2011 NYY RECAP

THE HOME RUN CONTEST HELD AT THE ALL-STAR BREAK WAS THE YANKEES' SEASON IN A MICROCOSM.

BUDDING SUPERSTAR JASON HEYWARD REPRESENTED THE YANKEES AS ONE OF THREE OTHER AL PLAYERS AND FOUR TOTAL NL HITTERS. HE WENT INTO THE EVENT LEADING MLB WITH 32 HOMERS, HITTING ONE DINGER FOR EVERY 9.8 AT-BATS, A NEAR RECORD PACE.

HEYWARD JUMPED AHEAD WITH A HUGE FIRST ROUND, AND NEEDED ONLY A FEW DINGERS TO MAKE THE SEMIS. HE ADVANCED ALONG WITH EVAN LONGORIA, AND AFTER THE HOUSTON 3B COULD MANAGE ONLY A PAIR OF LONGBALLS, IT SEEMED A FOREGONE CONCLUSION HEYWARD WOULD BRING THE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY BACK TO NEW YORK.

BUT MUCH AS A TALENTED YANKEE TEAM FIZZLED, SO DID HEYWARD, HITTING JUST A SINGLE HR.

THE YANKEES UNDERACHEIVED ALL THE WAY TO A 75-87 MARK. PLENTY OF YOUNG TALENT PROVED ITSELF, AS HEYWARD FINISHED IN THE TOP THREE FOR AL MVP. AARON CONNER, 18, WAS NAMED AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, WHILE 23-YEAR-OLD TIM GRISSOM PLACED THIRD.

OTHER IMPRESSIVE YOUNGSTERS INLUDED INFIELDERS RICHARD GOFF, CLEMENTE SANDOVAL, AND FREDDIE FREEMAN, AMONG OTHERS.

KEYS TO NEW YORK'S FAILURE INCLUDED A PITCHING STAFF THAT MOSTLY COULDN'T NEAR ITS POTENTIAL, COUPLED WITH THE UNCERTAIN FINANCIAL SITUATION THROUGHOUT BASEBALL.

THE ALL-FREE-AGENCY DRAFT LAST WINTER CAPTURED THE IMAGINATIONS OF MILLIONS OF FANS AND ATTENDANCE JUMPED IN MOST BALL PARKS, BUT THE NOVELTY SOON WORE OFF. POOR TEAMS COULDN'T FIND TAKERS FOR OVERVALUED PLAYERS OR YOUNG, POTENTIAL STARS.

THE YANKEES WERE A PRIME EXAMPLE. THE TEAM TRIED DESPARATELY TO RID ITSELF OF ALEX RODRIGUEZ'S LARGE, LENGTHY CONTRACT TO NO AVAIL. DISPATCHING THE FUTURE HALL-OF-FAMER IS OFFSEASON PRIORITY NO. 1

"WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE FINANCIAL FREEDOM TO BUILD A PROPER DYNASTY," SAID NEW YORK GM HANK STEINBRENNER.  

CLASS 3-A ???? FAILED TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS BUT AA TRENTON IMPRESSED, AS THE  THUNDER POSTED AN OUTSTANDING 104-38 RECORD, GOING 52-19 BOTH AT HOME AND ON THE ROAD.

PLAYOFFS
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EASTERN LEAGUE DIVISIONAL SERIES
VS. BINGHAMPTON

TRE 5-4, 9-3, BING 4-2, TRE 9-6
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EL CHAMPIONSHIP

VS. HARRISBURG

HARR.  6-3, 5-2 AND 3-2.
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