Video: Nike’s New Derek Jeter “re2pect” commercial is awesome

 

 

Okay, I know all you non-Yankees fans out there are sick and tired of the “farewell tour” tributes that are being handed out around MLB’s ballparks for #2 Derek Jeter,  I get it.  However, one who is a baseball fan cannot deny the importance “The Captain” has played to the Yankees organization and baseball as a whole.   All one has to do is look at the new crop of shortstop prospects coming up through the various ranks who are wearing #2.  Yeah that’s right, the future star of the game we all love pay tribute to their hero by wearing his number on their back, that’s Re2pect (as Nike would have it).

 

As a baseball fan who has watched Jeter’s entire career unfold, all 5 World Series rings (2 against my beloved Braves)  and 3400+ hits, you get a tip of cap as well, farewell Captain.

 

 

 

Stroman Silences Yankee Bats, Blue Jays Solve Whitley

In an AL East divisional showdown at Rogers Centre Monday night, Marcus Stroman silenced the bats of the New York Yankees as Toronto’s bats went to work quickly helping them to walk away with an 8-3 victory.

Stroman followed up his weakest effort of his young career, which saw him last only 3 2/3 innings (98 pitches, 3 BB) in Yankee Stadium last week, with the best start of his rookie campaign.  The young hurler went a career high 8 innings, surrendering 3 hits and 1 run, while walking 1 and striking out 8.  The eight innings were Stroman’s longest outing thus far as he totaled 114 pitches, 73 (64%) for strikes.  With the win tonight Stroman is now 4-2 with a 4.25 ERA in 2014.

The offense for the Blue Jays came out swinging in the first two innings compiling 7 runs on 10 hits with the big blow being the Adam Lind 3-run home run in the second frame.  Lind who had been limited to pinch-hitting in the previous series against the Reds, quickly found his stroke going 2-4, with a season high 5 RBI, raising his season average to .343.

Chase Whitley who had shut down the Blue Jays in his last start (5 INN, 5H, 2ER, 2K, BB) had his shortest outing of his career in this week’s series opener.  The rookie lasted only 3.1 innings while surrendering 11 H, 8R, 8ER, 3BB, 2K.  Unlike last week Whitley was unable to stay away from the middle of the strike zone and the Blue Jays lineup made him pay and pay dearly for his mistakes.  Tonight’s loss was the first for Whitley who sees his record fall to 3-1, and his ERA jump from 2.56 to 4.07 on the season.

The win pushes the Jays (43-35) 2.5 games ahead of the Yankees (39-36) in the division and helped them remain 1.5 games up on the Baltimore Orioles (40-35) who won 6-4 over the White Sox at Camden Yards on a walk-off 3R HR by slugger Chris Davis.

The Blue Jays and Yankees will face-off again Tuesday night with lefty Mark Buehrle (10-4 2.32) set to duel Yankees hurler, David Phelps (3-4 3.86) in the second game of the three game set.

Look for the Blue Jays to march out the same line-up on Tuesday as they did tonight with the RHP on the mound.  With Lind and Francisco having to play every day this works out well for the club with Jose Bautista more than likely unavailable while healing from a strained right hamstring.