Monday, October 27, 2014

Teixeira to Lift More Weights This Offseason After Finding That Upper Body Strength is "Off-the-Charts Low"

Yankees' First Baseman Mark Teixeira may have finally found out what caused his hitting struggles this season.

In an interview he gave with ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike" earlier this week, Teixeira said that he charted his upper body strength Tuesday, with the results not exactly being positive. Teixeira, 34, is coming off the worst offensive campaign of his career this year, batting just .216 with 23 home runs and 62 RBI.

"I was almost off-the-charts low on upper-body strength," he said, via The Star Ledger's Brendan Kuty.

Teixeira said that he will attempt to get bigger with weight-lifting this offseason as a way to prepare himself for 2015, which begins for the Yankees on April 6. 

"I understood that I need to get stronger," he said. "I didn't realize how weak I was upper-body. I'm going to be working the weights a lot harder. That will be my adjustment for this year."

Doing that certainly can't hurt anything, although Teixeira just staying healthy next season would also be a big help. This year, as Kuty points out, Teixeira missed time with exactly six different injuries, varying from his signature wrist wound to leg issues such as a sore knee.

Aaron Judge Named to AFL All Star Team


The New York Yankees stud prospect outfielder Aaron Judge has been named to the Arizona Fall League's All Star Game this week. The official name is not the All Star Game but the Fall Stars Game but if it looks like a duck, well you get it. The game will pit the East Division against the West Division in an exhibition game, sounds like a duck too.

Greg Bird and Tyler Austin have better numbers than Judge but obviously the team went for the big draw and name and not the stats. Judge is hitting .250/.311/.475 in 40 at bats through the season while Bird is getting early consideration for the AFL MVP Award.

Watch Game 6 of the 1978 World Series Here


The World Series is taking the night off so if you need to fill your baseball withdrawals then watch the entire Game 6 of the 1978 World Series right here on the blog. Enjoy your evening Yankees family.

Victor Martinez Just Priced Himself Out of New York


The World Series may just be half way over and Yankees fans are already clamoring and chomping at the bit to see what big names and players that New York will acquire this winter. One name that was mentioned a lot was that of Detroit Tigers DH Victor Martinez. First and foremost I have been against a Martinez contract from the get go. Martinez does not help the team get any younger, 36 years old, and doesn't help the team get any more flexible, DH only, and doesn't make much sense outside of his offensive production numbers. Don't get me wrong the Yankees need an offensive boost but they also don't need to shoot themselves in the foot next season, the season after that, the season after that, and the season after that.

That's right, Victor Martinez announced that he would be seeking a four year deal at the end of the season. Martinez is currently 35 years old but would be in his age 36 season in 2015 so the deal would basically take the DH into his 40's. While we have seen this work, David Ortiz for example, in the past I wouldn't feel comfortable with New York handing V Mart a four year deal.

Martinez will undoubtedly be linked to a qualifying offer this winter after slashing .335/.409/.565 with 32 home runs this season. Martinez led the American League in OBP and the major leagues in OPS. Martinez would have been the best Yankees hitter on the 2014 club and by a lot so I can understand why the fans would want him on the club, just not for four years.

Yankees May Still Terminate Alex Rodriguez's Contract


Just think Yankees fans in a week or so there will be nothing left for us to talk about except for Alex Rodriguez and his return to Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees. I can't wait, can you? I personally like to be a trend setter rather than a follower so I will begin the A Rod talk now after reading that the Yankees may still be able to terminate the remaining three years of Alex's contract. With the new developments in the Biogenesis case and the new set of court cases Alex may have not only been a user but a steroids pusher and dealer as well.

Anthony Bosch, Yuri Sucart (the cousin of A Rod), and Jorge Velazquez (a known A Rod associate) have already been indicted in this knew round of indictments. In THIS article from the Daily News the following regarding terminating his contract was brought up:

If A-Rod is indicted, the Yankees could conceivably invoke Clause 7(b)1 in the CBA (under Termination options), which states that a “club may terminate this contract upon written notice to the Player . . . if the Player shall at any time: fail, refuse or neglect to conform his personal conduct to the standards of good citizenship and good sportsmanship . . .” The club could cite the damage to the club’s brand and reputation resulting from an indictment and argue that the damage constitutes grounds for termination; Rodriguez could still appeal.
Remember that the last contract to be terminated in Major League Baseball was Shawn Chacon when he was a member of the Houston Astros. Chacon choked then GM Ed Wade before his contract was terminated so history is definitely on A Rod's side right now.

Until next time...

Tampa Bay Rays Considering Move To Montreal


Here is just a bit of AL East news to get your Monday morning started, according to MLB Trade Rumors and the NY Daily News the Tampa Bay Rays are mulling around the idea of moving the franchise to Montreal. The article states that Montreal once drew over 2,000,000 fans four times during the Expos tenure there while Tampa has not done that since the first year of existence for the then Devil Rays. The article conveniently leaves out the part that those four times came in the 1970's and 980's and had been below even 1,000,000 in the latter parts of the Expos years but I digress.

Personally I cannot see Tampa moving to our brother from the north. Tampa has a television deal that is about to expire after the 2016 season that if renewed could increase revenue from $20 million a season to $80- $90 million per season or more. The team would essentially have to start from scratch if they headed to Montreal. I think the money would be the biggest obstacle keeping Tampa from moving their franchise as the team on a budget may be able to increase payroll in just a couple seasons anyway, low attendance or not.

TGP Daily Poll: World Series Will Go Seven Games


This World Series has been back and forth and well played by both teams, this series will go seven games.

Vote in our poll!

Quick Hit: Should New York Be Concerned?


Should the New York Yankees be concerned that seemingly nobody wants to be their hitting coach? Eric Hinske turned down the job, Dave Magadan will not be hired although we haven't heard a reason why, Chili Davis took an extra year to coach the worst offense in the league from the season before, and Greg Colbrunn would seemingly rather be the Low-A Charleston Riverdogs coach than the MLB hitting coach. 

New York stated they expected to have a hitting coach in place before the World Series started, now you have to wonder if the team will have one by the time the World Series ends.... Cause for concern?

This Day In New York Yankees History 10/27: 1999 World Series Sweep


On this day in 1999 the Yankees completed a sweep of their second consecutive World Series beating the Braves in four games. Roger Clemens led the Yankees to the 4-1 victory in Game 4 that ended the Fall Classic. The Braves become only the second team in World Series history joining the 1910-1919 New York Giants to lose four World Series in one decade.

Also on this day in 1954 Joe DiMaggio and his wife Marilyn Monroe decided to get a divorce after just 274 days as a married couple. This was a disaster waiting to happen from the beginning as this was well known to be a stormy marriage. Marilyn filed the papers citing mental cruelty as the reasoning. Say it ain't so Joe.