Yankee News For Yankee Fans

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Dellin Betances

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Didi Gregorius

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Didi Gregorius

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Jacoby Ellsbury

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John Ryan Murphy

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Masahiro Tanaka

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Michael Pineda

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Nathan Eovaldi

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Rob Refsnyder

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Judge is one big guy.

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Judge is one big guy.

You do realize that he's no good because he's a Yankee. Now if Judge was a Red Sox prospect he'd be decorated for sainthood already.

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He hit a monster homer the other day, well over the fence.

He obviously sucks.

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Yankees' Mark Teixeira: Didi Gregorius is 'as good a SS as I've seen'

Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius has big shoes to fill replacing Derek Jeter, but so far he's earned nothing but praise from his New York teammates this spring.

"Didi is unbelievable, as good a shortstop as I've seen," first baseman Mark Teixeira said, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. "And I'm not overexaggerating."

Teixeira was Alex Rodriguez's teammate back 2003 with the Rangers, when Rodriguez was highly touted for his defensive skillset at shortstop. When Rosenthal relayed Teixeira's comments to Rodriguez, he said: "He has a rare combination of speed and explosiveness. But what you don't see is an incredibly strong arm that is so accurate. That combination is lethal," Rodriguez said.

"[Gregorius] has made plays from the hole, from his back foot, throwing the ball 90 mph across the diamond from his back foot," Rodriguez said. "You don't see that. It also makes it a lot easier for your third baseman to play third base."

Still, manager Joe Girardi doesn't plan on changing the way his club uses defensive shifts based on Gregorius' range.

"We'll still shift. We'll still go according to the charts," Girardi said.

Gregorius, 25, was acquired from the Diamondbacks in a three-team trade this offseason. He hit .226 with six home runs and 27 RBI in 270 plate appearances in 2014. He has a .680 OPS in 724 career plate appearances, including a .490 OPS against left-handed pitching.

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This is one of the few times when Teixeira said something that made sense.

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Merciless booing reminds A-Rod of his MLB reality

Alex Rodriguez

WASHINGTON — Alex Rodriguez played in a major league stadium on Saturday for the first time since the end of the 2013 season and the fan reaction was in midseason form.

The announced crowd of 36,998 at Nationals Park let Rodriguez have it for all of his three at-bats, all strikeouts.

“I’m almost numb to it,” Rodriguez said after the Yankees beat the Nationals, 4-3. “I know it was loud. … Sometimes you can’t figure out if they’re boos or cheers. There were certainly a lot of boos, I guess.”

Rodriguez’s next step comes Monday, when he finally gets back to Yankee Stadium after serving a year-long suspension when the Yankees open against the Blue Jays.

Rodriguez said he had “no idea” what kind of reception he’ll get in The Bronx.

“We do have the most passionate fans in baseball,” Rodriguez said. “I am excited to be back in pinstripes.”

Rodriguez’s performance likely will define how he is treated once the regular season begins. In the meantime, he tried to make the best of playing in an actual major league stadium.

“Of course it meant something,” Rodriguez said. “After my last two years, it means the world to me to be back in a major league stadium. … I know it’s my 21st year, but it’s probably the one I’m most grateful for.”

Rodriguez hit seventh on Saturday, in a lineup manager Joe Girardi said “could be” the same as the one he uses on Opening Day.

“I thought he had a good spring,” Girardi said. “I’ve said all along, the key for Alex is we need him to hit. He did it in spring training, and we need it to carry over and to get on base and do the things that he did.”

Rodriguez said he didn’t mind where he hits in the order and was simply looking forward to getting to The Bronx.

“I’ll take it one day at a time,” Rodriguez said. “I’m going to have some challenges along the way, I’m sure. One thing I’m going to do is I’m going to enjoy every moment. See you in New York.”

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John Ryan Murphy won the backup catcher’s job, beating out Austin Romine, who was designated for assignment after Saturday’s game.

“It was tough at the plate mostly,” Romine said of his spring training in which he went 7-for-35 with a double and two walks. “I thought I caught my [butt] off. I really wanted this, but they’re running a business here and I respect that. I got a solid look.”

The Yankees have 10 days to trade the 26-year-old Romine, who drew some interest during the spring. Infielder Gregorio Petit was added to the roster.

Dellin Betances ended his difficult spring training with a scoreless inning against the Nationals — though he still allowed a pair of baserunners.

“I can take some positive out of today,” said Betances, who struck out three in a scoreless ninth. “Obviously, the spring was rough, but to finish out the way I did today, I’ll take it and be ready for the season.”

In a potential glimpse into how Girardi will use Betances and southpaw Andrew Miller in the regular season, Miller pitched the eighth with the Nationals sending up lefties, leaving Betances for the ninth.

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Opening Day Photos.

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Look at Teixeira. He's even surprised that he hit two home runs last night.

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Alex Rodriguez hits home run No. 660, tying Willie Mays for fourth on all-time list as Yankees beat Red Sox, 3-2

 

BOSTON — Alex Rodriguez joined Willie Mays in the 660 club. Whether it earns him his $6 million bonus remains to be seen.

A-Rod belted a pinch-hit homer off Junichi Tazawa in the eighth inning Friday night, lifting the Yankees to a 3-2 win over the rival Red Sox in the first of three weekend games at Fenway Park.

Rodriguez’s blast — a screaming line drive into the Green Monster seats in left field that marked the first pinch-hit homer of his career — was his sixth of the season, tying him with Mays for fourth place on the all-time list with 660.

“I don’t know what it means,” Rodriguez said of the number. “I’m actually very excited, just trying to stay in the moment. It’s good to do it in a good team win. I got emotional there.”

Mays issued a statement through the Giants shortly after the Yankees’ game ended.

“Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez on his 660th home run,” Mays said. “Milestones in baseball are meant to be broken and I wish him continued success throughout his career.”

“I’m speechless,” Rodriguez said after learning of Mays’ statement.

The distraction of reaching the milestone might be behind A-Rod, but the potential battle over his $6 million marketing bonus now looms large over Rodriguez and the Yankees.

Alex Rodriguez ties Willie Mays’ mark with home run No. 660 while facing the Red Sox at Fenway.

“I’m really grateful to be playing baseball; those things will take care of themselves,” Rodriguez said of the bonus. “A year ago I never would have dreamed about having this incredible moment.”

Rodriguez and the Yankees signed a marketing deal back in 2007 when he inked his 10-year, $275 million contract that would enable him to earn up to $30 million more as he vaulted up the home run list, giving the Yankees the right to use his name and likeness to market his achievements in return.

The deal calls for a $6 million marketing bonus for tying Mays, then additional $6 million bonuses for tying Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762), plus another if he passes Bonds as the all-time home run king.

The Daily News first reported in January that the Yankees would fight A-Rod on the bonuses. On April 10, The News reported that the Yankees would not declare No. 660 as a “milestone,” which in their mind would annul the agreement.

The Yankees view the pact as worthless and invalid, according to sources, thanks to A-Rod’s 2014 suspension for violating the game’s collectively bargained drug policy and for his scorched-earth attack on baseball and the Yankees.

If the Yankees decline to pay the bonus, Rodriguez can take the case to an arbitrator. But according to A-Rod, that’s all for another day — and for somebody else to deal with.

“I’ve learned my lesson,” Rodriguez said before the game. “I’m doing things a different way now. I know those things will work themselves out.”

Asked whether he would simply let his lawyers handle the situation with the Yankees, Rodriguez grinned.

“I don’t even like that word any more,” Rodriguez said. “I’m focusing on baseball.”

For the first seven innings, all A-Rod could do was watch, having been left out of the lineup as Joe Girardi started only lefthanders and switch-hitters against Justin Masterson. But with the game tied at 2 in the eighth inning and Tazawa pitching for Boston, Girardi sent A-Rod to pinch-hit for Garrett Jones, drawing the loudest boos the slugger has heard all season.

“I gotta tell you, I usually don’t hear the difference, but that booing was pretty intense,” Rodriguez admitted. “It was pretty passionate.”

After falling behind, 3-0, Tazawa tried to pump a 95-mph fastball in for a strike. Only Rodriguez had the green light, lining a frozen rope into the Monster seats to lift the Yankees to their 11th win in 14 games.

A member of the Yankees’ security team attempted to get the ball back from the Red Sox fan who caught it, but according to a source, the man refused to negotiate with anyone, not even a Red Sox security employee who offered him several signed David Ortiz items for the memento.

“Well, I haven’t been good at negotiating,” Rodriguez said with a smirk. “So I’m going to quit on that.”

The Fenway scoreboard made no mention of A-Rod tying Mays, although an announcement was made in the press box.

The Yankees’ official Twitter account did acknowledge the milestone, posting: “With his homer in the 8th inning, @AROD ties Willie Mays with No. 660.”

Rodriguez’s teammates waited at the top step of the dugout to greet him, congratulating him on his feat — and for breaking the tie — after he rounded the bases.

“I think everybody was excited, just for him to get it over with,” CC Sabathia said. “It’s a great number.”

When A-Rod returned to the clubhouse following the win, his teammates were waiting for him, showering him with beer in a type of celebration usually reserved for September or October.

“That’s the first champagne bath I’ve had in early May in my career,” A-Rod said. “My teammates have been incredible. That’s part of why I got so emotional. I didn’t expect them to be so great, and gracious.”

A-Rod’s next homer will move him past Mays into sole possession of fourth place, leaving him 53 away from Ruth for third place.

“Anytime you’re sandwiched between Willie Mays and Babe Ruth, it’s special,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know if it’ll mean more. This whole thing has been kind of like a dream.” 

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Alex Rodriguez, now fourth on all-time home run list, never lacks for drama

Everything is falling into place for A-Rod again in ways that even he couldn’t have expected.

 

BOSTON — Drama always finds Alex Rodriguez, so you could practically feel this controversial bit of history coming on this night. As he came up to pinch-hit in the eighth inning of a 2-2 game, he set off a bonfire of booing at Fenway Park from fans who had waited all night to welcome him back to town.

“I don’t usually notice the difference,” he said afterward with a laugh, “but that booing was pretty intense. It was pretty passionate.”

Then Junichi Tazawa fell behind 3-0, and the pitches weren’t close. A-Rod, who said he has rarely swung at 3-0 pitches throughout his career, this time thought of a conversation Joe Girardi had with him late in spring training, when the manager suggested he start being more aggressive in such situations.

“I told him the days of walking and stealing a base were pretty much over,” Girardi recalled. “Swing the bat.”

As a result, A-Rod decided to be aggressive.

“I just thought 3-0 would be the best pitch I got,” he said.

Tazawa, meanwhile, said he didn’t merely assume A-Rod would be taking. He said he thought Rodriguez “could be aggressive in that kind of situation,” and tried to come inside, off the plate, and entice him with a pitch that would jam him.

“It caught too much of the plate,” said Tazawa.

Way too much, as it turned out. And even though the pitch registered at 95 mph on the scoreboard radar gun, A-Rod turned on it and hit a ball about as hard as humanly possible, it seemed, a rocket to left just high enough to clear the Green Monster and crash into the seats above it. The brief silence that followed at Fenway was surely the result of a collective gasp from the home fans, as they processed what happened in the blink of an eye. Then more boos.

At that point A-Rod said he didn’t hear a thing. He’d wanted this controversial milestone home run dearly, No. 660 that tied Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time home run list; he’d made that clear, repeating for days that Mays had been his late father’s favorite player.

“I wish he was still alive to see it,” A-Rod said.

So as he rounded the bases, he said he was filled with happiness that would lead to emotions he had trouble controlling in post-game interviews. Some of it was the pure thrill of hitting such a clutch home run, as the Yankees held on for the 3-2 victory.

Some of it was the full-circle wonder of it all, hitting the home run in the ballpark where he played his first game as a major-leaguer, as a 19-year-old in 1994.

“I’m glad it happened in such a special place," he said.

Whatever his fond memories of making his debut here, this is a ballpark where the fans have treated him like the villain of all villains since he became a Yankee and brawled with Jason Varitek in 2004.

And considering that for so much of his career, A-Rod couldn’t seem to get out of his own way in the postseason, trying too hard to be the hero, hitting a game-winner here had to make it a little more meaningful.

None of that will change the fact that A-Rod has long since taken all the historical significance out of such a home run by becoming a serial steroid user, finally getting suspended for all of the 2014 season. Indeed, you have to wonder if some of the emotion he showed Friday night was caused by regret. Before the game, in fact, he responded to a question about it, saying, “You know I have regret and I’m trying to do the best to finish my career on a high note."

Even so, if he is playing clean now, as he says and he would be putting the remaining $61 million of his contract at risk if he wasn’t his success this season surely must make him revisit those regrets and wonder how all of this would feel if he was truly making history.

On this night, however, after teammates had poured beer and champagne over him in a clubhouse celebration that left the carpet soaked around his locker, A-Rod said that more than anything he was simply grateful.

“A year ago I never would have dreamt about having this incredible night,” he said.

He brushed aside questions about the controversy over the $6 million in bonus money the Yankees don’t want to pay him for the milestone home run, as the Daily News first reported, saying “those things will take care of themselves.”

This season, at least, everything is falling into place for A-Rod again in ways that even he couldn’t have expected. Sort of like hitting a pinch-hit home run for the first time his career.

No, he never lacks for drama.