The semi-dormant NYTimes' Bats Blog is churning out posts again, a sure sign that summer is coming (even if Jersey looks suited for the Winter Games.
First, they took a look at 9 of Jeter's upcoming milestones. The big ones for me:
Games Played (pass Gehrig early 2010, Mickey for 1st in 2011)
Hits (a 200 hit season puts him 30th all-time and the active leader)
Runs Scored (104 runs to pass Mantle for first as a Yank means a great season for Jeter and the hitters behind him)
Stolen Bases (22 to pass Rickey Henderson for 1st as a Yank)
The NYTimes also gives a little more insight into just what the competition between Joba and Hughes could come down to:
Hughes’s priority this spring is refining his changeup, and he recently changed his grip — the 29th grip, by his count. He now throws a circle change and said the pitch feels good rolling off his fingers.
Joba "wants to get better at throwing inside."
Brandon has done a nice series of interviews with some Yankee minor leaguers (Grant Duff yesterday and PJ Pilettere Thursday). That copy cat over at LoHud Chad Jennings has an interview with often-injured but lightning-armed Christian Garcia.
Must read stuff by both writers if you follow the minors.
Finally, NoMaas reminds us to make fun of the Red Sox for playing the gritty underdog card with their $170M payroll. Does MLB have financial imbalance problems? Hell, yes. Which end of the problem are the Red Sox on? Ours.