Korean All-star pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin has successfully landed the Major League Baseball (MLB), signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a dramatic transaction just before the league-mandated deadline, according to MLB’s official Web site on Sunday.

MLB.com said Ryu has made a contract with the Dogers for a six-year deal worth $36 million. CBSSports.com also reported that Ryu will have a signing bonus of $5 million.

A 30-day window to sign a deal were given to Ryu and Dodgers after the LA-based club secured the exclusive rights to negotiate with Ryu in November, and the deadline was 2 p.m. Pacific Standard Time Sunday. The Dodgers submitted a bid of $25.7 million in a league-wide silent auction, which was the fourth highest bid by a major league club for a foreign player.

As Ryu’s South Korean club, the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), accepted the Dodgers’ bid, the negotiation period started. The Korean club will take the $25.7 million bid as a transfer fee for Ryu.

The Eagles posted Ryu in November after he completed his seventh KBO season in 2012. Ryu will become the first South Korean baseball player to jump directly from the KBO to the majors when he is added to the major league roster.

This is not the first time for the Dodgers take in a South Korean player. Right-hander Park Chan-ho, who became the first Korean to play in the majors in 1994, used to play for the LA-based club.

Ryu, who was born in 1987, made his debut in 2006, becoming the first player to win both the Rookie of the Year honors and the MVP in the same season. He was 18-6 with a 2.23 ERA and a rookie-record 204 strikeouts. Since then, Ryu has been one of the KBO’s most dominant starters.

In his seven KBO seasons, Ryu went 98-52 with a 2.80 ERA and 1,238 strikeouts in 1,269 innings.

The lefty pitcher, who is 187 centimeters (about 6.1 ft) tall and 98 kilograms (about 217 lb), can reach up to 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour) with his fastball, and can also throw a changeup and slider as his out pitches.

Ryu drew international attention when he participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, helping to secure gold for South Korea, and the 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) which South Korea finished runner-up behind Japan. However, it is expected that Ryu would miss the 2013 WBC in March next year as he takes part in the upcoming Dodgers’ spring training and tries to get ready for his first season in the United States.

Image Courtesy : Los Angeles Dodgers

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New York, U.S.A. — Steve Carell, Colin Hanks and Ken Jeong are featured in a new Stand Up To Cancer campaign, titled “Baseball Believes,” filmed at Boston’s Fenway Park that celebrates amazing plays from Major League Baseball’s Postseason history.

The six spots, which include the actual broadcasts of the historic plays, connect believing in miracles on the playing field with a shared vision of ending cancer. The spots will begin airing in early September in stadiums, on MLB Network, FOX and ESPN, and will continue through the 2013 baseball season.

Major League Baseball is a founding donor of Stand Up To Cancer and, together with its 30 Clubs, has committed more than $30 million to the initiative to date.

Carell, Hanks and Jeong took to the field at Fenway Park to re-create signature moments in baseball history that led fans across the nation to believe that anything was possible. After the three actors highlight the importance of these moments in baseball history, the spot ends with a call to action, encouraging fans to join Major League Baseball in its belief that we can end cancer forever.

The four baseball moments are:

• New York Yankees All-Star Derek Jeter makes the famous backhand toss to Jorge Posada in Game 3 of the 2001 American League Division Series to tag out Jeremy Giambi at the plate.
• Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk waves his 12th inning home run to “stay fair” to win Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds at Fenway Park.
• New York Giants center fielder Willie Mays makes his over-the-shoulder basket catch to rob Vic Wertz of the Cleveland Indians of extra bases in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series. The catch has been heralded as one of the greatest in baseball history.
• Los Angeles Dodgers star Kirk Gibson, hobbled by a pulled hamstring and a swollen knee, delivers a pinch-hit, walk-off home run off dominant Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series and limps around the bases. The legendary play is often referenced as a prime example of the miracles of Postseason baseball.

Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig commented, “This campaign is a part of Major League Baseball’s unwavering efforts to support and help empower Stand Up To Cancer in its noble work fighting all forms of cancer through the spirit of collaboration.  We are proud that the most memorable and improbable moments in Postseason history can be used as a way to inspire people to believe that anything is possible, including an end to cancer.”

“Under the steadfast leadership and dedication of Commissioner Bud Selig and all 30 teams, MLB’s financial support of SU2C has been vitally important to the success of our mission. Equally important is what MLB has done to help build our grassroots movement by encouraging baseball fans everywhere to support our researchers, who work tirelessly to develop new therapies for patients to save lives now,” said SU2C Co-Founder Rusty Robertson.

“Everyone at MLB has helped enormously with our efforts to convey this key message: each and every one of us has a role to play in ending cancer, and we are profoundly grateful for that,” added SU2C Co-Founder Sue Schwartz.

“As the husband of a cancer survivor, I know how important it is to believe that we can beat this disease,” said Jeong. “I’m proud to be a part of Stand Up To Cancer and Major League Baseball’s effort to build more support for the scientists on the front lines of the fight.”

The spot was shot at Fenway Park during its 100th year anniversary and will build on the previous spots created at Major League ballparks, including the 2010 SU2C PSA, which featured actor Jake Gyllenhaalat Dodger Stadium and debuted during the 2010 All-Star Game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

Since the SU2C launch in 2008, Major League Baseball has continued to promote the initiative year-round, including a featured spotlight during the World Series and other MLB Jewel events. Notably, in 2011, MLB and SU2C introduced in-stadium SU2C “I Stand Up For” placards, a powerful symbol of fans, Club leadership, managers and players uniting in the fight against cancer.

Image Courtesy of  Dooley Productions / Shutterstock.com

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Chicago, U.S.A. — The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and The Gatorade Company have teamed up to declare July 11, 2012, a day when U.S. sports takes a break from competition, the first annual National Recovery Day.

With high school athletes suffering two million injuries each year(1), National Recovery Day has been established to focus the attention of athletes on the importance of proper athletic recovery in order to continuously perform at their best.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute recommends the following fueling guidelines for proper athletic recovery:

1. Studies show that consuming about 20g of protein as soon as possible following training or competition, can help enhance the muscle recovery process.
2. To speed up your body’s muscle recovery between games or practices, consume approximately 1/2 g of carbohydrate/pound of body weight* when the next workout is less than eight hours away.
3. Drink 16-24 ounces of fluid with sodium for each pound of body weight lost during exercise following a workout or game.

Athletes are constantly on the move from one workout to the next, and proper recovery is essential not only for rebuilding muscle but for sustaining strength. The focus on post-competition routines has been brought to the national stage leading up to and on National Recovery Day with professional athletes including the NY Yankees’ Derek Jeter, Washington Redskins’ Quarterback Robert Griffin III and Carolina Panthers’ Quarterback Cam Newton discussing how proper athletic recovery has allowed them to evolve as an athlete and achieve success in their respective professional sports careers.

As part of National Recovery Day, NATA and Gatorade are asking athletes and athletic trainers nationwide to share their recovery tips on Gatorade’s Facebook and Twitter pages and NATA’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

“How athletes treat their bodies is critical to their performance,” said incoming NATA President Jim Thornton, MA, ATC, PES, CES. “How they prepare and recover physically and how they fuel their bodies before, during and after training or competition all make a difference. We hope that National Recovery Day will serve as a reminder to athletes worldwide to do everything possible to set themselves up for athletic success.”

“We are pleased to team with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association on this effort to emphasize the importance of athletic recovery,” said Asker Jeukendrup, global senior director, Gatorade Sports Science Institute. “By combining our areas of expertise, we are working to ensure athletes are aware that recovering well is the key to coming back a stronger and better athlete.”

For more information on National Recovery Day, please visit www.nata.org or www.gatorade.com.

Image Courtesy of  Herbert Kratky / Shutterstock.com

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Kansas City, U.S.A. — As the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Stars take the field the night of July 10 on FOX, Pepsi MAX is announcing an All-Star roster of its own – the fan-selected Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams American League (AL) and National League (NL) teams comprised of some of baseball’s greatest legends.

Baseball fans across the country voted for their favorite MLB legends on the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams AL and NL ballots earlier this year at MLB.com/PepsiMAX to determine the rosters. From the ballots cast, two lucky consumers – Johnny Perotti representing the AL and Stephen Katchmark representing the NL – have been randomly selected to take the field with the MLB legends in an AL vs. NL match-up, and will campaign for votes to see who will have home field advantage for the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams Game.

To announce the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams AL and NL teams, actor Jay Mohr was on hand at the Pepsi MAX footprint at MLB All-Star FanFest earlier on July 10 with Cal Ripken, Jr. representing the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams AL team and Mike Schmidt representing the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams NL team.

The Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams American League team includes:

• Catcher – Yogi Berra
• First Base – Frank Thomas
• Second Base – Rod Carew
• Shortstop – Cal Ripken, Jr.
• Third Base – Brooks Robinson
• Outfielders - Ken Griffey, Jr., Rickey Henderson and Reggie Jackson
• Starting Pitcher – Jim Palmer
• Relief Pitcher – Dennis Eckersley
• Designated Hitter – Paul Molitor

The Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams National League team includes:

• Catcher – Johnny Bench
• First Base – Fred McGriff
• Second Base – Ryne Sandberg
• Shortstop – Ozzie Smith
• Third Base – Mike Schmidt
• Outfielders – Andre Dawson, Tony Gwynn and Stan Musial
• Starting Pitcher – Randy Johnson
• Relief Pitcher – Trevor Hoffman

“It’s exciting to be part of the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams program because it connects directly with the fans,” said Cal Ripken, Jr., Baseball Hall of Famer and Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams AL shortstop. “The guys on the AL and NL rosters are some of the greatest players of all time, and it’s truly an honor to be chosen by the fans for their Field of Dreams Team.”

Perotti, a Rochester, NY resident and five of his friends will join five MLB Legends from the AL roster for a baseball game against Katchmark, who is from Washington D.C., his five friends and five MLB Legends from the NL team.

Now it’s up to the fans to decide which team will have home field advantage. Between now and August 15, 2012 fans can go to MLB.com/PepsiMAX to view videos from Perotti and Katchmark and vote for which hometown - Rochester, NY or Washington, D.C. – will host the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams Game. Once determined, Pepsi MAX will plan the baseball game in the winner’s hometown.

“Pepsi MAX is looking forward to creating a once-in a lifetime experience for Johnny Perotti and Stephen Katchmark,” said Heidi Sandreuter, Senior Director, Pepsi Sports Marketing. “It’s not every day that you get to take the field with some of the greatest players of the game and we are excited to find out which hometown will be hosting the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams Game.”
For more information on the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams program, visit MLB.com/Pepsi MAX.

Image Courtesy of Aspen Photo / Shutterstock.com

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Ottawa, Canada — The most popular professional sports league in North America, the National Football League (NFL), has the most “socialist” economic system of the four major leagues inNorth America, based on an assessment by The Conference Board of Canada – the latest in its series on the pro sports market.

“It is somewhat ironic that America, land of capitalism and free enterprise, is so fond of a league that has made sharing the wealth fundamental to its business model,” said Glen Hodgson , Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist.

In the National Football League, more than 80 per cent of league and club revenues are shared among the franchises. The NFL also has a “hard” salary cap that puts a ceiling on the amount of money franchises can pay players, one that applies equally to all teams. The one market-driven aspect is the NFL’s treatment of player talent- both in terms of the high salaries paid to top stars and the ease with which players can be discarded.

Moving from the economic “left” to “right”, the National Hockey League (NHL) is similar to the NFL in having a hard player salary cap. As part of the current collective bargaining agreement with its players – negotiated in 2005 and now expiring – the NHL has a salary floor and a complex revenue-sharing system. The NHL is willing to provide subsidies to its weaker clubs to protect the value of the stronger franchises, since bankruptcy of any team is not a good signal to prospective investors.

“The NHL model is a mixed economy which does try to equalize opportunity for all its franchises to be successful on the ice and profitable in the books,” said Hodgson. “The challenge for the NHL and its players in collective bargaining this year is to tweak this system without undue disruption to the business. Hopefully, both management and the players have learned from their experience in 2004-05 and they will not risk losing another season in these negotiations.”

Both the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball operate much like a modern capitalist economy. In general, the financial playing field in these leagues is not level, and the largest, richest markets and teams tend to be the most successful. Top players command massive salaries, which leads them overwhelmingly to suit up for the wealthiest teams.

No league in North America, however, compares to European football (or soccer) for unconstrained capitalism. The presence of unbelievably wealthy owners, little sharing of revenue among teams and leagues, and eye-popping player salaries is reminiscent of the “robber baron” era of capitalism in the 19thcentury. Clubs are very much on their own. The current liquidation of the Scottish club Rangers FC – one of the most storied teams in Europe – shows there is little financial security or assistance to those that slip.

Image Courtesy of  Richard Paul Kane / Shutterstock.com

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New York, U.S.A. - Two things immediately come to mind this time of year – baseball and iced coffee. Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, has all your bases covered this summer season. New York Mets Manager Terry Collins and New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi will be featured in a two month campaign in the New York Metro area to promote Dunkin’ Donuts Caramel, Mocha and the new Mocha Almond Iced Coffee flavors.

Dunkin’ Donuts will showcase both managers through a multi-tiered promotional campaign. Collins and Girardi will be featured in the television and radio campaign, “Fuels Any Series,” which will spotlight the friendly rivalry between both managers, with Collins promoting Mocha Iced Coffee and Girardi promoting Caramel Iced Coffee.

Additionally, the managers’ likeness will be prominently displayed in Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants throughout the New York Metro area, including store standees, door decals and in-store POP. The “Fuels Any Series” campaign will also be leveraged through Dunkin’ Donuts’ various social media channels during the promotion.

“It is an honor for Dunkin’ Donuts to partner with both Terry Collins and Joe Girardi for this exciting promotion. Dunkin’ Donuts has a long standing relationship with both the Yankees and Mets and this partnership will be a fantastic way to highlight Dunkin’ Donuts’ leadership in the iced coffee category,” saidRuss Romeo, Field Marketing Director for Dunkin’ Brands in the Mid-Atlantic Region. “Whether you are a Yankees fan or a Mets fan, Dunkin’ Donuts is sure to fuel your summer!”

Collins was named the 20th manager in Mets history on November 23, 2010 and has led the Mets to a 31-25 record this season. He first joined the Mets in 2010 as a Minor League Field Coordinator overseeing all on-field aspects of the Mets’ Minor League Spring Training, mini camps and Fall Instructional League. Collins previously spent six years as a major-league manager leading the Anaheim Angels and Houston Astros to winning records and second place finishes.

Girardi became manager of the Yankees in 2008, and led the team to their 27th World Championship in 2009. Girardi led the Yankees to the post-season the past three years, and currently has the Yankees near the top of the American League East with a 30-24 record. During his playing career, Girardi spent 15 seasons as a catcher in the big leagues, winning three World Championships with the Yankees (1996, 1998 and 1999).

Dunkin’ Donuts has been at the forefront in developing an innovative process for brewing iced coffee, which has set the standard for the industry. The unique process, called double brewing, uses twice the amount of coffee when making the beverage to achieve consistent flavor and freshness that are never compromised at the expense of serving it cold. The result is a smooth, rich taste sensation–iced coffee that is never bitter or watered down.

Image Courtesy  of  jason aron / Shutterstock.com

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Yankees fans can now breathe at least somewhat of a sigh of relief.

Closer Mariano Rivera – a 12 time All Star and the all-time saves leader with 608 over his illustrious career – announced late Friday afternoon that he will not retire after suffering both a torn ACL and partially torn meniscus in his right knee while shagging fly balls during Thursday’s batting practice in Kansas City.

“I am coming back,” said Rivera, a five time World Series champion. “Write it down in big letters…I’m not going out like this.

“I love to play the game. To me, going out like this isn’t the right way… I don’t think like that. With the strength of the Lord, I have to continue.”

The 42-year-old Rivera’s right knee buckled after he extended his reach for a fly ball near the warning track of left-center field in Kauffman Stadium, causing him to critically injure it. Unlike most pitchers, Rivera actually enjoys shagging fly balls during batting practice, and makes it a part of his daily workout routine.

Rivera publicly hinted at the possibility of this being his final season in the Majors just before the 2012 campaign got underway. With that in mind, everyone who loves/works for the Yankees organization was certainly apprehensive that the freak injury could ultimately be the final straw for the greatest closer to ever take the mound.

But according to Rivera, a decision to not call it a career was made last night after speaking with Dr. David Altchek – the same doctor who performed shoulder surgery on him back in 2008. They discussed a time frame, and Altchek told Rivera that he could return somewhere between three and five months.

“Dr. Altchek said I could be back in three, four, five months,” Rivera said. “He said, ‘You’re a fast healer.’ I will do my due diligence, my research. I will talk to whoever I have to. Yeah, it hurts me, I’m sorry that I let my teammates down, but at the same time, I’m positive. I’m positive. This is going to pass. This is going to pass.”

If the recovery process does work out as Altchek claims the possibility of Rivera returning before this season’s conclusion could be a reality.

The popular consensus is that Yankees manager Joe Girardi will slide setup man David Robertson into the closer’s role until Rivera makes his way back onto the field.

Most believe that Robertson will eventually become the full time closer once Rivera walks away from the game. He is yet to allow a run in 11 innings of work this season, and finished the 2011 season with an astonishing 1.08 ERA and his first All Star Game selection.

Rivera’s contract with New York expires at the end of this year, but he is not concerned about not returning to the team as long he proves that he is healthy and can still get the job done.

The one they called Sandman just smiled and said, “They will want the old goat.”

In nine appearances this season Rivera has posted a 1-1 record, a 2.16 ERA and has converted five out of six save opportunities after blowing one during the first game of the season in Tampa Bay against the Rays.

Image Courtesy of    Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.com

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The July 31st trade deadline, came and went, without the Yankees acquiring the help they so desperately needed. The Yankees needed a major pitching upgrade before the trade deadline.

Why did the Yankees need an upgrade? — Put succinctly, because of their nemesis the Red Sox. If the postseason started today, you can bet all the marbles that the Yankees starting pitching staff would be outperformed by a superior Red Sox starting pitching staff.

If the currently constructed Yankees starting pitching staff faced the Red Sox offense today, a can of worms would surely be opened; The Red Sox have such a potent offense this year, and the way I see it, the Yankees really only have one reliable pitcher in ace C.C. Sabathia. Thus, the Yankees do not stand a chance with their currently structured starting rotation.

As Bob Klapisch pointedly writes in a recent article, “Truth is, there’s no one behind Sabathia the Yankees can trust in October. Not A.J. Burnett (a .500 pitcher forever prone to blow-ups), Phil Hughes (still searching for his fastball), Freddy Garcia (a fake-out artist whose margin of error is too thin for the postseason) and Colon (who hasn’t thrown this many innings since 2005).”

Klapisch also rightly points out that Colon has the best stuff besides Sabathia, but cannot be counted on as a No. 2 starter during the post season, due to his age (37) and his “vulnerability to breakdown”. Colon has already been on the disabled list once this year.

The truth of the matter is, the Yankee will most likely regret their decision to not trade for more pitching weather it be the starting rotation or the bullpen. Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos, the two prospects that Brian Cashman seems to be enamored with, will hopefully be as valuable as he thinks they will.

Hopefully, the silver lining that comes out of this deadline, will be the big league debut of both Betances and Banuelos. If it is any consolation, Cashman seems prepared to bring up the young minor league talent if needed for the final two months of the season. In a Wall Street Journal article by Daniel Barbarisi, Cashman is quoted as saying “Betances has got it.

Warren’s got it. Phelps has been on the DL but he’s got it. Noesi, Montero, Romine. There’s a number of directions that can be taken with a number of these guys. We’ll see in 2011 if some of them can play a part or not. I can’t tell you yet. We’ll just let it play out,”

If the Yankees decide to keep them in the minors for the next 3-4 years there could be dire consequences. The Yankees might see both players value drop and then not be able to trade for a player of star caliber. Cashman may have Kept Jesus Montero for too long. Did he make the same mistake with Betances and Banuelos? Did Cashman pass on the chance to sell, when their value might have been at its highest?

Despite all these unanswered questions, Brian Cashman sounds like a pretty confident guy. Cashman seems ready to do the unthinkable. Cashman, sound ready to do something that hasn’t been done since the core four (Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte) came up to the big leagues in 1996. Cashman sounds ready to really on prospects in the Yankees farm system.

As written in the Wall Street Journal article, Cashman says, “There’s some guys I feel we can rely on, and count on, if need be, as choices as we move forward, I think we’re getting deeper, We have a stronger system, so I don’t think we’re in a position as we have been in years past where we might have had to go out and do something no matter what,”

Maybe Cashman is taking the right approach after all these years.  After all, relying on heavily touted prospects worked for the Yankees during their triumphs of the late 90’s.

From the season of 96’ to the season of 00’, the Yankees won four World Series Championships. This remarkable five-year stretch was done with smart acquisitions and trades for a laundry list of veteran player. These veteran players included the likes of, Paul O’Neil, Tino Martinez, David Cone, Wade Boggs and Scott Brosius and Dwight Gooden. In addition to bringing in outside help the Yankees brought minor league talent up through their very own farm system. These players included the core four (as mentioned before) as well center fielder Bernie Williams.

This years Yankees could resemble the 1996 team. Currently the Yankees have lots of talent brought in from outside, but many talented players in the minors who could give this 2011 Yankees team a boatload of needed help. Having a mixture of outside help and homegrown help breads success. Like the Yankees of the late 90’s look at the Red Sox.

They have traded and acquired players like David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, John Lackey and Carl Crawford yet brought up just as many prospects from their farm system including, Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester Kevin Youkillis and Clay Buchholz.

Setting up a roster with a balanced approach of, outside help and homegrown help is the key to success. This approach has proven to be the winning approach time and time again. Looking at history, it looks like Cashman played his cards right this time.

Richard Paul Kane / Shutterstock.com

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Since the Red Sox left the Bronx on June 9th, the Yankees have striven to put the ugly three game sweep at the hands of their archrivals in the review mirror. The Yankees have a record winning record of 7-2 since the Red Sox left town.

As their nickname the Bronx Bombers suggests, the Yankees have hit the long ball and trounced opposing teams on the scoreboard since the Red Sox left town. In four out of the nine games, the Yankees have scored at least 9 runs, one in which they scored 11 and two in which they scored 12.

First, the Yankees took three of four games against the Indians, who where in first place at the time.  Then, the Yankees swept the impressive American League Champion Texas Rangers, who have one of the best offences in baseball with a lineup that includes, Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton. On back-to-back nights, against the Rangers, the Yankees scored 12 runs.

Tonight (June 19), the Yankees will face the Chicago Cubs in the rubber match of the series—a nationally televised game on ESPN. The Yankees rebounded from a loss to the cubs on Friday, taking yesterdays game with a score of 4-3.  If the Yankees win tonight they will have a record of 8-2 in the past 10 games.

In comparison to the rest of June, the Yankees split stats for the past seven days have significantly improved. In the past seven days the Yankees have recorded 83 hits, before this they only had 66 hits in the month of June. During past seven days, the Yankees have also recorded more than half their home runs for the month of June; the Yankees have a total of 21 home runs in the month of June, with 11 of those coming in the past 7 days.

Additionally to these improved offensive categories for the Yankees over the past seven days, are the categories of, runs (R), runs batted in (RBI), batting average (BA), on base-percentage (OBP), and slugging percentage (SLG).

For the month of June, the Yankees have recorded more than half their runs in the past seven days, scoring 45, which brings the run total for the month to 83; the team had only 38 hits for the month of June before this. The Yankees have also recorded more than half their RBI’s for the month of June in the past seven days; the RBI total in the past seven days is 44 compared to just 37 previously, bringing the total for the month of June to 81.

The Yankees have had a batting average of .311 in the past seven days compared with .260 for the rest of June.  Similarly, the Yankees have had an on base-percentage of .403 and slugging percentage of .498 in the past seven days; compare this with the rest of June and the Yankees had an on base-percentage of .345 and a slugging percentage of  .451.

All in all, since the Red Sox left down on June 9th, the Yankees have been playing as well as possible, especially for a team marred by injury after injury during the past couple of weeks.  First it was Joba Chamberlain, who was diagnosed with a torn elbow ligament on June 9th (the day the Red Sox left town), then it was Bartolo Colon, leaving a game against the Cleveland Indians on June 11 with a strained hamstring, then it was the blow of all blows to the Yankees roster, beloved captain Derek Jeter leaving June 13 game against the Indians with a strained calf.

Despite their injuries, the Yankees have been able to play as good as they have all year in the past week. It could be a blessing in disguise that the Red Sox came to town; the Yankees have appeared to be playing with a chip on their shoulder since being swept by the Red Sox.

If anything, the Yankees fortitude over the past two weeks, between both the shellacking from the Red Sox and the three devastating injuries, proves that the 2011 Yankees ball club has a tremendous amount of fight. The resilience of the ball club over the past two weeks, demonstrates that the Yankees have a veteran group of players that know how to fight when the going gets tough. The veterans will have to continue to fight if the Yankees are going to keep pace with the Red Sox, especially with the costly injuries that the team has recently had.

Richard Paul Kane / Shutterstock.com

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For the Yankees, last week’s three game series against the Red Sox was as disastrous on the field as it was off.  The Yankees got pulverized all three games due to bad at-bats and bad pitching.

The first game in the Bronx, on Tuesday night, started with three runs for the Red Sox in the first inning. Also, unfortunately for the Yankees, Teixeira was hit in the leg by a pitch thrown by Lester. Teixeira left the game, and the Yankees were left without any offense: his early departure was likened to a bad omen that the worst was yet to come.  The Red Sox continued to pitch and hit better than the Yankees and mounted a 6-3 lead by the start of the sixth inning. Usually, this wouldn’t have been much cause for concern, but due to a bullpen that has been marred by injuries and an offence that was greatly weakened by Teixeira’s absence, things looked ultimately hopeless for the Yankees. The Red Sox went on to win 6-4, despite a valiant but futile attempt by the Yankees, who scored one final run in the 9^th inning.

The second game, on Wednesday night, started very much like the first game with the Red Sox jumping ahead with a 3-0 lead in the first, thanks to a two run homer by Ortiz, who had also homered in Tuesday night’s game. Essentially, the Red Sox continued to out-bat and out-pitch the Yankees while Burnett struggled on the mound. The Yankees offense wasn’t able to compensate for his mistakes, and the Red Sox pulled out a win for the second straight night in a row, with a walloping 11-6 victory.

After being defeated for two consecutive games on their own field, the Yankees had an opportunity to pull out a much-needed win during game 3 of the series.  The news that Yankees bullpen pitcher, Joba Chamberlain, is sitting out for the rest of the season due to an upcoming Tommy John surgery on a torn elbow ligament was announced right before the start of the game. This news did little to settle fans nerves. Additionally, a three-hour rain delay stymied the start of the game. Once the game got underway the Yankees actually put two runs up in the first inning, thanks to a home run by Curtis Granderson. Unlike the first two games, the Yankees kept the game close, but when the Red Sox offense blew open a huge lead in the 7^th, scoring 7 runs, the Yankees offense could not keep up. The Sox swept the Yanks 8-3 in what felt like a crushing blow to the chin.

The cherry on top of the Red Sox’s three game sweep was the fact that they have now won six straight games in the Bronx this season. They are clearly one of the best teams in baseball, both offensively and defensively as well having quality pitching. New York’s beloved Yankees have a lot of kinks to work out, and weak spots to fill, if they are going to stand up to power-house team like the Red Sox in the post-season.

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