The Captain’s advice to the rookie
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Aug 21, 2010 
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Eduardo Nunez has been in the big leagues for three days now. He showed up Thursday afternoon, made his major league debut Thursday night and got in as a defensive replacement on Friday.
Before his first big league start, Nunez got some advice from the Yankees captain.
“I told him to cut his hair,” Derek Jeter said. “He had that mohawk. I said, ‘Get rid of that and you’ll be alright.’”
“He’s so nice,” Nunez said.
Maybe the haircut did the trick. Nunez’s first major league hit — he’s fifth Yankee to get his first big league hit this season — stood as the game winner, scoring Austin Kearns and sparking a three-run seventh inning. When he got to first base, Nunez pumped his fist to the Yankees bench, where every player had come to the front of the dugout to cheer. When the ball came in from the outfield, Nunez kissed it before it was sent for safe keeping.
“I’ll give it to my mom,” Nunez said. “I was so excited. I don’t know what I did.”
The Yankees will remember. With Alex Rodriguez heading for the disabled list, Joe Girardi said right now the plan is to stick with Nunez and Ramiro Pena at third. Girardi could have pinch-hit Brett Gardner for that seventh-inning at-bat, but he said he was happy with Nunez’s at-bats earlier in the game.
“I know how nerve wracking it is to be a rookie and trying to get your first hit and make a good impression on your teammates,” Mark Teixeira said. “He did all of it in one swing.”
Associated Press photo of Jeter and Nunez
LOL Jete – he does a good job of making the rookies feel at home (and he’s got a sly sense of humor). How cool that the whole bench came up to cheer for him……..
I love it when these kids, no matter what team, get their first hits – they are bursting with pride and so are their families. They work their tails off to get to the majors and that moment will never be forgotten.
I agree with Jete – ditch the ‘hawk
The nice thing about these rookie firsts and milestones is that they get DVDs and recordings to keep for posterity.
Jeter is the last person anyone should be taking haircut advice from.
Baseball, yes; hair, no.
And while I’m not happy that Arod is out, I’m not worried that the team will fall apart without him. We don’t want to be Sux south. There is no reason in God’s green earth to take chances with any player’s health. We don’t need to and hopefully we won’t. The Yankees are a well-stocked organization.
And let me say this about Ramon Pena. The kid can flash some leather. He hasn’t been hitting well this season (he hasn’t been hitting and I didn’t mean to imply that he has gotten timely hits. The point is that he is a really good defensive player and if his offense is the difference between the Yankees winning and losing then you might as well give up the season.) The Yankees have a well-stocked offense. They don’t need to rely on Pena for that.
People were convinced that the offense was gone for good. They came out of their slump and turned things around.
A marathon, not a sprint.
GB…..Just please tell me that Laird carries better leather than Hector ( # 11 ) Lopez…..Hector could hit and always seemed to deliver in the late innings…I remember him hitting a homerun into the rightfield ( Yankees bullpen ) the short hopped the exit door screen, a mighty past….Not sure how and when he came to the Bronx, but he always looked old on his Topps Cards……
# pat August 21st, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Jeter is the last person anyone should be taking haircut advice from.
Baseball, yes; hair, no.
lol
Cute picture!
trisha
There is a big difference between Alex being out for 15 days and the Sox who have been decimated by injuries. You hate the Sox but be fair about the injuries.
One thing that has really changed the last 2+ years has been how the veteran players have helped the rookies.
The Yankees Clibhouse used to ne a very dark place for rookies a few years ago.
Not naming names but there were some guys who went out of their way to not help younger players.
I particularly remember one veteran player no longer with the team berating Arod for working and socializing as much as he did with Cano and Cabrera.
Thankfully, that attitude has changed and changed for the better.
Yanks’ Killer Bs movin’ on up
By Benjamin Kabak
We heard the rumblings late last night, and now it’s official: Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances have been promoted to AA Trenton. The two young phenoms, both subjects of recent glowing scouting reports by Frankie Piliere, join Andrew Brackman, Hector Noesi and Adam Warren in a power-packed rotation just a train ride away from New York City. Here’s to hoping the Yanks’ pitching future is now one step closer.
HOPE Week is the subject of the day on NBC Nightly News. They included all five days. Well done
SJ tell us come on! Who was it!
GB,
I saw Noesi throw in the Futures Game.
Mechanics were up and down. Was really impressed with the breaking ball it was nasty.
Fastball was about 92-93. A little too straight for my tastes.
He has a live arm. Looked to me to be a back of the rotation type of guy.
Nothing close to front of the rotation talent like Brackman, Betances and Banuelos.
I’ve seen Nova a few times.
When he keeps his emotions in check, I thought his stuff was a little more refined than Noesi.
Both guys though can be functional fill in/back of the rotation guys for a team like the Yankees, IMO.
Abreu?
SJ give us a clue, who was it??
LMAO, yeah, Hector wasn’t the slickest glove man going, but, what a clutch stick, huh? Laird is much better. Probably better than Boggs was when he started…much better arm. Lopez came to the Yanks in 1959 in the deal with Ralph Terry for Jerry Lumpe, Johnny Kucks and Tom Sturdivant.
SJ…..That’s why a have such a fond memory of Bobby Murcer and Gene Michaels, real good with the young guys who were just really visiting spring camp…..
Probably Sheffield
SAS – what’s wrong with your legs?
Haha, you’ve made me curious, SJ.
Knowing that you can’t reveal who, I’ll try to speculate.
IMO, definitely not Abreu. He was too quiet and apparently had embraced the NY nightlife a bit too much, being seen taking those two out in particular quite a bit.
My bet is on Mussina.
Tom in N.J. August 21st, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Abreu?
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I doubt it was Abreu-he and Cano were/are good buddies.
Eduardo Nunez…I’m liking this kid…he just seems to have IT
Not Abreu. He was a sweetheart with Cano and Melky.
Sheffield. on the other hand had a bad reputation with others or so I remember.
SJ – that’s great about today’s clubhouse atmosphere.
We understand about confidences and all….But you’re killing us with not knowing who it was!
SJ – that’s great about today’s clubhouse atmosphere.
We understand about confidences and all….But you’re killing us with not knowing who it was!
Giambi?
After all, he did team up with Torre and Verducci to contribute quotes to that article ripping Rodriguez during his down year in 2006…
Looks like I missed out on a great game. Last I saw Cano had broken up the mini no-no. Congrats to Nunez. What did Joe call him? Noony? Noonzy?
Need Boston & TB to lose. It’ll be a tough home stretch with a lot of division games.
SAS,
Thanks for the heads up. Should be a few more hours, but that’s terrific that they made the national news.
UnKnown August 21st, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Probably Sheffield
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That was my first thought too.
Maybe it was Miguel Cairo
was at the game today and that was a bomb (Hr)…….
ERIN and SAS-
I know, I couldn’t remember any other Veteren who’s no longer with the Yanks. My apologies to Bobby.
“Giambi?”
____________________________
Always the man with younger players.
I remember him taking one more obscure rookie out to dinner a couple years back. Can’t quite remember who it was though.
Who would have the nerve to scold Alex? Cuts down on the suspects. Don’t think it’s Giambi. He’s like a social butterfly.
Maybe if you run into SJ at a tavern and buy him a few Blue Moons he just might scribble that name on the back of a cocktail napkin….Just like the GM’s used to make trades at the Hotel bars
Its not in me not to be thrilled for any kid getting that first ML hit. Yankee or no.
Tom in NJ,
lol. I forget some of the Old Timers who played for the Yankees not so long ago. Forget about the one who played a while back.
watching gmen game.
who get tossed in a prseason game
jesusmonterofordh August 21st, 2010 at 7:14 pm
watching gmen game.
who get tossed in a prseason game
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lol, was just thinking that.
The clubhouse issues was the biggest hurdle Cashman had in recruiting CC.
To his credit, he was honest with CC about the situation and challenged him to be part of the solution.
To his credit, it worked.
i saw taylor throwing punches, did nicks throw too lol
I’m out for the evening-everybody have a good night
Have fun guessing who the mystery player was. I’m still going with Sheffield as my official guess.
I have it on, but the LIGHTS WENT OUT for a second and I have to wait for the TV to reboot. Modern amenities.
Just saw the branyan hr off of vazquez.
What a shot.
Now that Nova is up ,Javy should miss his next start esp . if Nova looks good.
They aren’t going to a 6 man rotation.
I don’t think Giambi – Pete wrote that one year, maybe 2007, Giambi rented a bus to take all the young guys out to dinner one night, picked up the whole tab, and told them that was how you treat people who are behind you.
Pat M,
There you go! lol
It’s amazing how much the difference the clubhouse is from what it was a few years ago.
Among players, it’s now considered one of the best clubhouses in the game and Cliff Lee knows all about it.
have fun Erin
“What did Joe call him? Noony? Noonzy?”
Eddy?
I noticed the other day in an interview that Joe has 2 “Robbie’s” – Cano and D-Rob. Both are keepers so someone needs to change their name.
didn’t Mussina once had a problem with the rookies?
I love the way cashman was honest with cc telling him the clubhouse would change or he wanted it to change with cc being a part of it.
No sugarcoating it,just the raw truth.
CC had to respect that.
Mussina, Randy Johnson and Sheffield seemed to be the departed curmudgeons.
Man i hope we get lee next year.
That Branyan HR was over my head in RF. Everyone was amazed at how high and hard he hit it. Thank goodness you don’t get extra runs for distance lol.
Just saw on MLB, on the scroll line, that Tampa sent Jeremy Hellickson down to single A, despite his 3-0 and sub-3 ERA. Does anyone have a clue as to what that’s about?
3 of the 5 SP really scare me
# Joe from Long Island August 21st, 2010 at 7:26 pm
That Branyan HR was over my head in RF. Everyone was amazed at how high and hard he hit it. Thank goodness you don’t get extra runs for distance lol.
Just saw on MLB, on the scroll line, that Tampa sent Jeremy Hellickson down to single A, despite his 3-0 and sub-3 ERA. Does anyone have a clue as to what that’s about?
It doesn’t matter where he gets (his work) done, just so he does it,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “He’ll get a little side work, cut back on his innings, just trying to monitor him the rest of the season and utilize him the best way we can.”
with the way AJ & Vas are pitching right now winning a playoff rd is going to be tough
Thanks for your insight, SJ. I just always liked Noesi’s fastball and that nasty curve.
pat August 21st, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Mussina, Randy Johnson and Sheffield seemed to be the departed curmudgeons.
………………………………………
I agree. None would ever qualify for Mr. Personality.
Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis are expected to in the rotation soon
Everybody moving up a start means AJ on Fri, CC on Sat and ??? on Sunday vs the White Sox. It could be Nova, Javy or Mosely.
Carl – That all sounds logical, thanks. However, (having nothing to do with you) I trust Joe Maddon as much as I do a convicted felon.
We are down to a 3 man bench.
I doubt it was Mussina. Despite being a curmudgeon I don’t think he is against helping people. He is currently coaching a basketball team and a baseball team for kids, so like, why would he be against rookies?
Henrich batted left and threw left. Throughout much of his career he claimed to have been born in 1916, saying later that this was to make up for the three years that he lost by playing softball instead of baseball. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1934, but was ruled a free agent in April 1937 after he and his father wrote to Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who decided that the Indians had illegally concealed him in their farm system.
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GB is a walking BB encyclopedia. I would never have guessed a player had been granted FA before Curt Flood was granted FA by the courts.
Maybe the mystery man is Joe Torre….
Joe
I don’t trust em either
My money would be on Mussina. Wasn’t the most lovable Yankee in that clubhouse and his personality was often part of the problem.
BIG AL…….GB saw shoeless Joe Jackson played…….GB would have been casted in Field of Dreams, but he’s still amongst the living
Pat, can you see my middle finger?
Pat M. -
I never came across someone, other than some die hard sports reporters, that have that much BB knowledge at the tip of his fingers.
I imagine he must have been a big fan from early on.
The Hellickson Rules
Jeter’s advice to the rookie: “Don’t think you’ll be playing SS much any time soon and you’ll be fine.”
The Hellickson Rules…going to have to rule in the minors
No I don’t agree about Mussina. He is the type who would hide his head in a book. Do I think he was Mr. Personality, No, but that doesn’t make him a bad clubhouse or team guy.
SJ…..Can I ask a question without giving anything away…how does sj know the inner workings of the Yankee clubhouse???
would like to see the kid here to stay…..he just looks good at the plate
as most everyone knows Mussina just went about his business
anyone else slightly concerned about the Yankee rotation?
I wonder what the attitude in most clubhouses is like towards rookies………..in any case, the Yankees really are a bunch of great guys and because they are, why wouldn’t they want to help the kids? In the future, players like Cano and Phil will be vets and they will want to pass on what they’ve learned…………pay it forward as it were.
Cash is very good with the personal touch when it comes to courting FA. CC was made to feel wanted, not just in terms of $$$, but his personality.
GB….I saw that finger as soon as I hit the submit button…….BIG AL, GB is a treasure here and was the only person that Old Pete would know when to stop pushing GreenBeret7…….He’s an astute baseball guy who has never lost the inner passion for the game……He seems to have mellowed some since his encounters with Nurse Karloff/ Youklis……One of my true favorite people here…Never met him yet, but feels like I’ve known him for along time……Just keep golf clubs away from him
Well if Sabbathia was hesitant about some people in the clubhouse, he didn’t come here until 2009, so it had to be someone that was still on the team in 2009. That rules out Mussina, Sheffield, etc. Unless he just heard the rep but that was because of people that were already gone.
the Yankees really are a bunch of great guys
–
Now they are. Thank god for Cashman and Girardi.
Moose worked with Phil on his curve, so I doubt it was Moose…………..I liked Moose; sure he could be persnickity, but he had a sly sense of humor and was smart.
CC was made to feel wanted, not just in terms of $$$, but his personality.
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But the money certainly helped. I think the money is 90% of it. But the extra 10% that Cashman puts together ends up really putting most other teams out of it.
Moose was only ornery because he was surrounded by idiots. To be a pro sports player with a high IQ and a higher education must be very difficult. Imagine trying to talk to Jeter about anything other than baseball? He allegedly is dumber than a box of hammers, but he has a couple of very important smart areas that has allowed him to have great success: a high baseball IQ, and the right approach to the media.
# sunny615 August 21st, 2010 at 8:11 pm
anyone else slightly concerned about the Yankee rotation?
——————————————————————
you think
The core guys are good guys; I’m not sure which players weren’t so welcoming and I’m not going to bother trying to guess. Cash did a great job of finding guys that were quality people and players and Joe is a real family man; I think opening up that clubhouse to kids, and having a daughter’s day where little girls can run around, was a fantastic idea.
Jeff Nelson on MLB was stunned by what Washington did hanging Lee out for so long. Does anyone see a ‘scorched earth” strategy by Texas because they don’t think they will be able to beat out Cashman this off season?
Another reason the clubhouse is better is because of the new stadium with it’s off limit to media areas. Guys are allowed to be themselves without worrying about who is recording.
As a matter of fact Bondy had an article today in the news complaining about the Yankees clubhouse, most likely because he wasn’t allowed to harass Pettitte & Arod about the Clemens indictment.
Jerk, for sure the $$, but unlike many fans who think players aren’t human and don’t have feelings, I think players do care (at least somewhat) about being made to feel like they are people and not just “assets” to be horded. Cash is shrewd that way – but I don’t think he’s being disingenuous; I think he’s a good guy himself and treats people how he would want to be treated.
Does anyone see a ’scorched earth” strategy by Texas because they don’t think they will be able to beat out Cashman this off season?
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Well he only threw 108 pitches, so its not like the Brewers and CC. Lee has really struggled in August, if he did this for the yankees he’d be thrown under the bus so hard.
Jerkface, I’m staying away from that. I don’t know who “knows” that Jeter is dumb, but I don’t believe it. Most of these guys didn’t go to college, but that doesn’t mean they are not intelligent. I would assume they aren’t as well-rounded as many people because they’ve spent most of their lives doing one thing, but fans or mediots shouldn’t talk because most of them have IQ’s lower than their body temperature
Bondy is an idiot – he wrote an article blaming Joe for Alex’s and Andy’s setbacks. I didn’t read it, just saw the headline
Torre old guard favoritism
Jeter vs Alex
Arod vs Giambi
Old guard vs Damon
Sheffield
Womack
Brown
Johnson
Mussina
The clubhouse was a problem
The Yankees may not have resigned players, but they didn’t lose any due to Joe Torre. No player left the Yankees and went elsewhere of his own volition that I can remember.