World Series championship which should make living Yankees ;like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Petite, and Jorge Posada miraculous feats of being members of teams that won 4 championships in 5 years even more admirable.
Hey A. Rod everyone wants to be on the band wagon but that seat on the band wagon starts to really get uncomfortable and sometimes dreadful when it postseason time, when a base hit is needed, and all you have done is failed. A. Rod can share this feelings with the likes of Robinson Cano, Melky Carbera, Hideki Matsui, Joba Chamberlain, and Brian Bruney. All who have virtually failed in recent post seasons. Yankees stripes are earn in the post season not the regular season. Hint: Jim Leyritz, Scott Brosius, Paul O?Neil, and others. If you want membership, then be a Yankee not just a pinstripe wearing Yankee. See ya in October!!!
A.J. Burnett must start Game 2 of the ALDS and he will, but only by default.
I have heard cable, internet, and blog chatter stating that Andy Petite may have taken A.J.?s ALDS Game 2 spot but this is not true for a couple of reasons. First reason, I am hoping that Joe Giradi has the sense not to derail the entire confidence of a pitcher that the team is going to need if they plan on going anywhere significant in the 2009 playoffs. It is just not the right time to send that kind of message to an important piece of the puzzle. Second reason is quite elementary, really, as it would benefit that Yankees to start a lefty, then righty, then lefty rather than lefty, lefty, righty. The L-R-L could work best at keeping an opponent?s batter lineup just a little off balance.
Therefore in my book, A.J. Burnett has nothing to worry about when it comes to starting Game 2 in ALDS but he does have a few things to worry about overall as the Yankees regular season is drawing to a close. First thing is that suddenly he has become a cry baby, a mediocre and predictable pitcher, and apparently at this point in the season he can handle a whip cream pie better than a major league baseball. Recently, A.J. has gone to the media to complain about Jorge Posada?s pitch-calling. I am pretty sure that this shocked the comradery foundation that A.J. Burnett was apparently ring leading. Giradi has down played it because I guess everyone involves realizes it?s an unfortunate situation brought about by A.J. Burnett. Yes, Giradi downplayed it when he stated in an interview that catchers and pitchers have argued about pitch-calling since baseball was invented. Very true but a pitcher rarely runs to media to talk negative about a catcher that is considered one of the ?senior? Yankees. Plainly stated, Posada is a championship catcher; he has played in big games and has come through in some of those situations. Should we mention Posada?s championship rings? A.J. has never play in the post season. My point is, if A.J. have a problem with someone on his team, he should know by now to handle it in the clubhouse. I will leave out any stats on Andy Petite and Jorge Posada that would appear to make A.J.?s complaining look senseless.
Well, it the evening of September 1st, 2009, and A.J. is the starting pitcher against the Baltimore Orioles. With the Yankees, 6.5 games ahead of Boston Red Sox, this is still a really big game for A.J. and the Yankees. With Andy Petite surging and A.J. recently faltering, A.J. have put himself in a precarious position; under a biased microscope by ?senior? Yankees fan. Also, imagine that the very media he complained to about a ?proven? Yankee, is the same media that waiting to pounce on him if he does not come through in September and October. Good going A.J.
Hey, last time I checked Andy Petite is 12-6, 4.03 ERA, and one of the Yankees best pitchers since the All Star break. A.J. Burnett is 10-8, 4.10 ERA and have recently staggered on the mound. A.J. needs to only focus about getting wins for his team. Opps, I did say that I was not going to used any stats; my bad.
Tonight?s Chevy Trivia question left out an important person?..
How can Mariano Rivera not be one of C.C. Sabathia?s top competitors for the 2009 A.L. Cy Young Award? A miscarriage of justice or perhaps easily excused as an oversight by YES; Mariano Rivera an oversight? Anyways, Mariano Rivera should clearly be in the running for the 2009 A.L. Cy Young award and he can justifiable be seen as the clear front runner or the front runner at the very least.
Now, before someone or everyone in internet land call me a nut, yes, I do believe that C.C. Sabathia, Zack Greinke, Josh Beckett, Felix Hernandez, and Justin Verlander have pitched great this year and are having very good seasons; yes. J. Verlander?s stats are comparable to C.C. Sabathia?s stats. Sabathia is going for his 16 win tonight and if he wins, he will be among the league leaders in win; Verlander has 15 wins too. Z. Greinke has an ERA of 2.32 which is rarely heard of in the A.L. for a starter; he possesses an amazing WHIP too. Josh Beckett has 14 wins but I thought his latest performance against the Yankees kind of derailed his Cy Young chances. Finally, Felix Hernandez is having a good year but not on pace for Cy Young notoriety.
Now back to the front runner, Mariano Rivera, the best relief pitcher in the history of the game (and yes, I have kept in mind that the dynamics of pitching in the major leagues has undergone changes in the past 30 years). Nonetheless, Mariano Rivera?s longevity, consistency, and physical wherewithal has spoken for it and currently speaks for itself but it seems that the ?experts? and writers are not listening. What else does Mariano Rivera have to do; give him his due. As of tonight, Mariano has notched 34 saves in a row, in that stretch he has given up 2 runs in 32.1 IP (these stats are since June 6). Should I mention that he is 40 years old, underwent off season shoulder surgery, has only loss about 5 mph on his fastball but he still gets the job done and usually with minimal laboring. Why do I have the feeling he will still be look over for an award that has name written all over it.
Hey, I have a good idea that a broadcaster or writer may steal from me but I will still share it with the internet world. I feel that Major League Baseball should name an award after Mariano Rivera. Hmmm?.call it the Mariano Rivera Award (has a good ring to it); an award given to the relievers that notches the most saves in their respective leagues. For the naysayers, awards are usually named after players that has not only revolutionized their sports but has set a standard for others to follow. Cha–ching?Mariano Rivera meets those criterion. Bottomline, give the man his due!!
Joe Giradi blend of ?Soup De Jour? Creates a Problem the new N.Y. Yankees Can Do Without As the Regular Draws to a Close.
Today the N.Y. Yankees had a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays. Yes, the Bombers beat down hard on, what was clearly, the inferior team as in reality the Rays are not even a figment of a threat to any team in the A.L. East pennant race or wild card race. Nonetheless, Giradi has managed to put a fly in ?soup de jour? and just when ?soup de jour? was tasting sooo good.
Are you confused about the fly in the soup?s ladle? I will clear it up for all who is interested. In the first game, C.C. Sabathia was caught by Jorge Posada; C.C. Sabathia pitched a gem. In the second game, A.J. Bennett was caught by Jose Molina; A.J. Bennett also pitched a gem. A.J. Bennet pitched a gem today after struggling, for the most part, over his last 7 starts (the majority of which Jorge Posada has caught). This brings up more problems than it solves for the new N.Y. Yankees (aspiring World Series Champions). Where is this going? Well, let me explain further—there is growing concern as to the mental status of A.J. Bennett as this ?kind? of victory does not help the N.Y. Yankees as it relates to the stretch run and the post season. Yes, Yankees-dome is happy to see an important part of the rotation move back towards acceptable etiquette on the mound but what now? Will A.J.?s success tonight now re-uproot some Yankees fans? doubt in Jorge Posada ability to effective catch for A.J.? I feel that Joe Giradi?s coupling today will add fire to a debate that he should be trying to extinguishing (not add fuel to its fire) as it is the last thing these new N.Y. Yankees needs.
The adage, the bigger they are, the easier it is for them to fall, may become an accurate description of these new N.Y. Yankees in the near future. The Yankees are in the stretch for the A.L. East title and also playing for the outright best record in the A.L (home field advantage through out the playoffs). However, with a bunch of players sliced together with the Steinbrenner?s fortune, a bunch of players with little to no winning competence in post season play (other than Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Petitte-please highlight Posada?s name), these bunch of players maybe on shaky foundation. Yes, if the team?s current status continues, the new N.Y. Yankees are about to complete of the most remarkable regular seasons in the club?s history. Again, the team is stout but again, on shaky foundation. My point being, A.J. Bennett needs to know that Jorge Posada is his permanent catcher this year. In the stretch run there can not be any room for doubt; A.J. needs to know to be sure who will be behind the plate when he is pitching during this stretch run and when he is pitching in the playoffs. Yankee-dome wants A.J. Burnett to win October and not look for excuse(s) as to why he did not. Sadly enough, he scored his 11th victory of the season but it may be a lost for A.J. in regards to his pitching surety.
For those experts who might think that I am picking on Joe Giradi, this is not true. I am a concerned N.Y. Yankees? fan and just stating fact. Think of it this way—if Giradi did not want Posada to play in both games today, he could have easily started Jose Molina in the first game and then start Posada in the second game of the twin-bill. I feel that Joe Giradi should have started Posada in the game that A.J. was pitching because puts in place stability for A.J. Bennett, which is clearly something he needs at point. Lets see how this plays out; October is only 3 ½ weeks away. Hold on lets don?t look to far ahead as the new N.Y. Yankees has to first clinch a playoff spot; right?