What Next For The New York Yankees by Mybookie.ag

Dominican player Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees
seek another AL title, photo by Keith Allison on Flick

The New York Yankees are excited and relieved in equal measures with the return of Alex Rodriguez at a very crucial stage of their campaign. Rodriguez will be looking to help his team equal the season’s longest winning streak when they face the struggling Oakland Athletics on Thursday night. Just last week, Hal Steinbrenner, the owner, said that Rodriguez is a great asset, although not everyone in New York is as thrilled about his return after he was suspended the whole of last season for using a banned substance. The designated hitter, at 39 years of age, was instrumental in the three game sweep of Kansas City who are the reigning AL champions. He hit a three run shot on the 4-2 victory on Wednesday for his 11th homer of the season. He marked an impressive 1,995 RBIs to overtake Lou Gehrig 1,993 RBIs to record the most in the history of AL. It is also a great opportunity for those who wish to get involved in the betting battle. Check it out, the MLB odds in this betting preview to make the best decisions.

In the 2013 season, Rodriguez featured in only 44 appearances for his team after being sidelined with a hip surgery. In an interview, he admitted that despite being out of any baseball action for 2 years, he feels like he is in a good place, happy and having fun. He saw the spell as an opportunity to rest and get his energy back; the reason why he saw this spell as a blessing in disguise. He feels explosive as he seeks to build on his .375 average in the last 13 encounters with the A’s, but he hasn’t faced them since 3 years ago. Strong pitching is the other thing that places New York in a better position to match its season’s best four-game winning streak.

The other player on our radar is CC Sabathia. This season, he has had his worst performance ever, despite going for nine straight years without injury. Sabathia was responsible for six of the 10 Texas’ 10 runs on Saturday’s 15-4 loss. However, the six-time all-star has won his previous two road starts where he owns a 3.48 ERA after six starts compared to the 11.77ERA at home. After losing his two starts in 2013 against the A’s he has a 6.00 ERA.

Out of the 8 on road matches, the Yankees have dropped seven of them and nine of the 10 matches in Oakland. However, the A’s still hold the worst record at home at 6-16 given that they have lost six of the seven home games after the 3-2 loss on Wednesday to Detroit. Kendall Graveman will be the man that Oakland will be turning to after he has impressed since he was recalled from Triple-A Nashville. The right-hander has never faced the Yankees, but he featured on the opening day roster, although he went 1-2 in four starts before he was sent down with an 8.27 ERA. Graveman was impressed with his performance as he told the MLB official website that he felt comfortable in the game. His movements were good, he located the fastball impressively and whenever he was required to change his speed, he did it well.

Dominican Republic in 2012 Olympics: Felix Sanchez wins 400 meter hurdles

Felix Sanchez won the 400 meter hurdles gold medal on Monday, eight years after winning the same event in Athens. It was the Dominican Republic's first medal of the 2012 Olympics.

In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics Sanchez got bad news just before the race. His grandmother had died in the Dominican Republic. He said he was very emotional and did not end up making the final at those Olympics. ESPN reported the story here.

So, it is a good redemption story for the Dominican track star Sanchez.

Felix Sanchez is from New York City, and grew up in San Diego before attending USC. He lives in Los Angeles and trains at USC. Under the logic of the International Olympic Committee that makes him Dominican I guess.

The Dominican Baseball Guy is an anthropologist, and I understand some athletes decision to represent the country of their origin. But as an American it is hard to understand why someone that has spent nearly their entire life in the United States identifies more strongly with a country that they have rarely lived in.

While it gives me a slight sense of anger at an athlete that chooses not to represent the United States even though they have lived here their whole life, I am sure it was a tough decision for Sanchez to choose who he would represent. He probably faced pressure from his Dominican family to represent the DR. It is a strange phenomenon that is really only faced by children of immigrants, and possibly transnational families.

But hey, this is the Dominican Baseball Guy blog, so debate over Sanchez's transnational identity aside, congrats to the Dominican Republic for scoring their first gold of the 2012 Olympics.

Dominican hurdler Feliz Sanchez celebrates gold at the 2012 Olympics with his Dominican flag,
photo by Karen Blix on Flickr

Dominican teen reflects on Dominican baseball and his new life in America

A group of immigrant high school students in Boston recently wrote essays reflecting on their new lives in America. One of those to write an essay was Edwin Soto, a Dominican Republic native.

Soto loves his new life in Boston and he loves baseball. However, according to Soto, the Dominican Republic "is the way it is" because of baseball:

All of those kids, they drop out of high school, and they think that if they play baseball that means that they’re going to make it. And that’s not the reality.

If young ball players in the Dominican Republic do not make it in baseball, then they really have no other options because most drop out of school to pursue baseball. To the contrary, American baseball players can play throughout high school and then college, and if they do not make it to the professional ranks then at least they have an education and can pursue other career options. In his essay, Soto says that he knows many boys from his home town that dropped out of school to pursue baseball. He wishes them well, but knows the odds are long.

While Soto does not plan to pursue a baseball career, he appreciates everything that the United States has given him as a knew immigrant. Soto says Americans do not necessarily appreciate the fact that they have hot water and electricity whenever they want it.  The Dominican Baseball Guy understands his thinking on this.  I had electricity maybe 6 hours per day during my time following the Gigantes in 2009 and took cold showers everyday in my small apartment...I was just happy to have running water.

He also says that most Dominicans think that the United States is just New York.  The Dominican Baseball Guy does not know how many times he has had that conversation with Dominicans in the Dominican Republic: O, you are from the United States, so you are from New York? --> No, I come from another state called Texas. --> O, so you are from New York. --> Yea, whatever, I am from New York.

So, The Dominican Baseball Guy can relate to Soto and other Dominican immigrants. Soto hopes to attend college and perhaps be a firefighter.  He is certainly wise beyond his years in understanding the implications of being an immigrant and of Dominican baseball players pursuing baseball careers.

Dominican player of the week: Pedro Alvarez

Wow, this is a rare occasion. The Dominican Baseball Guy has not heard of this week's Dominican Player of the Week. And he is in his third year in the majors. So it goes, for members of the Pirates organization. EDIT: upon further review the Dominican Baseball Guy blogged about Pedro Alvarez a couple times back in 2010.

Until this year, the Pirates have been mired in obscurity since the days of Barry Bonds pirouetting down the first base line. But this year's group of young Pirates has them reaching toward a playoff appearance. Andrew McCutchen is of course the leader of this requrgent Pirates team, but there are a bunch of other young players helping him out. And one of them is this week's Dominican Player of the Week, Pedro Alvarez.

Alvarez was born in Santo Domingo, but grew up in New York City where he was a star in high school. In that sense he is one of many Dominican York living mostly on the upper west side around the Washington Heights area in New York City. He went on to attend Vanderbilt before being drafted second overall by the Pirates in 2008.

He seems to be living up to expectations that come with that lofty number two overall pick. He made the majors in just his second year and almost instantly became an everyday starter at third base for the Pirates. Alvarez went on to win a National League Player of the Week award last season, and is poised for maybe an All-Star run this season with the resurgent Pirates.

His nickname is 'El Toro' which means 'The Bull' for those of you that do not habla Espanol. And again, he is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Dominican player of the Week Pedro Alvarez, photo by Keith Allison on Flick

Manny Ramirez can't play in Domincian Winter League, Manny Ramirez no puede jugar en LIDOM

Just last week, the Dominican Baseball Guy and fans of Dominican baseball everywhere were giddy at the possibility of Manny Ramirez playing in the Dominican League of Winter Baseball (LIDOM) this season.  Manny had made contact with his former team the Cibao Eagles, and planned to play with them again.

But alas it was much a do about nothing.  Manny is ineligible to play winter ball in any of the MLB sanctioned leagues, and yes, the LIDOM is an MLB sanctioned league.  He claims that his representatives are working to get the commission to reinstate him for winter ball, but this is doubtful at this point.  MLB rules simply do not allow it.

So, the Dominican Baseball Guy has changed his tune since the last time he posted on the ongoing Manny situation when he said: "This is looking more and more like it could happen."  In fact, the Dominican Baseball Guy has done a complete 180.  It is looking more and more likely that this will not happen.  Manny will have to serve his 100 game suspension before appearing in the LIDOM.

Dominican fans are already disappointed about this.  Some have hit up the Dominican Baseball Guy Facebook page saying that he is still going to play, despite these new reports.

It is never boring with Manny.  He is from Santo Domingo, DR, but grew up in New York City's Washington Heights.

Manny Ramirez with the Dodgers, by pvsbond on Flickr

Dominican baseball player leads Manhattan high school league in steals, Dominicano es lider en bases robados en liga de NYC

It is no secret there are lots of Dominicans in Manhattan, particularly in Washington Heights.  They are known as Dominican Yorks.  But some may not know that there is a long history of Dominican immigrants playing in the NYC high school ranks.  Perhaps the most famous Dominican baseball player of all, Manny Ramirez, came to New York as a boy and played for the famed George Washington High School.

So, this article on New York City high school baseball caught the attention of the Dominican Baseball Guy: Murry Bergtraum baseball's Yori Olivo leads PSALA in steals.

Yori Olivo came to New York from the Dominican Republic to play baseball and attend school.  He actually had some health worries and was unable to play until his senior year.  But this year he is leading the PSALA in steals, going 15-16 on steals in 3 games.  

Olivo is surely one of many Dominicans playing in New York City, and the Dominican Baseball Guy will look for other aspects of Dominican baseball in New York to blog about.

Manny being Manny, Ramirez retires from MLB

It is a sad day in the world of the Dominican Baseball Guy.  His favorite player of all-time has retired, and the Dominican Baseball Guy does not see Manny Ramirez as one to go back on this retirement, especially since he faces a 100 game suspension if he does return.

Manny was the favorite player of the Dominican Baseball Guy first off because he could mash.  No one hits .312 lifetime with 555 home runs and 1831 RBI.  And he was not even a power hitter.  Ramirez generated all those home runs and RBI by hitting line drives, and thats what made him so exciting.  When he did hit a home run, they were just laser shots.

Of course he was also infamous for his on field antics, such as when he used to hang out in the Green Monster when he was in left field for the Red Sox.  The Dominican Baseball Guy was never more excited to see a game than when Ramirez was playing.  He played with a freeness that is unseen in professional sports, and the Dominican Baseball Guy thinks it is a shame that he got ridiculed for simply playing on instinct and having fun. See some of these videos on a recent Dominican Baseball Guy post.

Manny you will be missed, hopefully you can get together with the Dominican Baseball Guy and do an interview at some point.  He ends up as the all time Dominican leader in RBI and second in hits and home runs.  Manny is from Santo Domingo, DR, but grew up in New York City.

See the full article at the Dominican Baseball Examiner

Manny Ramirez, by shgmom56 on Flickr