TOP UPDATES OF 2009

As we close out another year, I would like to thank all of this blogs readers. This feeble attempt at a blog is a booming success thanks to my loyal followers.

Here are the top NYYU's of 2009 based on page visits:

1. STADIUM FINANCING SIMPLIFIED

2. YANKEE STADIUM WIND THEORY

3. FREE CAR IF YANKS LOSE

4. A-ROD: TORN CARTILAGE IN HIP

5. HOLI BOLI! WHAT IS IT?


Other odd stats:

50% of visitors to New York Yankees Update use Internet Explorer, 32% use Firefox, Safari users come in at 12%, Google Chrome at 3% and the rest are using Opera, Netscape, SeaMonkey, Konqueror, Camino, Blazer, NetFront and K-Meleon.

82% of visitors to New York Yankees Update use a Windows operating system. 15% use Mac, Linux users come in at 1% and the rest were using iPhone, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, iPod, SymbianOS, Nintendo Wii and SunOS.

The top (non search engine) referers to NYYU are:

baseballmusings.com, sports.espn.go.com, slidingintohome.blogspot.com, ballhype.com and twitter.com.


NYYU was visited by people from 108 different countries. 84% from the United States. The top 10 after the U.S. were Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, Taiwan, Dominican Republic, France, Spain, India and Italy.

Here is to a happy 2010 to you and to the 27 time WORLD CHAMPIONS, The New York Yankees.

JETER IS "MR. NY"

Derek Jeter is the the NY Daily News' New Yorker of the Year for 2009.

"For 14 years, he has been the face of athletic excellence in New York: 10-time All-Star, four Gold Gloves, career .317 batting average. In 2009, at age 35, he batted .334 and entered the Yankee record books as the team's all-time hit champ. He also captained the squad to 103 regular season victories, a 40th pennant and a 27th World Championship - the fifth while he has anchored the franchise.

Throughout, Jeter has conducted himself with grace, balletic grace in movement, a gentleman's grace in life.

Some of his peers in professional sports grumble about their contracts or make noises about going to other teams unless they get a huge salary bump. Not Jeter.

Some of his peers make headlines with stories about discord at home or untoward escapades. Not Jeter.

Some of his peers create charities for window-dressing. Not Jeter. His foundation awards high school and college scholarships both in New York and in Kalamazoo, Mich., where he grew up.

Some of his peers use steroids and deny it. Some use steroids and come clean. Jeter has never had to make that choice - because he never made the stupid decision in the first place.

Some of his peers carry weapons, shoot people - or themselves - and go to jail. Not Jeter.

And some of his peers have an uneasy relationship with fans because they think they are a cut above. Not Jeter.

This is a man who has the qualities adults admire and children can look up to. Somehow he combines enormous talent with hard work, riches with responsibility, fantastic success with confident modesty and intense competitiveness with true sportsmanship."

Read more: NY DAILY NEWS

THE MELK-MAN DELIVERS JAVY II

The Yankees have worked out a five-player deal with the Braves that will bring Javier Vazquez back to New York.

Vazquez and lefty reliever Boone Logan come to the Yankees.

The Braves get Melky Cabrera, Mike Dunn (AAA) and Arodys Vizcaino (A).

Vazquez had his best season last year (15-10, 2.87).

In 2004, the Yankees sent (freshly re-acquired) Nick Johnson to Montreal for Vazquez.

In his one season with the Yankees, he went 14-10, with a 4.91 ERA.

Javy could end up as the No. 4 starter behind CC, A.J. and Andy.

This might set the stage for the Yanks to use Phil Hughes in the fifth spot and make Joba Chamberlain Mariano Rivera’s main set-up man.

Vazquez gets $11.5 million in the final year of his contract.

Logan is basically a scrub throw-in.

$26 MIL LUXURY TAX? MAYBE NOT.

The story is out that the Yankees have been hit with a luxury tax of nearly $25.69 million according to The Associated Press.

But, how much of that $25.69 million will the team really pay?

As reported by this blog back in April, the answer could be ZERO.

According to Forbes.com:

"The new stadium also means the Yankees will have to hand over a lower percentage of their revenue to rivals.....MLB permits teams to deduct stadium-operating and debt expenses from revenue before calculating the amount the league will take from them to subsidize other teams.....In the new stadium the Yankees' deductible expenses will be around $100 million, enough to wipe out the windfall in revenue."

GRANDERSON'S FIRST HIT

“I thought, 'Let me back away from that.' ... I didn't want to mess with that.”

- New CF Curtis Granderson, on giving up his favored No. 28 jersey to manager Joe Girardi. Girardi plans to switch from No. 27 to symbolize the club's pursuit of its 28th championship.

Granderson will wear No. 14, which he wore in high school because his father had worn the number in an adult softball league.

KATE-ROD - GAME OVER

Kate Hudson has reportedly split from Alex Rodriguez.

The actress and the Yankee are said to have ended their seven-month relationship.

An onlooker at a Miami restaurant said “He flirted with a blonde all night at dinner and seemed very much single.”

Representatives for the couple are yet to comment, but a source said: “They are totally over.”

Kate was asked by ‘Late Show’ host David Letterman, if she was a big Yankees fan and friends with Alex, to which she giggled and said: “Yeah, he’s a friend of mine. Nice guy.”

SAYONARA

Hideki Matsui has agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million deal to play for the Angels, physical pending.

PETTITTE RETURNS

"The Score" in Toronto reports that Andy Pettitte has agreed to a 1 year contract worth $11.75 million, no incentives.

GAMMONS MOVES TO MLB NETWORK

Peter Gammons' departure from ESPN was announced yesterday and MLB Network could announce his hiring as early as today, a baseball official said.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because MLB Network had not made the announcement.

Asked about his decision at the winter meetings, Gammons said he couldn't discuss it until today.

GAMMONS OUT AT ESPN

Peter Gammons, who is rarely right on anything, is done at ESPN.

It is being reported that Gammons has left on his terms and was not fired.

GRANDERSON DEAL ALIVE

WFAN and Jon Hayman are now reporting that the Curtis Granderson deal is done, pending medical records checks.

The deal is:

Ian Kennedy to Arizona, Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to Detroit.

What is the infatuation with a .246 avg and .329 obp hitter?

They can do that with the recently departed Shelley Duncan.

GRANDERSON DEAL DEAD

WFAN says that the 3 way deal that would bring Curtis Granderson to New York is dead. Is that a good thing?

YES!

Here is the rumored deal:

• The Yankees get Curtis Granderson from the Tigers and one or two prospects from the Diamondbacks.
• 
  
• The Diamondbacks receive Edwin Jackson from the Tigers and right-hander Ian Kennedy from the Yankees.
• 
  
• The Tigers would get right-hander Max Scherzer from the Diamondbacks, along with centerfielder Austin Jackson and lefty relievers Phil Coke and Michael Dunn from the Yankees.

The Tigers wanted Phil Hughes included in the deal, but the Yankees don't want to give him up.

So the Yankees would give up Hughes, Kennedy, Jackson, Dunn and Coke to get Granderson and a couple of suspects?

Excuse me Howie, but...NO DEAL!

Sure Granderson hit 30 HR's but he hit .249 with a .329 OBP. Anyone remember Dave Kingman?

Hughes and Kennedy could have brought the Yanks Johan Santana! Now all they are worth is a low average HR hitter?

This deal has to be a media creation. If I was the Yankee GM and I got a call with this deal, I'd probably forget to hang up the phone before I started laughing.

ANGELS INTERESTED IN HIDEKI

Angels General Manager Tony Reagins tells the LA Times that Hideki Matsui is one of the options the team is looking at to bolster its offense.

NICK THE STICK RUMOR

The winter meetings rumor mill says the Yankees are talking about Nick Johnson.

This would add fuel to the hot stove rumor that the Yankees are listening to offers for Nick Swisher.

BRUNEY TO THE NATS.

Brian Bruney has been traded to the Nationals for a player to be named later.

There was an earlier report that Bruney was headed to the Braves.

GIRARDI SLIDES INTO THE NFL

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—New York Jets coach Rex Ryan brought in Yankees manager Joe Girardi as a special guest instructor to teach rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez how to slide.

After watching Sanchez struggle with some of his slides while avoiding pressure in recent games, Ryan called Yankees team president Randy Levine on Tuesday. He asked if the World Series champions could send someone over to the Jets facility to help their franchise quarterback.

The Yankees ended up sending Girardi, who guided New York to its 27th World Series title last month against the Philadelphia Phillies. Sanchez, who has a sore left knee, worked on sliding on his right leg and went through 10-15 slides under Girardi’s supervision.

Ryan said he needed to “bring in a champ” to help Sanchez.

Thanks to the I-Man for the tip!

CARAY'D AWAY BY TBS

After the terrible performance by TBS baseball announcer Chip Caray during the play-offs, the network has decided to terminate his contract.

Caray also worked Braves games during the regular season.

The remainder of his contract was "settled" for an undisclosed amount.

Caray is the son of the late Braves announcer Skip Caray and grandson of legendary baseball voice Harry Caray.