Profiles in Pinstripes, Week Three: Bobby Abreu

All right guys, thanks for your good wishes, but I'm not actually taking the GREs till the 10th, so I've got an extra week to brush up on my math! Yay!


Oh, and the clocks go back tonight, which is both good and bad. Good, because we get an extra hour of sleep (YES!) and bad because to me that's always like the last breath of summer finally leaving.


Anyway, for today's Profiles in Pinstripes, it seems kind of obvious that given that the Yankees exercised their team option on him, today's PIP should be none other than...

Bobby Abreu!

Bobby hails from Venezuela, and prior to joining the Yankees he has played for the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies.

While Abreu is noted for his good batter's eye, his hitting for average and strong arm in the outfield, it's also equally impressive to note the consistency of games played: in 2001 he played in 162 (of 165) games.

In 2007, despite getting off to a notoriously slow start, Abreu still managed to be second in the AL for runs scored, third for pitches per plate appearance, ninth in times on base and played in 158 games.

Abreu is a two-time All Star and won the Home Run Derby in 2005. He is also heavily involved in charity work and has won the Roberto Clemente award.

Abreu came to the Yankees via trade in 2006.

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Profiles In Pinstripes, Week Two: Joba Chamberlain

Last time we honored the Yankees of the late nineties and early 00s by profiling Derek Jeter, so this week it's only apt that we profile someone that is a critical part of the Yankees' future!

The Yankees have three "superstar" rookie pitchers, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy. Drawing from a hat, today's PIP goes to Joba!

As you probably know, Joba's first name was originally Justin, but his cousin calling him Joba stuck, and he legally changed his name. He is, of course, the only Joba pitching in the major leagues. You also probably know about him being raised by his father, Harlan, who survived Polio, and about Joba being of Native American heritage, and of him being the seventh-youngest major leaguer in 2007.

You, uh, have also probably heard of that thing they called the "Joba Rules". I'm still waiting for my "Joba Rules" T-shirt.

Joba made his major league debut with the Yankees on 7 August 2007, in Toronto. In a sign of things to come, he struck out the first batter he faced, and then proceeded to pitch two scoreless innings.

Actually, in the end it was over fourteen scoreless innings. Joba would end the season with a 0.38 ERA, which is so crazy that even Mo doesn't have an ERA like that.

Though he pitched in a much-needed bullpen capacity in 2007, Joba will come to Spring Training 2008 as a starter, his original position.

How awesome is Joba?

In his Yankee Stadium debut, his name was chanted not after he won a game or pitched his first inning, but after he got the first two batters out that he face.

Brian Cashman would not trade him.

He will be a fixture for the Yankees for a long time to come.

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I will be spending tonight dressed up as a Greek Goddess/Muse/Thing, assuming I get the costume finished on time, so I probably won't get around to posting postgame notes until tomorrow, after the sun has risen. As a Yankee fan, I hope going home strikes a nerve for Colorado!

Profiles In Pinstripes, Week One: Derek Jeter

Allo again!

Before I get down to business here, I would like to mention something about ads. Hey! Stop looking at me like that, and listen for a second!

I put the poll up on the sidebar to see what readers thought. I've been considering google ads for the longterm, but for now I'm more interested in retaining readers (ie, making you lot enjoy coming here) than in making $.2 per ad, or whatever it is. So, for now, this blog shall remain ad-free.

Anyway.

On Saturdays, like today, throughout the winter I'm going to go post tidbits of those who will either be in a Yankee uniform in 2008 or those who work closely with the organization.

To inaugurate this segment, who better than the Captain, Derek Jeter?


You probably already know that Jeter, the Yankees' captain and shortstop, broke into the majors in 1995 and has played every year since with the Yankees.

You may remember him for such things as that back-up-spin-leap throw to first so well, and his constant status atop the league leaders for hits.

If you're over the age of ten, you'd better remember him for 'the flip' in Game Three of the 2001 ALDS. Don't remember? I'll refresh you:

Down two games to none in the 2001 ALDS (sound familiar?), the Yankees get on a plane and fly to Oakland. In game three, they nursed a 1-0 lead, when Jeremy Giambi attempted to score on an extra base hit by Terrance Long. He should have scored--Shane Spencer's throw from the right field line missed two cut off men--but Jeter somehow was right there, caught the ball, flipped to Posada...and the rest is history.

The play is not just notable for its absurdity--there is no reason at all for Jeter being where he was--but because it summed up Jeter in a nutshell: clutch. In the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. This is what Jeter's built his career on, albeit trying to destroy it in the course of one LDS this year...

Anyway, some Jeterian trivia:

He's only ever hit one grand slam--against the Cubs, 18 June 2005

He's Bob Dylan's favorite baseball player.

He was once the subject of a 2005 "60 Minutes" segment.

He's got the same birthday as Abner Doubleday, considered by many to be the father of baseball.



Because we must: Always give Credit Where Credit is due

(citing Wikipedia and FunTrivia)


Ohio State is beating Kent State 42-0 in the third quarter. Ouch.


ALCS Game Two postgame notes after tonight's game. Till then, I shall make no comments as to which team has a better offense.