Hughes Talks About 2012

From Mark Feinsand:

Joe Girardi says he fully expects the 25-year-old to be in the Yankees’ rotation next season, but Hughes told the Daily News Wednesday that he knows he must deliver to keep his job. Part of that is coming into camp fitter than ever.

“I’m at a point where the patience is running out,” Hughes said during a telephone interview. “I’m not a prospect anymore and I’m not 21 years old anymore. You’re gauged on what kind of year you had, not what you’re capable of doing.”

...

“I’m certainly not at the point in my career where I can come in and go through the motions, and if I give up eight runs in an outing, it’s all good because it’s spring training,” Hughes said. “ For me, coming off a bad season, I’m trying to do as much as I can to make sure that I’m ready to go when spring training rolls around.”

The first step was a return last month to Athletes’ Performance Institute in Los Angeles, where he trained in 2008-09. Hughes reported a few pounds overweight last season, and while he doesn’t attribute his velocity or injury issues to conditioning, he couldn’t rule out a link, either.

“It’s hard to say, but if there’s even a 1% chance that it did, then I’m doing everything I can now to make sure that doesn’t happen again,” Hughes said.

...

“It’s always good to hear your manager say that he expects you to be in that spot,” Hughes said. “But at the end of the day, if you don’t do what you’re expected to do, there’s going to be somebody that will.”

It's time for Hughes to really take that step forward and I'm glad to hear he's working hard and making sure he comes into camp in shape. The sad part is that he wasn't in shape last year, which is unacceptable and probably should have been talked about more when it was an issue. Either way, it's going to more than just losing a few pounds to get Hughes back on track.

Beautiful Pomegranate

'Tis the season for the beautiful pomegranate.

I remember eating pomegranates as a child. My mom would break one open, pull out the bread board under the counter (remember those) and my brother and I would stand there and gobble up all of the juicy seeds. 

Perhaps because they're a fruit from my childhood, they are a favorite fruit of the season. 

I like to seed the fruit all at once so that there's a lovely bowl from which to scoop up big bites. The seeds are a wonderful topping on just about everything from savory cheese and crackers to...

...delicious sweet pancakes. 

We eat a lot of pancakes in our household, but I have an extra spring in my step when we have pomegranates to enjoy with them. It's such a special treat.  

I've posted about Hubby's spelt pancakes before and just have to reiterate how delicious and fluffy they are (the trick is whipping the egg whites). 

Hubby's Spelt Pancakes

2/3 cup stone ground corn flour

1 cup spelt flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp raw sugar

1 tsp salt 

2 eggs - separated

1 1/2 cup milk 

2 TB melted butter

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Whisk wet ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk egg whites separately in another small bowl until frothy. Combine together with dry ingredients in large bowl.

A Brief Blueprint for the Off-Season

Sign Mark Buehrle

Buehrle has started at least thirty games and tossed at least 201 IP in each of the last eleven seasons, and his ERA and FIP have been below-average exactly once in his career, way back in 2006. While he may not represent the "1B" to Sabathia's "1A" that many Yankees fans are clamoring for, such a pitcher does not exist on the market (and paying C.J. Wilson as if he is such a pitcher is foolhardy at best). Buehrle's consistency makes up for the modest upside, and I would have a great deal of faith in him as the Yankees Game 2 starter.

Sign Yu Darvish

You can find further thoughts on Darvish here. Suffice it to say that I believe in his potential, and that upside is worth the gamble, particularly when his posting fee would not count against the luxury tax. This assumes, of course, that Darvish is posted ... which is apparently fifty-fifty at this juncture.

Re-Sign Andruw Jones

Jones battered left-handed pitchers to the tune of a .286/.384/.540 slash line in 2011, good for a 151 wRC+, and he remains a solid defender in both left and right-field. In my mind, there isn't a better option on the market.

Trade A.J. Burnett

This is easier said than done, of course - but the Braves ability to unload Derek Lowe gives me the faintest glimmer of hope. Burnett has the look of a sunk cost at this juncture, and freeing up a roster spot and $6 MM or so (assuming the Yankees pick up around $10 MM per season) would be quite beneficial. If the Yankees can acquire a lottery ticket prospect along the way, that's just gravy.

Follow me on Twitter - @Domenic Lanza

Link Party No.76 and Giveaway Winner!

The link party is back! Wait! Before we can begin with this week's link party, I need to announce the winner for the TRH Thanksgiving giveaway.


Those prizes lovingly picked and made by me goes to...


{Kaitlyn} Lady of the House

Congratulations!! Please contact me with your shipping info, so I can send them to you before the post office get to busy for all the Christmas packages. :)

So, what have you been working on? Do you have anything new up in your sleeve?
This is the perfect place to share your awesome creations, link up and have fun!

1. Please post something YOU made. It doesn't matter if it is crochet, quilt, clothing, anything would be fine. I want to see it! If you use someone's idea or patterns please give them the rightful credit.

2. Link to your specific post, that way it is easier for everybody to find and read it.

3. Please grab the "Tea Rose Home" grab button, and link back from your post. If you can mention the party in your post or place the button on your side bar, that would be great! I want more people to have a chance to come and show off their creation.


<center><a href="http://tearosehome.blogspot.com"><img border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462799092490427250" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 126px; height: 160px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqD2Vd0YEWWfW_JevA07K4_OWomfU7lSFZXBHspcGVRoVaexEOVPpQJj3QRfeDrXxLrc0VSBLINUdXmJx0aEnpBkhJBFyWX5aulRpCbQdmpicAtJkh2qCOcowwuHAunCyw2SpvLlb4ZI/s200/GrabButtonLinkParty.jpg" /></a></center>

Red Sox Hire Valentine

From Boston.com:

The Boston Red Sox have picked Bobby Valentine to be their next manager and the sides were working to complete a contract, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. Several media outlets in Boston, citing anonymous sources, reported earlier in the evening that Valentine would be the team's new manager.

An announcement could come by Thursday.

"He's got it. I just spoke to him a little while ago," Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, who managed Valentine in the minors with the Los Angeles Dodgers, said in a telephone interview with the AP.

I LONG TO BE ONCE AGAIN IN THE SEA

dagdraumar from Allan Wilson on Vimeo.

The Magic of Christmas

 image source

Do you remember when you first found out the 'truth' about Santa Claus?  I was probably one of the last of my friends to actually succumb to the reality.  I can remember being on the large soccer field at my elementary school in California and arguing passionately with the other kids about the existence of Santa Claus.  I tried to explain to everyone how I had seen this television program where they discussed the Santa sitings that had occurred at the north pole.  Why didn't they believe me? I mean I had concrete evidence.  I was absolutely convinced that the other kids had it ALL wrong.  Which was fine because I knew that if you didn't believe, then you certainly were not going to end up on the 'nice' list, and that was fine because perhaps Santa would just drop off all those non-believers presents at my house.

My brother and I used to wake up really early in the morning on Christmas.  He would come and lay in my bed with me while we waited until the clock said 6:00AM (which was when we could go into my parents room).  We would lay there quietly, starring at each minute go by on the clock and try to fall asleep.  We never could fall asleep because our hearts were racing with the thoughts of Santa actually coming to our house.  And I swore I heard jingle bells on the roof.

I don't remember the exact moment when I found out, but I can distinctly remember the very first Christmas where I knew the 'truth'.  I just sort of felt sad, like the magic and excitement had been taken away. It was almost like I was mourning the loss for this person I once knew.  Now, don't get me wrong, Christmas has always been an amazing holiday in my family, but things just didn't feel the same that first year, something was missing.  Of course as the years passed, the holiday took on an entirely different meaning.

So what has me thinking about the magic of Christmas?  Well, this is the first year that my kids are really, really into the idea of Santa Claus.......especially my 3.5 year old, Savannah Rose.  Yesterday we had a big discussion about the naughty and nice list and many other aspects of Santa Claus.  So far I have received all kinds of questions from her:

~Is Santa still up on our roof?
~Where does Santa live?
~What kind of clothes do the elves wear?
~How long does it take to get to the north pole?
~Is it always snowing at the north pole?
~Can I go to the north pole?
~Why can't I go to the north pole?
~Can I ride in Santa's sleigh?
~Who takes care of Santa's reindeer?
~Do you think Mrs. Finkler (her preschool teacher) will be on the naughty or nice list?

Chatting with Savannah about all these different questions has brought back a sense of magic and wonder that I can feel in our house.  I can remember the excited feeling I once had thinking about Santa Claus and I guess our own kids have a way of bringing that back out in us.  The innocence of a child is a beautiful thing and I feel so blessed to be able to experience the complete magic and wonder surrounding Christmas with my children.  Yes, someday they too will find out the 'truth', but those years and years of excitement are certainly worth it!

Do you remember when you found out the 'truth' about Santa?

Rumor: Yanks Interested in Kyle Drabek

From Bob Elliot:

The New York Yankees are interested in right-hander Kyle Drabek, who made 14 starts in the Jays rotation and the next 15 at triple-A Las Vegas. The Yanks have CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett in the rotation. They are reported to have re-signed right-hander Freddy Garcia. Yankees people are asking Jays scouts questions and as well as Phillies people, who had Drabek in the minors: Why the control problems after never having any? Why did the Jays take his cutter away? Can he be fixed?

Drabek, Baseball America's 25th best prospect in 2010 and 29th best in 2011, has been a pretty big disappointment since going over to Toronto in the Roy Halladay deal a couple years ago.

He did have a solid first season in the minors for the Jays and even won 2010 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year. He then started the 2011 season on the Jays staff, but after 14 starts he was 4-5 with a 5.70 ERA he was sent down the minors. His struggles continued at Triple-A Las Vegas where he went 5-4 with a 7.44 ERA. Eventually he would get called up in September for a few relief appearances and finished the 2011 MLB season with a 6.06 ERA.

Still, with all the struggles he had last year the kid isn't even 24 yet, and as you all know, one bad season doesn't mean a young pitcher is done. It's also worth noting that interest from the Yankees doesn't mean the Jays are ready to give up on the guy they got for Roy Halladay. So for now I'd say this is just another meaningless winter rumor.

OZ MARINE PARK: BIGGEST, BEST, OR BUST?

Part of the Coral Sea off the Queensland coast of Australia. Credit: NASA.

 

The Australian government announced last week a proposal to create the world's largest marine protected area in the phenomenally biodiverse richness of the Coral Sea.

Too bad no one's happy with it.

Of course, it's in the nature of protected areas to make people unhappy for a good long while before there's any hope of making them happy.

Bison, Yellowstone National Park. Credit: Daniel Mayer via Wikimedia Commons. 

Yellowstone, the world's first national park, might have triggered part 2 of the Civil War if there had been more people living in the West at the time. Here's what Senator Cornelius Cole of California had to say about it during legislative debate:

I have grave doubts about the propriety of passing this bill. The natural curiosities there cannot be interfered with by anything that man can do.... I cannot see how [they] can be interfered with if settlers are allowed to appropriate them....  I do not see the reason or propriety of setting apart a large tract of land of that kind in the Territories of the United States for a public park. There is abundance of public park ground in the Rocky Mountains that will never be occupied. It is all one great park, and never can be anything else.... There are some places, perhaps this is one, where persons can and would go and settle and improve and cultivate the grounds, if there be ground fit for cultivation.

Australia's Coral Sea draft marine reserve covers 989,842 square kilometers (382,180 square miles). Courtesy Commonwealth of Australia.

In Australia, some fishers are mad as hell about the proposed new park. For brevity in reporting, nothing beats this article, in its entirety, from the Queensland ABC:

Commercial fishers in the Coral Sea claim they are being made scapegoats despite a long history of sustainable fishing. Rob Louden is a licence and quota holder in the Coral Sea and East Coast sea cucumber fishery. He says the proposed Commonwealth marine park will put valuable and productive fishing grounds off limits for no apparent ecological or biological reason.

Man, sea cucumber. Credit: Fritz Geller-Grimm via Wikimedia Commons.

Scientists and conservationists are equally unhappy with the Coral Sea proposal. From Nature News:

Hugh Possingham, director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions at the University of Queensland, points out that little more than half... of the Coral Sea reserve is proposed as a 'no take' area, in which all fishing would be banned. The world’s largest existing marine reserve, established last year by the British government around the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, spans 544,000 [square kilometers] and is a no-take zone throughout. An alliance of campaigning conservation groups, including the WWF and the Pew Environment Group, argues that more of the Coral Sea should receive this level of protection.

Blue starfish (Linckia laevigata) resting on Acropora coral, Lighthouse, Ribbon Reefs, Australia. Credit: Richard Ling via Wikimedia Commons.

The fight is fierce—and important. Australia is struggling to create meaningful protection for much of its waters. 

But its weak draft proposal last May for a southwestern Australian marine park prompted 173 scientists to write an open letter to the government in protest. One of the co-signers, CJA Bradshaw, wrote at his blog Conservation Bites:

Basically, the proposed parks are merely a settlement between government and industry where nothing of importance is really being protected. The parks are just the leftovers industry doesn’t want. No way to ensure the long-term viability of our seas.

Barry Wrasse is a stakeholder too. Here's what he has to say.

Guest Post: My Insanity

Hi Tea Rose Home readers! My name is Kendra and I have a blog called My Insanity.









I'm known for getting a little crazy about holidays, parties, and projects for my home. Today I want to show you a glimpse of the craziness that goes on here around Christmas.









Each year we pull out this advent calendar. I love it because I made it and because I designed the inserts to help remind our family about the most important part of Christmas.









I'm also known for sending crazy, or I'd rather say, memorable Christmas Cards. You can see a whole parade of them here, but I thought I would share last year's design. Can you tell how I did it? Inspired by this card by Design Mom, I took advantage of the casting opportunity and dressed my children as the main characters in the the story of The Nativity. To make my (somewhat grumpy) angel fly and get this effect, I had the children laying down on a blanket. Yes, there was a little photoshopping involved since they weren't entirely the most cooperative subjects. I'm working on another crazy scheme for this years' photo. Wish me luck!









We're also crazy enough around here to sometimes paint our Christmas cookies. You really don't have to do them as crazy as I do mine. The kids LOVE the chance to paint on cookies--even if their angels are green and their Santas yellow.









Not all of the insanity is complicated. It was pretty simple to make these French Toast Christmas trees for our Christmas breakfast. We just made French Toast as usual, but cut the bread in half to form triangles. Stack them on top of each other to look like a tree. The star is cut from cheese, the stump from breakfast sausage. We topped it with syrup, berries, powdered sugar (snow) and some green sugar sprinkles for color.




I'm all about making each occasion memorable and infusing creativity into life whenever possible. Thanks Sachiko for having me at your place today! I hope you'll come and join the asylum over at My Insanity! And don't forget to check out the cute (and simple to make) Christmas projects Sachiko is sharing on my blog!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you Kendra for your fun ideas to make the Christmas season more fun and memorable! It was so fun to have you here today. :)

This Week in Yankees History (11/27-12/3)

This Week in Yankees History 

November 27th - December 3rd

November 27th

1892 - Former Yankees P Leslie “Bullet Joe” Bush (1922-1924) was born. On December 20, 1921, “Bullet Joe” Bush was traded by the Boston Red Sox along with P Sam Jones and INF Everett Scott to the New York Yankees for INF Roger Peckinpaugh, P Jack Quinn, P Harry Collins, and Bill Piercy. “Bullet Joe” would go 62-38 in 115 games with 61 complete games and six shutouts for the Yankees, before he was traded on December 17,1924, along with pitchers Milt Gaston and Joe Giard to the St. Louis Browns for veteran starter Urban Shocker.

1920 - Former Yankees P John ”Bear Tracks“ Schmitz (1952-1953) was born. On August 1, 1952, he was selected off waivers by the New York Yankees from the Brooklyn Dodgers. John went 1-1 in 8 games with 2 saves for the Yankees during the 1952-1953 AL seasons. On August 28,1952, Johnny was traded by the Yankees along with outfielders Jim Greengrass, Bob Marquis, P Ernie Nevel, and $35,000 to the Cincinnati Reds for veteran P Ewell “The Whip” Blackwell. On February 16,1953, John was purchased by the Yankees from the Reds. After appearing in 3 games with 1 save and a 0-0 record; John Schmitz was selected off waivers by the Washington Senators from the Yankees on May 12,1953.

1937 - Former Yankees P William “Bill” Short (1960) was born. Before the 1955 American League Season, the New York Yankees signed Bill Short as an MLB amateur free agent. In 1959, Bill was named the Pitcher of the Year for International League, with a 17-6 record in 27 games with a 2.48 ERA, while playing with the Richmond Virginians (AAA). In 1960, Bill went 3-5 in 10 starts for the Yankees. On November 27,1961, Bill was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles from the New York Yankees organization in the 1961 MLB Rule 5 player draft.

Bill would pitch for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds finishing with a 5-11 career record in 73 games (1960,1962,1966-1969).

1941 - New York Yankees CF Joe DiMaggio is named 1941 American League Most Valuable Player. His 56-game hitting streak edges out Boston Red Sox OF Ted Williams and his .406 BA for the AL MVP award (votes: 291 for Joe DiMaggio and 254 for Ted Williams).

1947 - The 1947 American League Triple Crown winner Red Sox OF Ted Williams (.343 BA, 32 HRs, 162 RBIs) is edged out by Yankees CF Joe DiMaggio (.315 BA, 20 HRs, 97 RBIs) for the 1947 American League Most Valuable Player Award by 1 point. One BBWAA member, Mel Webb, fails to include Ted Williams, anywhere on his 1947 AL MVP players voting ballot.

1961 - Bill Short was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles from the New York Yankees organization in the 1961 MLB Rule 5 Player draft. Bill Short had appeared in 10 games for the 1960 New York Yankees posting a 3-5 record. He spent the 1961 season with the Yankees AAA club, the Richmond Virginians (International League).

1971 - Former Yankees C/DH/1B Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez (2008) was born. On July 30, 2008, Ivan Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees by the Detroit Tigers in return for hard-throwing reliever Kyle Farnsworth; the trade came on the same day on which the Yankees announced that regular Catcher Jorge Posada would miss the remainder of the 2008 AL season after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder. He ended up sharing catching duties with Jose Molina during the remainder of the 2008 AL season. He appeared in 39 games for the Yankees, just hitting .219 with only 2 HRs and 3 RBIs. After the 2008 AL season, he became a MLB free agent.

1972 - The New York Yankees make one of their best trades in the team’s history by acquiring 3B Graig Nettles from the Cleveland Indians for C/1B/3B John Ellis, INF Jerry Kenney, and outfielders Charlie Spikes and Rusty Torres. Also the Yankees received C Jerry Moses from the Detroit Tigers. Graig Nettles will help the Yankees win the World Series in 1977-1978. The Yankees 3B problem will finally be solved 6 years after the 1966 trade of Clete Boyer to the Atlanta Braves. Johnny Ellis couldn’t beat out Thurman Munson behind the plate, Jerry Kennedy, Charlie Spikes and Rusty Torres were supposed to be the next generation of young Yankees stars, but they weren’t.

1973 - Former Yankees minor league P Jason Beverlin was born. On July 28, 1995, Jason Beverlin was traded by the Oakland A’s along with OF/DH Ruben Sierra to the Yankees for OF/DH Danny Tartabull. Jason never played for the Yankees at the MLB level.

1974 - MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for two years as a result of Steinbrenner's federal conviction for illegal campaign contributions to Richard Nixon and others. His suspension will be reduced to one year.

1984 - Yankees starter Ron Guidry is named to the American League Golden Glove team. He is the only New York Yankees player to be named to the 1984 AL Golden Glove squad.

November 28th

1884 - Former Yankees INF/OF Wilbur “Roxy” Roach (1910-1911) was born. In August of 1909, the New York Yankees purchased Roxy Roach from Lancaster (Tri-State) for $2,500. He appeared in 83 games for the Yankees hitting just .219. On June 15, 1911, he was purchased by Jersey City (Eastern) from the Yankees.

1927 - The New York Yankees released veteran pitchers Bob Shawkey and Dutch Ruether, who both have retired from MLB. Bob Shawkey finished his New York Yankees pitching career with a record of 168-131. He was a 4-time, 20 game winner (1915-1927) after being obtained from the Philadelphia A’s for $85,000 in 1915. Bob will manage the Yankees in 1930 to an 86-68 record, before being replaced by veteran NL manager Joe McCarthy. Dutch Ruether finished out his long MLB career by going 12-6 in 1927 after being obtained from the Washington Senators.

1958 - Former Yankees P Dave “Rags” Righetti (1979-1990) was born. On January 11, 1977, Dave Righetti was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 1st round (10th pick) of the 1977 MLB amateur player draft (January). On November 10, 1978, Dave was traded by the Rangers along with Greg Jemison (minors), OF Juan Beniquez, P Mike Griffin and P Paul Mirabella to the Yankees for C Mike Heath, pitchers Sparky Lyle, Larry McCall, Dave Rajsich, INF Domingo Ramos and cash. Dave won the American League Rookie Of Year award in 1981. The highlight of his efforts as a starting pitcher occurred on the Fourth of July, 1983, when he threw a 4-0 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. It was the 1st Yankee no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, and the 1st by a Yankee left-hander since 1917. In 1984, Dave was converted from a starter to a closer by the Yankees, replacing veteran closer Rich Gossage, who left the Yankees for MLB free agency.

On October 4, 1986, he saved both games of a doubleheader against the Red Sox, finishing the 1986 AL season with 46 saves, breaking the MLB record shared by Dan Quisenberry and Bruce Sutter. The record would stand until Bobby Thigpen saved 57 games for the White Sox in 1990, which would also be Righetti's last season with the Yankees. Righetti retained the single-season record for left-handers until 1993, when Randy Myers saved 53 games for the Cubs; Righetti still owns the AL record for left-handers. He posted a 74-61career record for the Yankees in 522 games with 224 saves and a 3.11 ERA. He was 3-0 in AL playoffs. He went 0-1 in the 1981 World Series for the Yankees. In 1986-1987, Dave won the American League Rolaids Relief award. He was on the 1986-1987 AL All Star teams. He left the Yankees after the 1990 AL season, signing with the San Francisco Giants. He is currently the MLB pitching coach for the Giants.

1960 - The new expansion team, the Washington Senators drafted Yankees P John Gabler in the 1960 MLB Rule 5 player draft. John had posted a 4-4 record in 24 games with 1 save during the 1959-1960 AL seasons for the Yankees.

1967 - On November 28,1967, C/1B Bill Bryant was drafted by the Washington Senators from the Yankees organization in the 1967 MLB Rule 5 player draft. On June 10,1966, Bill was traded by the Kansas City A’s along with P Fred Talbot to the Yankees for OF Roger Repoz, Pitchers Gil Blanco and Bill Stafford. Bill had hit .217 and .166 for the Yankees.

1977 - Former Yankees OF Bob Meusel (1920-1929) dies at the age of 81. Bob Meusel batted over .300 seven times, including a career-high mark of .337 in 1927. He also participated in 6 World Series with the Yankees. In 1925, Bob led the AL with 33 HRs and 133 RBIs. Bob had a lifetime BA of .311, hitting 146 HRS, with 1,005 RBIs with the Yankees (1920-1929). He finished his MLB playing career with Cincinnati Reds in 1930, hitting .289 in 113 games. His older brother Irish Meusel played in NL (1914-1927).

1989 - Current reserve Yankees C Jesus Montero (2011) was born. Jesus Montero originally signed with the Yankees in October 2006 for a $2 million bonus. He hit .280 for the 2007 GCL Yankees in his pro debut in 2007. He hit the game-tying HR in game 3 of the Gulf Coast League finals. Baseball America rated him the Yankees' #6 prospect, the best power prospect. He was also named the #2 prospect in the GCL. In 2008, Jesus came to MLB camp as a non-roster invitee, hitting a HR in his only at-bat. He then showed major strides with the Charleston River Dogs, hitting .326 with 34 doubles, 17 HRs with 87 RBIs. He led Yankee minor league players in BA, runs (86), hits (171), total bases (258) and RBIs. Jesus was named their Minor League Player of the Year. He led the South Atlantic League in hits, catcher’s fielding percentage (.993) and was 2nd in average. He was named the All-Star catcher. Baseball America ranked him as the #7 SAL prospect, right ahead of another Charleston backstop, Andrew Romine, as the #2 Yankee prospect. Montero continued to shine in 2009, hitting .356 for the Tampa Yankees, .317 for the Trenton Thunder with 70 RBIs in 92 games before a fractured middle finger ended his 2009 season in early August. He had played in the 2009 Futures Game. Baseball America rated him as the #2 prospect in the FSL. He was ranked #5 in the Eastern League Baseball America rated the 20-year-old the #5 prospect in all of baseball entering 2010. Starting that year with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (AAA), he was batting only .247 in his 1st 73 games but then got a hot finish ending the season at .289 in 123 games. His power output included 34 doubles with 21 HRs. He led Yankee farmhands in slugging, though he was over 100 points behind IL leader Dan Johnson. He led IL backstops in putouts (703), assists (76) and passed balls (15). He made both the IL's mid-season and post-season All-Star teams. Baseball America ranked him as the 4th-best IL prospect. Entering 2011, his prospect ranking had moved up to #3. There was some speculation in spring training that he could win a job with the Yankees, as it was clear that Jorge Posada's days as the regular catcher were over, but Russell Martin's excellent play put a stop to that, Montero returned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the season. In his second season in AAA, he hit .288 in 109 games, with 19 doubles and 18 HRs. He was again a mid-season IL All-Star. He was called up to the Yankees when rosters expanded on September 1st. Jesus made his debut that day in the midst of a crucial series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He was immediately inserted into the starting line-up as the DH in order to take advantage of his excellent numbers against left-handed pitching as the Yankees pitching opponent was veteran Jon Lester. He struck out with the bases loaded to end the 1st inning, and went 0 for 4 overall, but reached base on a hit-by-pitch in the 7th inning, later scored the go-ahead run in his team's 4-2 victory. On September 5th, he hit his 1st two MLB HRs in the same game. He finished the 2011 AL season with a .328 BA in 18 games, with 4 doubles and 4 HRs. The Yankees put him on their postseason roster. In his only game against the Detroit Tigers in the 2011 ALDS, he went 2 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI.

2007 - Former Yankees minor league OF Robert “Bob” Marquis passed away. Bob Marquis began his professional career in 1947 with the Lufkin Foresters, hitting .346 with 22 doubles with 16 triples in 140 games. He was sent to the Beaumont Exporters in the New York Yankees farm system, and with them he played in 4 games, going 0-for-1 at the plate. His 145 runs tied Lew Morton for the Lone Star League lead; no player scored more runs in the league's history. In 1948, he played for Beaumont (2 games) and the Quincy Gems (126 games), hitting a combined .333 with 15 HRs, 18 triples and 21 doubles. He led the Three-I League with 108 runs and 164 hits. Marquis split the 1949 minor league season between Beaumont (20 games) and the Binghamton Triplets (106 games), hitting a combined .236 in 453 at-bats. He hit .293 in 151 games for Beaumont in 1950. In 1951, he played with the Kansas City Blues (AAA). Bob hit .278 for the Blues in 123 games. He played for the Blues again in 1952, hitting .246 in 97 games. On August 28,1952, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds by the Yankees along with OF Jim Greengrass, pitchers Ernie Nevel, Johnny Schmitz and $35,000 for veteran P Ewell Blackwell. In his only MLB season, he appeared in 40 games with the Reds in 1953, hitting .278.

2010 - Former Yankees INF Gil McDougald (1951-1960) passes away. In 1948, INF Gil McDougald was signed by the New York Yankees, as an amateur MLB free agent. Gil was a versatile infielder for the Yankees. In 1951, he won the AL Rookie Of the Year award. He would hit a Grand Slam HR in the 1951 World Series against the Giants. Gil would make AL All Star team several times during the 1950’s. In 1957, a tragic line drive hit by Gil off of Cleveland Indians starter Herb Score in the face affected the rest of his MLB career. Gil had lost his aggressive approach at the plate. In December of 1960, Gil had been drafted by the “new” Washington Senators in the AL team expansion player draft. He refused to go to the new club. Also Gil turned down a $100,000 player-manager job offer from the new LA Angels team. His former Yankees Manager Casey Stengel had recommended him to the Angels Owner Gene Autry for the job. He retired from the Yankees. Gil finished his fine Yankees career with a lifetime BA of .276, 112 HRs with 576 RBI’s in 1,336 games. He appeared in 8 World Series with the Yankees, hitting .237 with 7 HRs and 24 RBIs. After his playing days, McDougald was a coach at Fordham University for 7 years. Away from the diamond, he ran a New Jersey maintenance company. He suffered progressive hearing loss, as he got older, the result of being struck by a line drive hit by Yankees teammate Bob Cerv during batting practice years earlier. He eventually went deaf, which was repaired by cochlear implant surgery in 1995.

November 29th

1887 - Former Yankees P “Long Tom” Hughes (1904) was born (1887-1956). On December 20, 1903, Tom Hughes was traded by the Boston Americans to the New York Yankees for P Jesse Tannehill. Tom went 7-11 in 19 games for the 1904 Yankees. On July 20,1904, Tom was traded by the Yankees along with P Barney Wolfe to the Washington Senators for veteran P Al Orth.

1924 - Former Yankees All Star OF Irv Noren (1952-1956) was born. Irv Noren had 3 good out of 4 seasons with the Yankees, including hitting .314 in 1954, despite being plagued with bad knees. He appeared in 3 World Series with the Bombers. With the 1952 World Series being his best performance, hitting .300 against the Dodgers. Irv was on the 1954 AL All Star team. On May 3,1952, Irv was traded by the Washington Senators along with OF Tom Upton to the Yankees for OF Jackie Jensen, P Spec Shea, INF Jerry Snyder, and OF Archie Wilson. On February 12,1957, after hitting just .216 in 1956, Irv was traded by the Yankees along with a player to be named later, P Rip Coleman, INF Milt Graff, INF Billy Hunter, Pitchers Mickey McDermott, and Tom Morgan to the Kansas City A’s for players to be named later, Pitchers Art Ditmar, Bobby Shantz, Jack McMahan, and Wayne Belardi. Yankees would send P Jack Urban on April 5, 1957 to the A’s to complete the trade. The A’s sent INF Curt Roberts on April 4,1957, followed by INF Clete Boyer on June 4,1957 to the Yankees to complete the trade. Irv would finish out his MLB career with a .279 BA in 1,093 games, while playing for the Senators, Yankees, A’s, Cardinals, Cubs and finishing out with the 1960 Dodgers.

1950 - Former Yankees DH/OF/1B Otto Velez (1973-1976) was born. In 1969, the New York Yankees signed Otto Velez as an MLB amateur free agent. Otto appeared in a total of 105 games with the Yankees He hit .266 in 49 games in 1976 AL season playing 1B,OF and DH. Otto appeared in the 1976 AL Playoffs and World Series with 4 at bats and no hits. On November 5,1976, Otto was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays from the New York Yankees as the 53rd pick in the 1976 AL Player Expansion Team draft (Blue Jays and Mariners).

1965 - The Yankees trade utility player Phil Linz to the Philadelphia Phillies for shortstop Ruben Amaro. Ruben was a major disappointment with the Yankees never hitting more than .223. The Yankees should have held on to Linz and brought Tommy Tresh in from the outfield to play shortstop.

1966 - The New York Yankees traded veteran 3B Clete Boyer to the Atlanta Braves for rookie OF Bill Robinson and 39-year-old P Chi-Chi Olivo. The trade of Clete Boyer will leaves a defensive gap at 3B for the Yankees, which will not be solved until the arrival of Graig Nettles from the Indians in winter of 1972. Rookie OF Bill Robinson was a failure for the Yankees, but later he reappeared in the NL, having successful seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies, meanwhile Boyer would have 5 more good MLB seasons with the Braves, before going to Japan to play baseball.

1969 - Current Yankees Closer Mariano “Mo” Rivera (1995-current) was born. Mo Rivera is the greatest MLB closer and the Yankees closer in the team’s history (1903-2010). He took over the Yankees closer job in 1997, replacing John Wetteland who left the team for MLB free agency. Mo Rivera Yankees career stats are currently at 75-57 with 2.23 ERA in 1,042 games. He holds the MLB record of 603 saves. Mariano has been named to the All-Star team 12 times. He has 5 times won the American League Rolaids Relief Award. He has twice won the Delivery Man of the Year Award. In 2009, Rivera saved an Andy Pettitte win for the 58th time, setting a new MLB mark; the old record had been held by Oakland A’s Starter Bob Welch and Closer Dennis Eckersley. Mariano Rivera was the last pitcher ever used in Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2008, closing out a 7-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles; he retired the side in order, getting Brian Roberts to ground out to 1st base in the last at-bat in the famed ballpark's history. Mario’s AL All Star record is 0-0 in 6 games with 3 saves. His AL Divisional series record is 2-0 in 39 games with 18 saves. His ALCS record is 4-0 in 29 games and 10 saves. His World Series record is 2-1 in 19 games with 11 saves.

1976 - The New York Yankees signed MLB All Star free agent OF Reggie Jackson to 5-year, $3.5 million dollar contract. During Mr. October's tenure, the Bronx Bombers will win 4 AL East divisions, 3- AL pennants and 2 World Series Championships, before leaving in 1981 as a free agent signing with the California Angels.

1979 - MLB Commissioner Kuhn lets Billy Martin off with a warning, following the October 23rd incident in which he is involved in a barroom altercation with Joseph Cooper, a Minnesota marshmallow salesman. Cooper requires 15 stitches to close a gash in his lip.

1982 - Former Yankees P Al Cicotte (1957) passed away (1929-1982). Before the 1948 AL Season, Al Cicotte was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. Al went 2-2 in 20 games with 2 saves with the 1957 Yankees. On May 14,1958, Al was purchased by the Washington Senators from the Yankees. He was the nephew of HOF P Ed Cicotte.

1992 - Former Yankees OF George “Tuck” Stainback (1942-1945) passed away (1910-1992). Veteran reserve OF George “Tuck” Stainback was purchased on December 4,1941 by the New York Yankees from the Detroit Tigers. His best Yankees season was in 1943, hitting .260 in 71 games. His final Yankees totals were a 252 BA in 211 games with 5 HRs with 47 RBIs. He appeared in the 1942-1943 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals with the Yankees only hitting .179 in 9 games. He was sold to the Philadelphia A’s in 1946, where he finished his 13-season MLB career.

1995 - Former 3B Charlie Smith, the player traded to New York Yankees from the St. Louis Cardinals for former AL MVP and All Star OF Roger Maris in 1966, dies at age 57. Charley Smith hit .224 (1967) and .229 (1968) for the Yankees before being traded to the San Francisco Giants. While Roger Maris hit .261 and .255 for the St. Louis Cardinals and playing in the 1967-1968 World Series, while the New York Yankees finished 9th and 5th place in the AL.

1998 - Former Yankees pitcher and long time MLB Pitching Coach Jim “The Milkman” Turner passed away (1903-1998). As a reliever, Jim Turner went 11-9 in 88 games with 19 saves for the New York Yankees. He led the American League in 1945 with 10 saves. He would be Casey Stengel’s pitching coach during the 1949-1959 dynasty seasons. He was replaced by former Yankees teammate Eddie Lopat after the 1959 3rd place AL finish. Jim would work with the Cincinnati Reds organization from 1960-1965. He would return to the Yankees in 1966, being their MLB pitching coach until 1973, under Manager Ralph Houk.

2005 - Former Yankees minor league 1B Vic Power passed away (1927-2005). Before 1951 AL Season, Vic Power was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Drummondville (Provincial League). On December 16,1953, Vic was traded by the Yankees along with INF Don Bollweg, 3B Jim Finigan, P Johnny Gray, OF Bill Renna, and C Jim Robertson to the Philadelphia A’s for P Harry Byrd, 1B Eddie Robinson, outfielders Tom Hamilton and Carmen Mauro, and INF Loren Babe. Vic Power was considered to be too flashy by Yankees General Manager George Weiss to be the 1st black Yankee MLB player. GM Weiss traded away the black players in the Yankees farm system, keeping only C Elston Howard. Vic Power was a better 1B than Bill “Moose” Skowron, who admitted that Vic Power was the best 1st Baseman that he had ever played against during his MLB career. Vic Power won AL Golden Glove 1B Award in the AL from 1958-1964.

2006- Former Yankees P Pete Mikkelsen (1964-1965) passed away (1939-2006). Before the 1958 AL Season, Pete Mikkelsen was signed by the New York Yankees, as an MLB amateur free agent. Primarily used as a reliever by Manager Yogi Berra, he reached the World Series in 1964, his rookie season with the Yankees. His rookie season bullpen work for the Bronx Bombers was instrumental in helping the team squeeze out an AL pennant, the last for the old Yankees dynasty (1949-1964). In 1964, He went 7-4 in 50 games with 12 saves. In 1965, he slipped to a 4-9 mark with 41 games with only 1 save. On December 10,1965, Pete was traded by the Yankees to the Pittsburgh Pirates and cash for veteran starter Bob Friend. His trade was another bad deal done by the Yankees front office along with the deals of Clete Boyer and Roger Maris, which in all truth were salary dumps made by CBS management.

2007 - The New York Yankees officially announced that catcher Jorge Posada's 4-year, $52.4-million deal that will most likely keep him in pinstripes for the remainder of his MLB baseball career or at least through 2011.

November 30th

1909 - Former Yankees P Jimmy DeShong (1934-1935) was born. Jimmy DeShong went 10-8 in 60 games with the New York Yankees. On January 17,1936, Jim was traded by the Yankees along with OF Jesse Hill to the Washington Senators for P Bump Hadley and OF Roy Johnson.

1936 - Former Yankees reliever Steve Hamilton (1963-1970) was born (1936-1997). Steve Hamilton was obtained from the Washington Senators for veteran P Jim Coates in April of 1963. Steve worked out of the Yankees bullpen until 1970, going 34-20 in 312 games with 36 saves. On September 9,1970, Steve was selected off waivers by the Chicago White Sox from the Yankees. After his major league career ended, he was a Detroit Tigers MLB coach in 1975. He was the head coach at his alma mater, Morehead State University from 1976 to 1989. Also Steve served as athletic director at MSU. Hamilton died of cancer at age 62.

1942 - Former Yankees P Slim Love (1916-1918) passed away (1890-1942). Slim Love pitched 6 seasons in the MLB, mostly with the New York Yankees from 1916-1918. He never had a losing season, going 28-21. The pitcher stood 6’7”, his nickname became “Slim.” In 1914-1915, he had led the PCL in ERA. He had an ERA of 2.35 in 1916. Then in 1917, Slim won 13 games, 2nd-highest total on the Yankees pitching staff. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 1919; he had an ERA lower than most of the Tiger starters, although he was used more often as a reliever than a starter. He went 6-4 with 1 save on a team that went 80-60. He had played for the Washington Senators in 1914 appearing in 5 games, while posting a 1-0 record. Slim Love was with the Yankees from 1916-1918, appearing in 91 games, posting a 21-17 record with 2 saves. On December 18,1918, Slim Love was traded by the New York Yankees along with Ray Caldwell, Frank Gilhooley, Roxy Walters and $15,000 to the Boston Red Sox for Dutch Leonard, Duffy Lewis and Ernie Shore. He continued to pitch in the minor leagues through 1930, 7 times winning in double digits from 1922-1930, including 21 in 1926. He spent 6 seasons from 1922-1930 in the Texas League. He passed away in 1942, from injuries after being hit by a car.

1952 - On a local TV program, Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson charges that the New York Yankees management is racist for its failure to bring up a black player. General Manager George Weiss of the Yankees denies the allegations. Weiss will release or trade away all minority players except for catcher Elston Howard, who will become the 1st black Yankee MLB player in 1955. Among those minority players who were traded away were future AL All Star 1B Vic Power and P Ruben Gomez.

1960 - Former Yankees P Bob Tewksbury (1986-1987) was born. The New York Yankees in the 19th round of the 1981 MLB amateur player draft drafted Bob Tewksbury. Bob went 9-5 in 23 games with 2 complete games in 1986. In 1987, Bob was 1-4 in 8 games, when on July 13,1987, he was traded by the Yankees along with minor league pitchers Rich Scheid and Dean Wilkins to the Chicago Cubs for starter Steve Trout.

1967 - The Yankees purchased shortstop Gene “Stick” Michael from the Dodgers for cash. He will be the Yankees shortstop until the 1975 AL season. After retiring as a MLB player, he will return to the Yankees organization to be a coach, Manager (MLB and minor leagues), General Manager. He is now a Special Consultant in the front office.

1976 - The Yankees purchased OF/DH Jimmy “Toy Cannon” Wynn from the Atlanta Braves for $100,000. He hit .133 in 43 games for the Yankees before being released on July 14,1977.

1976 - Former Yankees reserve 1B/OF Craig Wilson (2006) was born. After being traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates for P Shawn Chacon, Craig only hit .212 in 40 games in New York. He left the Yankees for MLB free agency in the fall of 2006, signing with the Atlanta Braves.

1981 - Yankees P Dave Righetti with a record of 8-4, 2.06 ERA in 1981, wins the 1981 American League Rookie of the Year Award.

2000 - MLB free agent P Mike Mussina inks an $88.5 million, 6-year contract with the New York Yankees. The 10-year MLB veteran compiled a 147-81 record with a 3.53 ERA as a Baltimore Orioles hurler. Mussina says a deciding factor was a telephone call from Yankees Manager Joe Torre.

December 1st

1940 - Former Yankees P Cecil Perkins (1967) was born. Cecil Perkins went 0-1 in 2 games with the 1967 New York Yankees.

1949 - Attendance in the major leagues is 20.2 million, down from 20.9 in 1948. The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians each finish with over 2.2 million

1951 - The New York Yankees released former player Tommy Henrich as a MLB Coach.

1954 - The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles completed the largest trade in MLB history as 17 players, including MLB players Don Larsen, Gene Woodling, and Bob Turley change teams. The 1st phase of the transaction began on November 18th, and will be concluded today after the major league draft. The Yankees obtained 1B Richard Kryhoski, P Mike Blayzka, C Darrell Johnson, outfielders Jim Fridley and Ted Del Guercio from the Orioles sending them P Bill Miller, 3B Kal Segrist, 2B Don Leppert and 2 minor leaguers to be named later. Only C Darrell Johnson remained with the Yankees as a back-up catcher for Yogi Berra in 1958-1959, before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals organization after the 1959 AL season. The rest were traded away or never played for the Yankees at the MLB level. Ted Del Guercio will be the only player involved in the 17-player trade that never appears in a MLB game.

1956 - Former Yankees minor league P Tom Filer was born. In 1978, the New York Yankees signed Tom Filer as an MLB amateur free agent. On December 8,1980, Tom was drafted by the Oakland A’s from the Yankees in the 1980 Rule 5 Player Draft. On April 9,1981,Tom was returned (earlier draft pick) by the A’s to the Yankees. On April 27,1981, Tom Filer was traded by the Yankees along with cash to the Chicago Cubs for veteran C Barry Foote.

1971 - The New York Yankees obtained veteran INF Bernie Allen from the Texas Rangers for pitchers Terry Ley and Gary Jones. Bernie Allen would be a successful pinch hitter for the Yankees in 1972.

1978 - The New York Yankees assigned the contract of veteran left-handed reliever Paul Linblad to the Seattle Mariners for future considerations. Paul went 0-0 in 7 games with the 1978 Yankees after joining the team in August.

1982 - The New York Yankees sign onetime AL MVP Don Baylor to a MLB free agent contract. Baylor. Who had won the 1979 AL MVP Award; when he hit 24 HRs and 93 RBI’s for the Angels in 1982. He signs a reported 5-year, $5 million contract. After hitting .303 with 21 HRs and 85 RBIs in 1982, Don dropped off the next 2 seasons by hitting only .262 and .231. On March 28,1986, Don was traded by the Yankees to the Red Sox for OF/DH Mike Easler.

1991 - Former Yankees reserve OF (1940) and MLB Manager Buster Mills passed away (1908-1991). On October 26, 1938, veteran OF Buster Mills and P Oral Hildebrand were obtained by the Yankees from the St. Louis Browns for veteran OF Myril Hoag and reserve C Joe Glenn. Buster Mills hit .397 in 14 games for the Yankees in 1940. In 1953, Buster managed the Cincinnati Reds for 8 games posting a 4-4 record.

2009 - Former Yankees OF/1B and MLB Tommy “Old Reliable” Henrich (1937-1942, 1946-1950) passed away. Originally signed by the Cleveland Indians, Tommy Henrich never hit below .300 in the. He showed power at the plate. After batting .346 for the New Orleans Pelicans (Southern Association) in 1936, he appeared in line to join the Tribe. However, the Indians instead sold his contract to the Milwaukee Brewers (American Association), allegedly because the club regarded Jeff Heath as a better prospect. Rather than go to Milwaukee, he and his father wrote to MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Landis, stating their belief that the Indians were denying him a chance to reach the majors. Landis ruled in his favor and declared Henrich a free agent. He ultimately signed with the Yankees for a $25,000 bonus. In 1937, he became part of the Yankees power-hitting outfield of Joe DiMaggio and Charlie Keller. He played 11 seasons with Yankees finishing with a lifetime BA of .282. He appeared in 4 World Series, hitting .262 for the Yankees. After missing 3 seasons while serving in the US Coast Guard during World War II, Tommy Henrich returned to the Yankees in 1946. In the 1949 World Series against the Dodgers that fall, he hit a game-winning home run off Don Newcombe in the ninth inning of Game One, the 1st walk-off shot in Fall Classic history. He was named to the AL All Star teams in 1942,1947-1950. After retiring as an active player, he became a Yankees MLB Coach in 1951. He was a New York Giants MLB coach in 1957, and a member of the Detroit Tigers MLB Coaching staff in 1958 and 1959. In 2009, Tommy Henrich passed away at the age of 96. He had suffered a series of strokes. "Tommy was a terrific player. What made him so special was that he always played well in big games. It seemed like he never made any mistakes in the outfield. He was a true professional and an ultimate Yankee."- Bobby Brown.

December 2nd

1889 - Former Yankees reserve INF Ray Morehart (1927) was born. On January 13, 1927, Ray Morehart was traded by the Chicago White Sox along with C Johnny Grabowski to the New York Yankees for INF Aaron Ward. Ray was a reserve INF on the 1927 Yankees bench, appearing in 73 games and hitting .256. He retired from MLB after the 1927 World Series.

1903 - Former Yankees P Don Brennan (1933) was born. Don Brennan went 5-1 in 18 games with 3 saves for the Yankees in 1933. On March 5, 1934, the Cincinnati Reds purchased Don from the Yankees.

1950 - Former Yankees P Robert “ Bob” Kammeyer (1978-1979) was born (1950-2003). The New York Yankees in the 21st round of the 1972 MLB amateur player draft drafted Bob Kammeyer. He attended Dartmouth University, majoring in Economics. Bob went 0-0 in 8 games for the Yankees during the 1978-1979 AL seasons. In 1980, Bob was named International League Pitcher of the Year, while pitching with the Columbus Clippers. Bob passed away in 2003.

1952 - Brooklyn Dodgers executive Buzzie Bavasi dismisses the Yankees front office’s reaction to Jackie Robinson's charges of racism. MLB Commissioner Ford Frick plans to take no action against Jackie Robinson for his remarks to the NYC media. Two days earlier Jackie Robinson had called the Yankees, a racist organization for its failure to promote a black player to the parent club. The 1st black Yankees MLB player would be C Elston Howard in 1955.

1967 - The Yankees purchased C John Boccabella from Chicago Cubs for cash. He never played for the Yankees at the MLB level. He would be sold to the Montreal Expos.

1971 - The Yankees traded former AL Rookie Of Year P Stan Bahnsen to the Chicago White Sox for INF Rich McKinney. This deal failed for the Yankees, when McKinney couldn’t handle the transition from 2B to 3B. Meanwhile Bahnsen would win 20 games for the White Sox in 1972. McKinney’s failure at 3B, would lead to the Yankees acquiring 3B Graig Nettles in a trade with the Cleveland Indians in the fall of 1972.

1974 - The Yankees purchased OF/1B/DH Bob Oliver from the Baltimore Orioles for cash. Bob hit only .132 in 18 games before being released by the team on July 15,1975.

1997 - Former Yankees reliever Steve Hamilton (1963-1970) passed away (1936-1997). Steve Hamilton was obtained from the Washington Senators for veteran P Jim Coates in April of 1963. Steve worked out of the Yankees bullpen until 1970, going 34-20 in 312 games with 36 saves. On September 9,1970, Steve was selected off waivers by the Chicago White Sox from the Yankees. After his MLB career ended, he was a Detroit Tigers MLB coach in 1975. He was the head coach at his alma mater, Morehead State University from 1976 to 1989. Also Steve served as athletic director at MSU. Steve Hamilton died of cancer at age 62.

December 3rd

1915 - Former Yankees P Charles “Butch” Wensloff (1943, 1947) was born. Butch Wensloff pitched for 3 seasons in the majors. All 3-years were on a World Series championship teams. He was a star with the Yankees as a rookie in 1943, going 13-11. Then after missing several years of a career due to World War II. He came back to win again with the Yankees in 1947, going 3-1. His ERA was well under 3.00 both years. In the 1947 World Series, which the Yankees won, Wensloff pitched a couple scoreless innings in the 6th game. He pitched 1 game for the 1948 Cleveland Indians, who went on to win the 1948 World Series. He led the American Association in 1942 with 21 victories. On March 27,1948, he was sent to the Philadelphia Phillies by the Yankees as part of a conditional deal. On April 10,1948, he was returned by the Phillies to the Yankees as part of a conditional deal. On April 12,1948, he was purchased by the Cleveland Indians from the Yankees.

1922 - Former Yankees 1B/OF Joe Collins (1948-1957) was born. Before 1939 AL Season, Joe was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. In ten seasons with the Yankees, Joe hit .256, never really living up to the hitting promise that the Yankees had hoped for. Joe appeared in seven World Series with the Yankees. During the 1957 AL season Joe was replaced by Bill Skowron as the regular Yankees 1B. On March 20,1958, Joe was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Yankees. Joe retired from MLB, turning down a $100,000 player contract offer from the Phillies. He told the NYC media that he wanted to be remembered as a Yankee.

1925 - Former Yankees OF Harry “The Suitcase” Simpson was born (1925-1979). On June 15,1957, Harry Simpson was traded by the Kansas City A’s along with P Ryne Duren and OF Jim Pisoni to the New York Yankees for INF Billy Martin, P Ralph Terry, INF/OF Woodie Held, and OF Bob Martyn. In 1957, Harry hit .270 in 75 games for the Yankees. In 1958, he hit only .216 in 24 games, before being traded back to the A’s along with P Bob Grim for A’s P Duke Maas and P Virgil Trucks.

1947 - Former Yankees minor league P Gerry Pirtle was born. Gerry Pirtle was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 7th round of the 1967 MLB amateur player draft (June Secondary). He never played for the Yankees at the MLB level. On January 23,1976, he was traded by the Yankees to the Chicago Cubs for C Rick Stelmaszek.

1951 - Minor League Pitcher Rubén Gómez was drafted by the New York Yankees from the St. Jean Canadians in the 1951 MLB minor league player draft. Ruben will be released by the Yankees organization in June of 1952. He will be signed by the New York Giants, making his MLB debut in 1953, posting a 13-11 mark. In 1954, he will have his best MLB season posting a 17-9 record for the NL Champion Giants. He won 1 game for the Giants in the 1954 World Series. He will pitch in the MLB for 10 seasons, posting a 76-86 record with the New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, and the Minnesota Twins.

1960 - Former Yankees P Gene Nelson (1981) was born. On October 8, 1979, Gene Nelson was sent to the New York Yankees by the Texas Rangers to complete the Oscar Gamble-Mickey Rivers trade made earlier in August of 1979. Gene would go 3-1 in 8 games in 1981. In 1982 spring training camp, he made the Yankees starting rotation, but once again the Yankees front office decided to bring in a veteran pitcher rather than go with a young pitcher. On April 1,1982, Gene was traded by the Yankees along with a player to be named later, P Bill Caudill to the Seattle Mariners for starter Shane Rawley. At 1st report of the trade, the Mariners inform Nelson that he would be pitching for their AAA team. Nelson balks telling them that he had just made the New York Yankees starting rotation, he will not report to their AAA team, finally both sides reached an agreement. The Yankees would later send reserve OF Bobby Brown on April 6,1982, to the Mariners to complete the trade. Gene would go 6-9 in 22 starts for the Mariners during the 1982 AL season.

1962 - Former MLB players Frank Crosetti (Yankees) and Johnny Schulte (Cubs and Phillies) file suit to halt any increased MLB pension benefits that fail to include old-time MLB players.

1968 - The MLB Rules Committee adopts a series of changes designed to increase the amount of offensive run production in both leagues. In the most significant alterations, the committee agrees to decrease the size of the strike zone and lower the height of the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches. The rules changes will result in increased run scoring in 1969.

1974 - The New York Yankees obtained P Skip Lockwood from the California Angels for C/INF Bill Sudakis. The Yankees would release Skip Lockwood during spring training camp, he would sign on with the New York Mets.

1988 - MLB free agent P Dave LaPoint signs a 3-year contract with the Yankees. Dave would go 14-19 in 48 games with the Yankees. On February 17,1991, Dave was released by the Yankees.

2005 - Former Yankees set-up man Tom “Flash” Gordon agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Phillies on a 3-year contract.

Marchand: "There is almost no way they are signing C.J. Wilson"

Via Andrew Marchand:

As one of the insiders who talks to insiders, I, too, have been told that the Yankees might just sign Freddy Garcia and not do much else this offseason. This is what is emenating out of the Bronx.

... Unless the Yankees trade Nick Swisher, it is hard to see where they add to the offense. Maybe Yoenis Cespedes could be signed as the Yankees look toward Swisher's free agency after this year.

On the pitching side, the Yankees don't really like the prices vs. talent of any of the starters. Could they make a huge splash with Yu Darvish? That seems possible, even with their Kei Igawa experience. There is almost no way they are signing C.J. Wilson. Mark Buehrle may be better suited for the National League, in their opinion. Edwin Jackson is no better than what they have. Roy Oswalt has a back issue that concerns them. Hiroki Kuroda likes life in Los Angeles or Japan.

Um, wasn't last season's quick exit from the playoffs enough to realize that they don't have what it takes to win? Hopefully, there is nothing to this report and the Yankees will indeed try to improve on last year, otherwise we might as well start looking towards 2013 because they're not going anywhere next season with CC, Nova, Burnett, Garcia and Hughes as their starting 5.

Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

I hope that everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving. Many of our holiday favorites were enjoyed over the course of the weekend. It was a bit of a drawn out affair around here, as we didn't get to roasting the turkey until Friday! Even though Graham and Margaret were still too young to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal, I loved filing the house with that wonderful smell of roasting, baking and simmering. The house always feels coziest when there's a wonderful meal being prepared. 

We picked the last few bunches of herbs from the garden before the snow blankets the ground for the winter. I couldn't resist adorning a few pieces of brown transfer ware with them before they went into our Thanksgiving feast.

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. We used it in everything from the turkey brine, to the stuffing. 

The sage accompanied the roasted brussel sprouts. 

A Winner + Lovely Bedding

How was everyone’s Thanksgiving?  I hope it was filled with love.  I know mine was.  It was wonderful to gather with my family and spend precious time with my little one…who is getting very big way too quickly.  He turned 6 months old today. My how time has flown.  He’s going to be a year old before I can blink!

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A Winner

Thanks to all of you who entered my Shabby Apple dress giveaway last week.  The winner of the dress is Andrea Mickelson.  Andrea please send me an email as soon as you can.  Thanks!

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And on a totally random note I’m digging this mismatched bedding from Furbish.  Love this store.  I Wish I lived a little closer to Raleigh so I could visit.  Maybe I’ll have to take a trip one of these days.  I’ll have to add it to my never ending list of things to do.

LiveJournal Tags: furbish,giveaway,chase