Archive for the ‘Blog Entries’ Category

Yankees legendary public address announcer Robert Leo “Bob” Sheppard passed away July 11, 2010 he was 99 years young.  Sheppard was behind the mic at Yankee Stadium from 1951 to 2007, and was the public address announcer for the New York Giants of the NFL from 1956 to 2006.

In his time with the Yankees Sheppard announced over 4,500 Major League Baseball games, seeing the team capture 22 AL pennants and 13 World Series championships. Yankee Hall-of-Famer “Mr. October” Reggie Jackson dubbed him “the Voice of God”.

Sheppard will always be heard at Yankees stadium as long as Derek Jeter is in pinstripes.  Jeter has a tape of Sheppard introducing him everytime he comes to the plate.  Thanks for the wonderful memories Bob, you are truly missed, you are a true Yankee legend.

Tonight is the night Yankee fans.  Not only do we begin the dense of our 27^th World Series Championship, but we also begin the quest for #28.  This past off-season was light for the Yankees but I think we will come out stronger than we were at the end of last year.  With key additions of Curtis Granderson, Randy Winn, and Javier Vasquez just to name a few, this team is ready.  Alex Rodriguez will be in the lineup from day one and CC and AJ now know what it is like to pitch on the biggest stage in all of sports.  Join Yankeescast all season long as we will bring you news, notes and inside analysis of the defending WS champion New York Yankees, beginning tonight as we take on the hated ones in Boston.

Follow Yankeescast on Twitter, at twitter.com/Yankeescast27 as the Yankees begin the quest to repeat as World Series Champions.  Yankeescast will bring you up to date information during spring training,  the season and the offseason.

John Sterling, the radio play-by-play voice of the World Champion New York Yankees joined Yankeescast this week (download – mp3) to discuss all things Yankees.  John talks about the ups and downsof this past season, the free agent possibilities and his career as the voice of the Yankees.  John has been with the Yankees since 1989 and has been around the sport for decades.

Check it out!

With opening the original Yankee stadium in 1923 and christening it with a championship, nothing could be better in 2009 than to do the same at the new Yankee stadium…MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  The New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to capture championship #27.  It was a complete team effort.  The bullpen was the key issue for the Yankees as they took control of this series when called upon.

Hideki Matsui is the first Japanese born player to win the World Series MVP as he hit .615 with 3 HR’s and 8 RBI’s in the six games.  Keep in mind he had two key pinch hits in the three games including a HR in game three.  In a contract year he definitely left his mark in Yankee history if game six was his final appearance in a Yankee uniform.

The key additions of CC, AJ and Tex proved to be huge for this team as the chemistry is unlike we have seen in years and I truly believe that was the difference throughout the season. When spring training began and the A-Rod controversy came to light, the team rallied around and accepted him.  When A-Rod had surgery the team struggled.  When he came back in May, his first at bat on the first pitch he saw was a three run HR and we knew this season was going to be special.  He also homered in his final AB in Tampa Bay giving him seven RBI’s in one inning.  A-Rod finished with 30 HR’s and 100 RBI’s for the 12th consecutive season

The core four of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera finally got a ring for their thumbs.  Now the questions begin; can the Yankees repeat, which free agents will not return and who will they add in this upcoming off-season? Those questions will be answered in time, but now it is time to celebrate.  The Yankees have been to the post season nine times this decade while winning two World Championships. Are they the team of the decade?  This is the most successful sports franchise in history. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2009 WORLD SERIES CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES!!

27 outs away from their 27 World Championship, the New York Yankees will send out the $82.5 million dollar man to try and close out this series.  The Yankees had a dramatic ninth inning in game 4 to take a commanding three games to one lead on the defending World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Johnny Damon had the series shifting play when he stole second base in the ninth and then took third because of the shift on Mark Teixeira and no one was covering third base.  Let’s take a trip down memory lane in 2004 when Dave Roberts stole second base off of Rivera in game 4 and that set up the dramatic win for the Red Sox and the rest of the series is history.

AJ Burnett is four and oh on three day’s rest in his career.  He we come Philadelphia, ARE YOU READY.  Championship #27 is on its way.  Watch out Cliff Lee, can you defeat the Evil Empire to save the season for the Phillies?

This is the biggest game of A.J. Burnett’s life.  This is the game that can get the Yankees to another World Series in search for their 27th championship.  The Yankees have dominated the Angels to this point in the series and if the offense and the pitching step up one more time then this series can be over in five games.

If the Yankees falter on Thursday night, then Andy Pettitte goes in game six and CC Sabathia will close it out in game 7.  Alex Rodriguez has been money in this series.  Another big key will be the bottom of the lineup and their ability to get on base and move runners over.  I just want this series to be over.  I don’t know why but I still fear that stinking rally monkey.  Who wants to play the Phillies?  We will see.  Can you imagine a game one matchup of Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia?  Former teammates and the last two Cy Young award winners in the American League.  That is worth the price of admission alone, but the Yankees still have work to do.

On a cold, blustery night in the Bronx the ALCS got underway and the Yankees surely got their monies worth out of CC Sabathia.  He pitched eight solid innings with seven strikeouts and kept the Angels hitters off-balance all night. 

The Yankees took advantage of three uncharacteristic Angels errors in the game and won four to one to take a one game to nothing series lead.  The only bad news for the Yankees is that in the last two series with the Angels in the postseason the Yankees won game one and LOST the series.  So, on that note the Yankees season isn’t on the line but AJ Burnett needs to pitch the game of his life to hopefully give the Yankees a commanding lead heading back to Anaheim for Game three on Monday.

The offense has clutch hits again tonight from A-Rod and the captain Derek Jeter and stellar relief pitching for Mr. Reliable in the post season Mariano Rivera.  Game Two will be huge.  Be sure to check out our analysis of Game One and give us your thoughts as well.  Four down—Seven to go for Championship #27.

It was a day of celebration at the new Yankee stadium in the Bronx but the men in pinstripes know that the ultimate celebration is still a ways off.  By sweeping the Boston Red Sox AGAIN at Yankee stadium the Yankees picked up their 100th win of the season and the 16th division title in the teams history.

A few members of the championship days of the past started and finished the job today.  Andy Pettitte started for the Yankees and limited the Red Sox to two run in 6 innings to pick up his 14th win of the season and “Mr. Reliable” Mariano Rivera closed the door in the ninth for his 44th save of the year and set off the celebration.

This team is well aware of what needs to be done in the next month or so to bring a championship back to NY.  After talking to several players on Monday in Anaheim they are poised and they have a demeanor about them that I have not seen in a long time.  Pitching will be the key and that was the main addition last off-season, and they need to have CC and AJ step up big in October.  The million dollar question is what about Joba?  Nothing has been announced as of yet.  Stay tuned to Yankeescast for all of the late-breaking news as the Yankees look to ride this momentum into the postseason and claim championship 27.