Saturday, March 7, 2015

Recap: Yankees 9, Astros 4

Scott Baker gave up three earned runs in one inning and the Yankees came back from three runs down in the eighth to beat the Astros, 9-4, Saturday in Kissimmee.

Baker's Rough Outing: Baker, making his Yankees debut in this one, surrendered six hits and three runs in the bottom of the first alone -- leading to an unsurprising early removal after 29 pitches. For what it's worth, two of the three outs he logged were strikeouts -- although it's fair to say that probably doesn't matter much in the eyes of the team.

The Bronx Bombers Return: The Yankees regulars are still yet to hit a home run this week -- something they're likely going to have to work on after the way their substitutes have been playing. Indeed, the Yankees' prospects showed off some power in this victory -- with Ramon Flores and Jake Cave both recording solo shots and Greg Bird a two-run blast on the afternoon. 

A Good Day to be a Second Base Candidate: It's anyone's guess whether Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder are still being considered for the Yankees' starting second base job, but at least in this contest, the two looked deserving of it. Pirela drove in a run with a triple in the eighth to bring the Yankees to within one, and Rob Refsnyder plated two more with a single in the ninth to break a 4-4 tie. 

Noonan Comes Up Big in Rally: Prior to Refsnyder's go-ahead line drive, Yankees infielder Nick Noonan continued his nice start to the preseason with a bases-loaded walk -- forcing Tyler Wade in from third to even the score. It was Noonan's second RBI since Friday -- when he brought home Slade Heathcott with a double against the Phillies.

Starter Stats: Mark Teixeira and Chase Headley both went 1-for-3 in this matinee -- collecting a pair of singles in the second and sixth innings, respectively. Besides them, Didi Gregorius went 0-for-3 and Stephen Drew 0-for-2 with a walk -- also coming in the top of the sixth.

Next Up: The Yankees will host the Nationals Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET -- the first time this spring the two clubs will have faced off. Adam Warren will pitch for New York while Doug Fister does the same for Washington -- a matchup set to air on the YES Network.

Tanaka throws first spring simulated game


Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka pitched his first simulated game of the spring Saturday morning at George M. Steinbrenner Field, throwing 29 pitches and roughly two innings to a pair of live hitters.

"He's exactly where you want him to be at this point in spring training," Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said of Tanaka after his performance, according to The LoHud Yankees Blog.

Young catcher Eddy Rodriguez was behind home during Tanaka's outing -- in which the 26-year-old reportedly had little trouble. 

Prospects Gary Sanchez and Cole Figueroa batted against Tanaka -- with Sanchez recording the only would-be hit. Tanaka had told Rodriguez he wanted to work the outside part of the plate before Sanchez lined one softly to center -- a routine single. 

Tanaka is recovering from the partially torn UCL he suffered last July, and is attempting to get healthy in time for Opening Day. 

"It's good to see him get out there and be able to go through all his pitches and have a good day of work and feel good after," Rothschild said. 

Of the Yankees' next 10 games, seven will take place in Tampa -- so it's likely Tanaka will compete in a real contest soon. The starters for the Yankees' meetings with the Red Sox Wednesday and Braves Thursday still haven't been announced, nor have the ones for New York's weekend matchups with the Tigers and Phillies. 

Rothschild and the Yankees don't seem to be looking that far ahead yet, however, and appear to be content for the moment with what Tanaka did here. 

"It's his first sim game, so it was a good day of work," Rothschild said.

Introducing BetaBall: Part Four


Three programs for BetaBall coaches and teams:

1.    Coaching Ambidexterity: I strongly encourage all BetaBall coaches to teach all their players to become ambidextrous so that their back, shoulder, forearm, leg, and foot muscles develop in symmetry. This is an attempt to avoid back, joint, and muscle problems later in life. Two examples are Tiger Woods in golf and Rafael Nadal in tennis. 
Only one out of one hundred people are naturally and fully ambidextrous. Most of us are naturally ambidextrous in juggling, swimming, typing, keyboard music, texting, touch screens, buttoning, pouring, paintball, boxing, and martial artsHere are some benefits to being ambidexterity in sports:

            BetaBall and Cricket:          Throwing, catching, and hitting.
            Football:                                 Passing, punting, hand-off, place kicking.
Basketball:                            Layups, field shots, free throws.
            Tennis:                                   Running forehand on both sides
                                                            Returning center line serves.
            Squash                                  Replacing difficult back hand returns.
            Bowling:                                Symmetrical arm and leg development.
            Curling:                                  Left and right in turns and out turns.

Strengthen the non-dominant arm. Lift weights with your opposite hand to help strengthen the muscles. Start with light weights and as you get stronger, use heavier and heavier ones.  Start by brushing your teeth, cooking and eating utensils, comb your hair, paint or trim your nails, soap in the shower, shaving, signing your name, drawing, using home tools.

2.   Coaching Diet, Eating habits, and Nutrition.

Coaches may request a plan to teach good diet and eating habits to all players.  Your players will become role models in their schools, colleges, and communities.  The fundamentals are:

1.    Food: 1 bite per 1 minute. Slow to let mouth bacteria work.
2.    Equal volume of water before each cola, beer, or juice.
3.    Eat all snacks with chop sticks. Left handed for Asians.
4.    No “screens”, and no texting while eating.
5.    No cardboard, foil, plastic or paper wrappers. Plates.
6.    Eat in a respectful environment and with tableware.
7.    Develop a deep respect for food and your body.

I recommend serving lentil soup, pot roast, or roasted vegetables plus nano-fizz water after each practise and game. Replace the custom of the whole team heading to a fast food joint after practise or a game to load up on sugar, fat, breaded flour, and salt.
This program is based on my pamphlet titled “The 10,000 Meal Diet” currently in English and Chinese.

3.   Measuring the Benefits of BetaBall:

Each team paying a BetaBall royalty for the 2015 season will be offered 20 heart monitor wrist bracelets on loan free for 1 week. The wrist bracelets measure distance, heart rate, calories spent, and hopefully blood pressure over a 2 hour time period for each player. Coaches will organize an intra-mural standard Baseball game on day one; followed by game of BetaBall on day two.  Compare the readings for each player; and return the bracelets.

BetaBall videos now on You Tube and sport video sites.
BetaBall was created by Denis Braun.     (soon to be formed)
BetaBall Supply Depot in the USA, Canada, Zhongshan, and Zurich.


Left:    A traditional baseball field with an infield that is part grass and part turf. Bases are 90 feet apart in a square box shape. Foul lines extend at a 90 degree vector from home plate. Distances to the outfield wall differ from stadium to stadium.

Right: A new BetaBall field with an infield that is part grass and part turf. Bases are 28 meters apart in a slight diamond shape. Foul lines extend from home plate. Distances to the outfield wall be standardized eventually at approximately 100 meters to the right field and left field corners (foul poles) and 120 meters to the center field wall.

A painted arc in the outfield defines the area that outfielders can catch and throw balls during a DPP.

The invisible pathway in the infield is a running swath unique to each player and defines the 3.5 meter wide swath inside which the DPP in progress can be voided if the runner can touch the ball or touch any defensive player.

Home Plate and Batters Boxes

Left:                Home plate in traditional baseball. 17” wide and 8.5” sides.

Center:           BetaBall home plate expansion. 18-19” wide and 17” sides. The front “square” is layered and hinged on the front side so the top layer can be opened 180 degrees like a toilet seat to extend the plate to + 34”.   The catcher touches the top of the plate and the runner touches the bottom of the plate.

Right:             BetaBall home plate during DPP. The top layer of the plate is flipped over by the home umpire when a DPP initiates. 

BetaBall Sevens:  7770.  7 players, 7 innings in a 70 degree vector field.


Left:  A 70 degree vector field for 7 players.( 2 outfielders. 3 infielders, a pitcher, and a catcher).  7 innings. 2 strike strikeouts. 3 balls to walk.

Right: A 3 field BetaBall Sevens complex. Center core double octagon for restaurants, utilities, washrooms, press box, studios, and sponsor suites.  From Megazebo.ccm  (concept)

Stands and spectator seating along the foul lines of each field; and adjoining bleachers beyond the outfield walls allow fan movement around the outer circumference of the complex. Two level corporate suites will top each spectator stands. Up to 200 suites in the complex. 40,000 spectator seats.

Note #1:  Some measurements may be in metric; others in English measure. Our primary target market is Asia, India, and Europe where baseball is declining or in its infancy.

Note #2:  All players and teams who register with BetaBall will receive the following:

1.    An opportunity to borrow 20 medical and heart monitor wrist bracelets for 1 week to evaluate the conditioning benefits of BetaBall.

2.    A  pamphlet on diet and eating habits called the “10,000 Meal Diet”

3.    A core curriculum that we feel is essential to all BetaBall players and athletes seeking higher education or employment in a foreign country.  This study highlights the 5 most important relationships (pillars) that need to be understood in the international world.

The 5 Pillars of BetaBall’s education philosophy.

1.    Space plan.  The full metric system and the relationship between distance, volume, and mass.

2.    Health plan.  The relationship between food, health, and  productivity.
3.    Priority environments. a) your body. b) your home or apartment; and c) the 100mile radius around your home or school.

4.    Economic plan. The relationship between work, discipline, and reward.  This is Asian education philosophy 101.

5.    Civility Plan. The relationship between respect, war, and revenge.  ………….  the consequences of dis-respect.


4.    Free tuition to Sam McGee University when it opens on line in 2017. This School of Communications is for senior students seeking employment or further education abroad. 12 optional languages, text, voice, and facial recognition, sign language, dress, dinner table, signature communication, and VOP Vow of Poverty.

Spring Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Houston Astros 3/7


The New York Yankees will continue their Grapefruit League schedule in Spring Training this afternoon when the team travels to face off against the Houston Astros on the road. Scott Baker will make his debut in a Yankees uniform as he pitches the contest for New York.


Enjoy the game Yankees family as we inch closer and closer to Opening Day. 

Former Yankees Update: Cory Black


Corey Black was originally drafted by the New York Yankees back in the class of 2012 and was ultimately traded to the Chicago Cubs in the Alfonso Soriano deal. During his tenure in New York he and his mother were very friendly to us, and all their fans, on twitter and were gracious enough to do an interview for us SEEN HERE. Well today we bring you a bit of an update on Mr. Black after an unfortunate incident happened later in the week.

We all heard the story and got the notification on our phones from the MLB At Bat app that Hunter Pence would miss up to eight weeks with a broken arm. Corey Black was the pitcher that threw the inside fastball that connected with Pence’s arm and delayed the start of his season for the Giants.


Black was noticeably upset when interviewed about it and said “it sucks. You don’t want to hit people first of all. Hurting someone on top of that is even worse. It’s a bad feeling” when being interviewed for television. You could really see that Black meant his words and I feel awful for the guy. If you are reading this Corey you have got to shrug it off. It’s a part of the game, an unfortunate part of the game, and anyone who knows you knows there isn’t a malicious bone in your body. Keep your head up kid and get ‘em next time. 

Yankees Preaching “Competition” This Spring but I’m Not Seeing It


The New York Yankees and specifically manager Joe Girardi is singing from the roof tops about his excitement for the 2015 season and his new roster of stars. Girardi claimed that this year’s spring training camp will showcase possibly more competition than he has ever seen in a Yankees camp but frankly, I’m not seeing it. You’re preaching to the choir Joe and you’re lying on top of it.

Only mediocre teams claim they have tons of competition in camp while the solid to great teams are pretty set come January 1st, let alone March 7th. Barring injuries of course the Yankees have taken a sharpie to their 25 man roster and filled in the catcher, first base, second base, shortstop, third base, left field, center field, right field, and DH position. The team also has five starting pitchers basically etched in stone (barring injuries of course) and five or six of the bullpen positions with Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances, Justin Wilson, David Carpenter, Esmil Rogers and Adam Warren with Wilson being the tight rope walker. The Yankees bench will consist of Garrett Jones, Alex Rodriguez, Chris Young and Brendan Ryan leaving 24 of the 25 roster spots basically set.

Where’s the competition? Unless of course Girardi is banking on injuries and will evaluate talent from the minors to fill those holes now which sounds good in theory but has proven time and time again to be something the Yankees manager is unwilling to do. We know what happens when an injury happens and it won’t be a young guy coming up. It will be Garrett Jones at first base when Teixeira needs a day. It will be Brendan Ryan or Alex Rodriguez at third base when Chase Headley needs a break. It will be Chris Young rotating in the outfield to keep everyone fresh. It will be Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge watching Young from the minor leagues and it will be Robert Refsnyder and Jose Pirela watching Drew, Ryan and company from Scranton. It will be Kyle Roller watching Jones and it will be Eric Jagielo watching to see if A Rod still has it in the infield.


There is no competition so don’t pretend like there is. 

TGP Daily Poll: Scott Baker Won’t Make It out of 2nd Inning


I don’t have a good feeling about today’s Grapefruit League exhibition game with Scott baker on the mound for the Yankees. I don’t have any great stats or history to back it up, just a gut feeling. Scott Baker will not make it out of the second inning today for the Yankees, he is scheduled to pitch two innings in his spring debut.


Vote in our predictions poll on knoda.com

Brian Cashman Says Retire the Captaincy


Brian Cashman told reporters earlier in the week that he thinks the job and honor of being the captain of the New York Yankees should be retired with Derek Jeter. This was probably just Cashman being politically correct and holding up Jeter a little higher than he should have been much like the country and the league did during his farewell tour last season but this is still a reach if I have ever seen one. Granted this is not Cashman’s decision to make and is ownership driven but still it begs the question, what has Jeter done that Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Don Mattingly, and others haven’t done that the captaincy needs to be retired?

I love Jeter and I have multiple #2 jerseys hanging on the wall of my man cave but Jeter is no Gehrig. Jeter wasn’t even a Joe DiMaggio or a Mickey Mantle let alone a Babe Ruth (on the field). Jeter is just a guy that came to the ballpark and did his job the right way and very well. He should be held up higher than some for the accomplishments that he has been a part of but retiring the captaincy is a whole new level.


Think before you speak Mr. Cashman, you’re not working for the New York Post. 

Recap: Pirates 3, Yankees 1


Chris Capuano gave up two earned runs in two innings and Carlos Beltran failed to record a hit in his first start of the spring as the Yankees fell to the Pirates, 3-1, Friday night at Steinbrenner Field.

Beltran's Exhibition Debut: Beltran played right field and hit third in this contest -- making three plate appearances in six innings. He went 0-for-2 with a walk, but struck out in both of his official at-bats. 

Capuano Struggles in Return to Mound: Capuano got through this one's top of the first with relative ease, but when the Pirates' half of the second came around, the lefty found himself in trouble. After giving up a one-out single to Pedro Alvarez, Capuano was taken deep to right by Pittsburgh's Tony Sanchez -- putting the Yankees in an early hole they would ultimately never escape.

A-Rod's Hitting Streak Ends at One: Alex Rodriguez was a solid 1-for-2 against the Phillies on Wednesday, but the veteran's fortunes evidently weren't as good this time around. Rodriguez, like Beltran, went just 0-for-2 with a walk in this loss -- lining out sharply in the bottom of the fourth.

Notable Relievers: Former Brave David Carpenter shutout the Pirates for an inning, as did bullpen candidate Chris Martin and youngster Chasen Shreve. Jacob Lindgren, who had some issues with his command on Tuesday, kept the visitors off the board for 1 1/3 frames -- walking one and striking out two.

Other Starters: Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner both went 1-for-3 -- the first hits of the week for the duo. Interestingly, Ellsbury and Gardner's knocks were the only ones the Yankees had prior to the bottom of the eighth -- when New York collected three more and scored on a Jake Cave single.

Next Up: The Yankees will head up to Kissimmee Saturday for a 1:05 p.m. meeting with the Astros -- the first of two trips they will take to the Orlando suburb this month. In it, they will give right-hander Scott Baker the nod when they face off with Houston's Dallas Keuchel -- Baker's first ever outing in a Yankees uniform. 

This Day in New York Yankees History 3/7: Me Just Griping


There wasn’t any history or news to bring you on this day in New York Yankees history so instead I will use this opportunity to gripe just a little. It’s Midnight and no one is reading this right now anyway so I should be good. I applied for media credentials with the Trenton Thunder, Staten Island Yankees, Tampa Yankees and others and have been denied. Why you ask? Because we’re just a blog, not a news gathering site.


What a load of, whatever. Their loss. Have a great Saturday everybody!