What did you want again? 16 mill? Umm, let's take the square root of your figure and add a million and a half, mmm'kay?
In a winter of low risk / high reward deals, Brian Cashman just trumped about every GM in baseball, after he already broke the bank of course, and got Andy Pettite, an experienced veteran with gobs of playoff experience, on the super-cheap.
One year, $5.5 million. That's a pretty impressive deal considering the last figure I heard floating around was one year at $10.5 million. Guess somebody wants to be a Yankee after all...
The amazing thing is that Andy was essentially our #2 starter last year considering how well Mussina did and the injury to Wang. Now he's our 4 or 5? That's pretty sick. C.C., A.J., Wang, Pettite, and Joba? Yeah, let's play ball. (I'm sure the Joba to the Bullpen crap will regurgitate itself again at this point, but let's just ignore it. Sound good?)
This rotation and the depth behind it is very reminiscent of a LoHud piece that came out right after the Yanks faced playoff exile for the first time in 13 years. Pete Abraham elaborated on a concept of a shadow rotation getting innings in and there in case of emergency. With Hughes, Kennedy, Coke, Wright, and Aceves possibly starting the season in Scranton, we have just that. A bunch of kids working to make a name for themselves only if they get the opportunity.
Depth is crucial. Looks like we finally got some.
27 January 2009
26 January 2009
Torre's Out Whoring
*I wanted to use "Say it ain't so, Joe", but that's pretty lame. I like this title best.*
"Classy" Joe Torre went all Jose Canseco on us and wrote a tell-all titled "The Yankee Years". The book, written with help from Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, contains a few juicy bits of gossip in regard to Brian Cashman and Alex Rodriguez. Apparently Joe felt Brian shortchanged him on the way and didn't fight hard to retain his services. Also, some players on the Yankees have called A-Rod A-Fraud. Ooooooh! Scandalous.
Whatever, Joe. Maybe if you stopped using Mo in the 7th and 8th inning you'd still be here. Maybe if you didn't wear out guys like Scott Proctor with daily appearances in game-changing situations you'd of won more regular season games. If Scott Proctor was a dog, Torre would be serving time with Mike Vick for animal abuse.
I respect the Joe Torre era. Don't get me wrong. But the success of the bullpen in 2008 was the forgotten story last year, especially after many years of late-season breakdowns under Torre's watch. Parts of Joe's book are pretty much in line with my thinking though. For example, Torre calls out “big boppers” like Jason Giambi, who the manager felt “wasn’t part of what we prided ourselves on: playing well defensively.” And the decision to get Giambi "made for a whole different dynamic in the Yankees’ clubhouse."
You'll never see me defend Giambi and it's both surprising and refreshing to see Joe take the dancing gold thong bear thing that was Giambi to task. But, at the end of the day, Joe really should've done his job as a manager and taken control of his clubhouse. There were many instances in which Jason, recovering from injury, could've been the DH exclusively and the defensive issue would've been alleviated. I was pretty much clamoring for it during and after the 2003 season. And if you want to talk about defensive pride, what the hell was Chuck "I can't throw the ball from second" Knoblauch doing out there everyday?
A-Rod does get a lot of abuse. From the book: “Whether hitting 450-foot home runs or sunbathing shirtless in Central Park or squiring strippers, Rodriguez was like nothing ever seen before on the championship teams of the Torre Era: an ambitious superstar impressed and motivated by stature and status, particularly when those qualities pertained to himself.” Fair enough. A-Rod's a primadonna, but he's our primadonna, nothing really surprises me about him anymore.
Surprisingly absent form the book is the number of Yankees form the successful Torre years who took steroids, HGH, and other PEDs. The Mitchell report was a who's who of some of my old Yankee heroes from the '96 - '00 run. I guess it's easier to slam the guys you couldn't win with than the guys who injected ability into their asses and won you some notoriety.
Let's remember, before the Yankees, Joe was nothing more than a .500 manager. 14 years later he's a legend. Now he's just an old guy in a LA Dodgers Halloween costume. Read the articles about the book. They have all the interesting stuff anyway.
"Classy" Joe Torre went all Jose Canseco on us and wrote a tell-all titled "The Yankee Years". The book, written with help from Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, contains a few juicy bits of gossip in regard to Brian Cashman and Alex Rodriguez. Apparently Joe felt Brian shortchanged him on the way and didn't fight hard to retain his services. Also, some players on the Yankees have called A-Rod A-Fraud. Ooooooh! Scandalous.
Whatever, Joe. Maybe if you stopped using Mo in the 7th and 8th inning you'd still be here. Maybe if you didn't wear out guys like Scott Proctor with daily appearances in game-changing situations you'd of won more regular season games. If Scott Proctor was a dog, Torre would be serving time with Mike Vick for animal abuse.
I respect the Joe Torre era. Don't get me wrong. But the success of the bullpen in 2008 was the forgotten story last year, especially after many years of late-season breakdowns under Torre's watch. Parts of Joe's book are pretty much in line with my thinking though. For example, Torre calls out “big boppers” like Jason Giambi, who the manager felt “wasn’t part of what we prided ourselves on: playing well defensively.” And the decision to get Giambi "made for a whole different dynamic in the Yankees’ clubhouse."
You'll never see me defend Giambi and it's both surprising and refreshing to see Joe take the dancing gold thong bear thing that was Giambi to task. But, at the end of the day, Joe really should've done his job as a manager and taken control of his clubhouse. There were many instances in which Jason, recovering from injury, could've been the DH exclusively and the defensive issue would've been alleviated. I was pretty much clamoring for it during and after the 2003 season. And if you want to talk about defensive pride, what the hell was Chuck "I can't throw the ball from second" Knoblauch doing out there everyday?
A-Rod does get a lot of abuse. From the book: “Whether hitting 450-foot home runs or sunbathing shirtless in Central Park or squiring strippers, Rodriguez was like nothing ever seen before on the championship teams of the Torre Era: an ambitious superstar impressed and motivated by stature and status, particularly when those qualities pertained to himself.” Fair enough. A-Rod's a primadonna, but he's our primadonna, nothing really surprises me about him anymore.
Surprisingly absent form the book is the number of Yankees form the successful Torre years who took steroids, HGH, and other PEDs. The Mitchell report was a who's who of some of my old Yankee heroes from the '96 - '00 run. I guess it's easier to slam the guys you couldn't win with than the guys who injected ability into their asses and won you some notoriety.
Let's remember, before the Yankees, Joe was nothing more than a .500 manager. 14 years later he's a legend. Now he's just an old guy in a LA Dodgers Halloween costume. Read the articles about the book. They have all the interesting stuff anyway.
24 January 2009
Front and Center
Just because there isn't a whole lot of news out there it doesn't mean there isn't something to gripe about. Today's New York Daily News turns it's discerning eye towards Centerfield and knocks Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera for not being more like Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle.
Wow. Really swinging for the fences on this one. Way to take on the only two position players you have under 25 and knocking them for their career numbers. What kind of research did this one take? Why do you need Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle in center anyway when you got Babe Ruth at third and Lou Gehrig at first? I mean, isn't there already enough production on the Yankees for people to allow two kids to play center and earn the spot outright? Isn't that something to appreciate? What's the point of watching baseball if you're not willing to allow young players from your farm system to develop? And didn't we win several World Championships with the likes of Shane Spencer, Rickey Ledee, and Chad Curtis in Left?
How many other guys on this team could you knock instead? And how many are more deserving as well? You got the newly, perennially injured Matsui playing out the last year of his contract. He's done well for himself financially during his tenure in the Bronx but is severely lacking rings. Derek Jeter is an icy persona of a New York sports hero who really can't play his position any longer. When does this soap opera get played out? Jorge Posada is diluted enough to think he can, should, and will play in the World Baseball Classic after a major season-ending injury. A-Rod is, well he's A-Rod, there's always something there. Johnny Damon is a wildly overrated player who may or may not hit, and is a shocking liability defensively. Xavier Nady played with us for only a few months. Nick Swisher hit .219 last year. Mark Texiera went for the most money. Robinson Cano needs to shape up or ship out.
The point is, everybody's got their baggage. Why target the two guys who will no doubt hit 9th everyday. What does that prove?
The worst thing about it is the poll the Daily News added to get a feel for what we, the fans, think.
And you f'n fans make me sick. When asked who the Yankee Fans think should patrol Yankee Stadium between Damon, Swisher, Melky, and Gardner, the overwhelming majority chose Bernie "I can't even hack it for the Puerto Rican National Team" Williams. Look, I love Bernie. I'll be the first to start the "Retire #51 Petition". But I love 1994-2002 Bernie. That old guy he turned into sucks. It's just the harsh reality of it all and the fact that most fans still pine for him is depressingly pathetic. Let it go. And let Melky and Bret play the game, ya bunch of know-nothing dicks.
Are they All Stars? No. Will they ever be All-Stars? Probably not. Neither will ever get a single vote for MVP in their careers as well. They do possess the ability to play the game though and both have the potential to be effective at the major league level. What more is there? All we're doing is considering a 24 year-old switch-hitter and a 23 year-old with game changing speed. Both are the best you have defensively and neither will get half as embarrassed as Johnny Damon, let alone Bernie f'n WIlliams, would on a daily basis out on that island in center.
What's the big deal?
Wow. Really swinging for the fences on this one. Way to take on the only two position players you have under 25 and knocking them for their career numbers. What kind of research did this one take? Why do you need Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle in center anyway when you got Babe Ruth at third and Lou Gehrig at first? I mean, isn't there already enough production on the Yankees for people to allow two kids to play center and earn the spot outright? Isn't that something to appreciate? What's the point of watching baseball if you're not willing to allow young players from your farm system to develop? And didn't we win several World Championships with the likes of Shane Spencer, Rickey Ledee, and Chad Curtis in Left?
How many other guys on this team could you knock instead? And how many are more deserving as well? You got the newly, perennially injured Matsui playing out the last year of his contract. He's done well for himself financially during his tenure in the Bronx but is severely lacking rings. Derek Jeter is an icy persona of a New York sports hero who really can't play his position any longer. When does this soap opera get played out? Jorge Posada is diluted enough to think he can, should, and will play in the World Baseball Classic after a major season-ending injury. A-Rod is, well he's A-Rod, there's always something there. Johnny Damon is a wildly overrated player who may or may not hit, and is a shocking liability defensively. Xavier Nady played with us for only a few months. Nick Swisher hit .219 last year. Mark Texiera went for the most money. Robinson Cano needs to shape up or ship out.
The point is, everybody's got their baggage. Why target the two guys who will no doubt hit 9th everyday. What does that prove?
The worst thing about it is the poll the Daily News added to get a feel for what we, the fans, think.
And you f'n fans make me sick. When asked who the Yankee Fans think should patrol Yankee Stadium between Damon, Swisher, Melky, and Gardner, the overwhelming majority chose Bernie "I can't even hack it for the Puerto Rican National Team" Williams. Look, I love Bernie. I'll be the first to start the "Retire #51 Petition". But I love 1994-2002 Bernie. That old guy he turned into sucks. It's just the harsh reality of it all and the fact that most fans still pine for him is depressingly pathetic. Let it go. And let Melky and Bret play the game, ya bunch of know-nothing dicks.
Are they All Stars? No. Will they ever be All-Stars? Probably not. Neither will ever get a single vote for MVP in their careers as well. They do possess the ability to play the game though and both have the potential to be effective at the major league level. What more is there? All we're doing is considering a 24 year-old switch-hitter and a 23 year-old with game changing speed. Both are the best you have defensively and neither will get half as embarrassed as Johnny Damon, let alone Bernie f'n WIlliams, would on a daily basis out on that island in center.
What's the big deal?
23 January 2009
Outfield Blues
Sorry I've been more sporadic than usual in regards to this place. I'm taking classes this semester and working, so finding the time to even read a sports section let alone update this blog is difficult. In all fairness though, nothing really is going on.
Sure Nady re-upped and avoided arbitration. And yeah, Melky did the same -- but giving 2 guys a combined raise of $4 MM isn't really that big a deal in a Winter where you signed 3 guys for almost a half a billion dollars. Looking at those numbers, man, I shoulda tried harder in Little League. Every fat, quasi-athletic kid from the Dominican needs a Melky Cabrera poster on his wall. Anything's possible.
Switching gears a little, the Hardball Times, via RAB, has an interesting take on the 2008 outfielders. With a bunch of math and even more free time, John Walsh of THT has produced a number that is representative of the amount of runs that a player would save in a given season playing half the season in his home ballpark. Yeah, I don't get it either so check out Mr. Walsh's site for a better explanation.
Anyway, I've been searching for the right numbers to prove how piss poor Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon were in the outfield last year. I finally found them. Thank you, Hardball Times! Both Damon and Abreu cost the Yanks -9.7 runs below the league average.
This makes perfect sense. Abreu has no range in right, it's nonexistent, and he's afraid of the padded OF walls. He's also one of the slower guys to get the ball back in too once it's past him. He never stretches out and is happy to field the ball on a hop as opposed to actually try and make the out. Wonder why he's still looking for a job?
Damon is a lousy outfielder as well. See. Line drives and fly balls he easily caught with a B on his cap were incredibly elusive once he donned the interlocking NY. Plus simple choppers that bleed through Jeter's glove side are doubles in a Johnny Damon manned CF due to how deep he needs to play and his shocking lack of arm strength. Hopefully he gets the same deal as Giambi next year, DH in Oakland.
How do I know all this? I watch the games. I have no numbers to justify this. Until now. It's great!
Oh and Melky saved 3.0 runs above average and Nady put up a positive 4.4 between Pittsburgh and New York. I tried to find Swisher's numbers, but they're not listed. Whatever. I'm just glad that slowly but surely the truth about Damon's ability is slowly leaking out in his walk year.
Hey Harball Times, next year can you rank the shortstops?
Sure Nady re-upped and avoided arbitration. And yeah, Melky did the same -- but giving 2 guys a combined raise of $4 MM isn't really that big a deal in a Winter where you signed 3 guys for almost a half a billion dollars. Looking at those numbers, man, I shoulda tried harder in Little League. Every fat, quasi-athletic kid from the Dominican needs a Melky Cabrera poster on his wall. Anything's possible.
Switching gears a little, the Hardball Times, via RAB, has an interesting take on the 2008 outfielders. With a bunch of math and even more free time, John Walsh of THT has produced a number that is representative of the amount of runs that a player would save in a given season playing half the season in his home ballpark. Yeah, I don't get it either so check out Mr. Walsh's site for a better explanation.
Anyway, I've been searching for the right numbers to prove how piss poor Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon were in the outfield last year. I finally found them. Thank you, Hardball Times! Both Damon and Abreu cost the Yanks -9.7 runs below the league average.
This makes perfect sense. Abreu has no range in right, it's nonexistent, and he's afraid of the padded OF walls. He's also one of the slower guys to get the ball back in too once it's past him. He never stretches out and is happy to field the ball on a hop as opposed to actually try and make the out. Wonder why he's still looking for a job? 
Damon is a lousy outfielder as well. See. Line drives and fly balls he easily caught with a B on his cap were incredibly elusive once he donned the interlocking NY. Plus simple choppers that bleed through Jeter's glove side are doubles in a Johnny Damon manned CF due to how deep he needs to play and his shocking lack of arm strength. Hopefully he gets the same deal as Giambi next year, DH in Oakland. How do I know all this? I watch the games. I have no numbers to justify this. Until now. It's great!
Oh and Melky saved 3.0 runs above average and Nady put up a positive 4.4 between Pittsburgh and New York. I tried to find Swisher's numbers, but they're not listed. Whatever. I'm just glad that slowly but surely the truth about Damon's ability is slowly leaking out in his walk year.
Hey Harball Times, next year can you rank the shortstops?
20 January 2009
Looking at Tax Free Bonds
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A lot has come out in regard to the new stadium deals for both the Yankees and the Mets. Lupica is in full weasel mode in regard to both deals and some minor political NY figures are taking on the Yankees, looking for political gain and press.
To me, the deals are already made. They're done. Votes were cast and the teams got the money. Both parks are built and season ticket sales are filling them. Some fines and penalties may or may not be levied, but what purpose, outside of proving to us all how corrupt everything is, does all this spilled ink for two baseball teams prove? Especially when former New York Senator and new Secretary of State of State Hilary Clinton did the same thing but with much less fanfare. (First and last politics related post, I promise)
An upstate New York developer donated $100,000 to former President Bill Clinton's foundation in November 2004, around the same time that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton helped secure millions of dollars in federal assistance for the businessman's mall project. Mrs. Clinton helped enact legislation allowing the developer, Robert J. Congel, to use tax-exempt bonds to help finance the construction of the Destiny USA entertainment and shopping complex, an expansion of the Carousel Center in Syracuse. Mrs. Clinton also helped secure a provision in a highway bill that set aside $5 million for Destiny USA roadway construction. The bill with the tax-free bonds provision became law in October 2004, weeks before the donation, and the highway bill with the set-aside became law in August 2005, about nine months after the donation.
This whole issue seems to be something much bigger than two baseball teams.
17 January 2009
News Droppings
On the Swisher and Nady front:
Tyler Kepner of The New York Times checks in today with some good stuff on the possible trades involving either corner OF, citing interest by the Reds, Nats, Braves, and Giants. From the tone of the piece, it looks like the Yankees aren't going to make a trade for the sake of clearing payroll or opening a spot on the roster. It makes sense. Nady and Swisher are two key guys who can play a meaningful factor in all 162.
Brain Cashman was quoted as well, saying:
“It depends on the trade talk, If we feel there’s a benefit, we’ll make a move. That’s basically it. We’re in a position where we don’t have to make a move, so that’s a strong position to be in. We could have them all year. We’re not going to do anything unless there’s a reason to do it.”
I wouldn't force the issue either. I think that this year will be the year of the mid-season acquisition. The free agent class next year is pretty weak and there's a lot of parity in the divisions these days. A lot of teams will be looking to pick up a key piece at the trading deadline and thinking they have enough to make a run.
The Yankees may find a better market for either player in late June than in January.
On the Spring Training front:
From mlb.com and the boys at RAB the Yankees have offered 20 players non-roster invites to Spring Training. The list is as follows:
Pitchers: Kei Igawa, Jason Johnson, Mark Melancon, Sergio Mitre
Catchers: Kyle Anson, Kevin Cash, Jesus Montero, PJ Pilittere, Austin Romine
Infielders: Doug Bernier, Angel Berroa, Eduardo Nunez, Ramiro Pena, Kevin Russo
Outfielders: Colin Curtis, Shelley Duncan, Austin Jackson, Justin Leone, Todd Linden, John Rodriguez
Notables are of course Austin Jackson, Austin Romine, Jesus Montero, and Mark Melancon as they represent the best and the best known names of our homegrown talent. Keep your eyes on Ramiro Pena, Eduardo Nunez and Kevin Russo though. They will get more opportunities in camp than they normally would due to Derek and Alex's commitments to the WBC.
Jason Johnson, Angel Berroa, Kevin Cash, Todd Linden and John Rodriguez all have MLB experience and all more notable than Kei Igawa's, Justin Leone's, Shelley Duncan's, Doug Bernier's. Berroa was in fact the rookie of the year back in 2003 when he beat out Hideki Matsui for the title.
On the Jorge Posada front:
It's not looking like the Jorge will DH for Puerto Rico in the WBC. The Yankees are telling anyone within earshot that Jorge's just not ready for that kind of commitment.
I think we may get a pissing match yet though.
Cash has decreed:
"I am sure he would love to play [in the World Baseball Classic], but he is currently rehabbing from surgery and would not be ready."
"He wouldn't be able to perform. He won't start on time as a catcher in spring training. It's just a fact. There's nothing I can do about it or the player can do about it. We're hoping to have Jorge by Opening Day, but he will not be the opening spring training catcher, I can tell you that."
Jorge's retort:
"This will be my last chance to play for Puerto Rico, and I'm very clear on that. For that reason, I'll do anything possible to be 100 percent, because it is a dream of mine to wear that uniform."
Jorge's Dad even had this to say:
"He feels fine and wants to play for Puerto Rico."
Team Puerto Rico's GM, Lou Mendez mused:
"I would love to have Posada on Team PR. I am waiting to learn his status because of insurance issues."
And finally, Joe Giradi chimed in with:
"Obviously, he's very important to this club," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said recently. "We need him. I'm encouraged right now. ... You can talk about playing three out of four [games] or four out of five, but I think early on the important thing is that we don't abuse him, and allow him to continue to gain strength in that shoulder. I plan on him being our everyday catcher."
I hope this thing dies down and Jorge realizes that he's got to learn 2 new pitchers and needs to have much more of a commitment to the team that signs his paychecks than the country where his dad knocked up his mom.
Tyler Kepner of The New York Times checks in today with some good stuff on the possible trades involving either corner OF, citing interest by the Reds, Nats, Braves, and Giants. From the tone of the piece, it looks like the Yankees aren't going to make a trade for the sake of clearing payroll or opening a spot on the roster. It makes sense. Nady and Swisher are two key guys who can play a meaningful factor in all 162.
Brain Cashman was quoted as well, saying:
“It depends on the trade talk, If we feel there’s a benefit, we’ll make a move. That’s basically it. We’re in a position where we don’t have to make a move, so that’s a strong position to be in. We could have them all year. We’re not going to do anything unless there’s a reason to do it.”
I wouldn't force the issue either. I think that this year will be the year of the mid-season acquisition. The free agent class next year is pretty weak and there's a lot of parity in the divisions these days. A lot of teams will be looking to pick up a key piece at the trading deadline and thinking they have enough to make a run.
The Yankees may find a better market for either player in late June than in January.
On the Spring Training front:
From mlb.com and the boys at RAB the Yankees have offered 20 players non-roster invites to Spring Training. The list is as follows:
Pitchers: Kei Igawa, Jason Johnson, Mark Melancon, Sergio Mitre
Catchers: Kyle Anson, Kevin Cash, Jesus Montero, PJ Pilittere, Austin Romine
Infielders: Doug Bernier, Angel Berroa, Eduardo Nunez, Ramiro Pena, Kevin Russo
Outfielders: Colin Curtis, Shelley Duncan, Austin Jackson, Justin Leone, Todd Linden, John Rodriguez
Notables are of course Austin Jackson, Austin Romine, Jesus Montero, and Mark Melancon as they represent the best and the best known names of our homegrown talent. Keep your eyes on Ramiro Pena, Eduardo Nunez and Kevin Russo though. They will get more opportunities in camp than they normally would due to Derek and Alex's commitments to the WBC.
Jason Johnson, Angel Berroa, Kevin Cash, Todd Linden and John Rodriguez all have MLB experience and all more notable than Kei Igawa's, Justin Leone's, Shelley Duncan's, Doug Bernier's. Berroa was in fact the rookie of the year back in 2003 when he beat out Hideki Matsui for the title.
On the Jorge Posada front:
It's not looking like the Jorge will DH for Puerto Rico in the WBC. The Yankees are telling anyone within earshot that Jorge's just not ready for that kind of commitment.
I think we may get a pissing match yet though.
Cash has decreed:
"I am sure he would love to play [in the World Baseball Classic], but he is currently rehabbing from surgery and would not be ready."
"He wouldn't be able to perform. He won't start on time as a catcher in spring training. It's just a fact. There's nothing I can do about it or the player can do about it. We're hoping to have Jorge by Opening Day, but he will not be the opening spring training catcher, I can tell you that."
Jorge's retort:
"This will be my last chance to play for Puerto Rico, and I'm very clear on that. For that reason, I'll do anything possible to be 100 percent, because it is a dream of mine to wear that uniform."
Jorge's Dad even had this to say:
"He feels fine and wants to play for Puerto Rico."
Team Puerto Rico's GM, Lou Mendez mused:
"I would love to have Posada on Team PR. I am waiting to learn his status because of insurance issues."
And finally, Joe Giradi chimed in with:
"Obviously, he's very important to this club," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said recently. "We need him. I'm encouraged right now. ... You can talk about playing three out of four [games] or four out of five, but I think early on the important thing is that we don't abuse him, and allow him to continue to gain strength in that shoulder. I plan on him being our everyday catcher."
I hope this thing dies down and Jorge realizes that he's got to learn 2 new pitchers and needs to have much more of a commitment to the team that signs his paychecks than the country where his dad knocked up his mom.
14 January 2009
Inmates vs. The Asylum
I alluded to this very recently in my Top Ten Reasons the Yankees Lost in 2008 post. This kind of primadonna crap gets on my nerves. Apparently Jorge Posada is gearing up to DH for Puerto Rico in the WBC. This report is coming from ESPN Deportes, but I'll give the hat tip to RAB for breaking it and the report can be reached here.
While this report is in no way confirmed, we can assume fairly easily that this is something Jorge wants to do. We can also assume, just as easily, that is certainly something that the Yankees do not want him to do. It's a tough call. I'm sure he's dying to play. He never wanted to go on the DL or even get the surgery in the first place last year, so I'm pretty sure he's itching to see some live pitches. I get it and normally I wouldn't have a problem.
The thing is, Jorge is 37 and coming off of reconstruction surgery in his shoulder. Naturally the Yankees want to keep him in-house so they can get their own readings on Jorge's recovery and rehabilitation. Also, they want to ensure that Jorge breaks camp healthy and with all his throwing strength. Any sort of head-first slide, collision at the plate, or what-have you could erase all the hard work he put in over the Winter. It's just a better way to keep tabs on a key player coming off of a serious injury. After all, the Yankees committed 4 more years to him and a bunch more millions before the injury-shortened '08 season. The least Jorge could do is obey the wishes of the team. We'll see about that.
In the interest of fairness though, if I was Jorge I'd stay as far away from any Yankee Spring Training. All the strength and conditioning work that gets done there leads to some horrific season ending injury for a hefty percentage of the team. Obviously I'd prefer Jorge to stay in Florida this Spring and root for Puerto Rico on TV, but all he's really doing is giving the Romaine's, Montero's, Molina's, Cervelli's, Cash's, and maybe even the Nutt's of the world to get some more time in behind the dish they wouldn't normally with Jorge in camp. If he does go to the WBC though, I'd just tell Jorge to get used to DH'ing. Once Matsui's gone he's got 2 more years where he'll be doing it exclusively.
13 January 2009
Honoring A Legend
You know you're getting old when your favorite baseball player gets elected to the Hall of Fame. Rickey Henderson was the first thing I ever noticed about baseball or the New York Yankees for that matter. It was pretty much over from that point on.
My Father used to go to baseball games with a guy named Red. Red knew an MLB umpire and once asked him who was the best baseball player he's ever seen. The umpire, without pause or hesitation said, "Rickey Henderson." Then the umpire did hesitate, but only before admitting "And he'd be even better if we gave him more calls."
That was Rickey Henderson. A brash, arrogant superstar of an athlete of a baseball player. Ridiculously gifted. A freak. Electrifying. A terror on the base paths and absolutely fearless. And the best damn lead-off hitter the game has ever seen.
He knew it too.
In Little League I was happy to patrol left field like Rickey used to in Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately I never got the opportunity to show off my range or wheels. I was happy to dig holes in the outfield with my cleats though and I did that often.
I was also not much of a hitter. At the end of each season the coaches would give me my fielding average instead of my batting average -- surprisingly enough, it wasn't that impressive. But I could always draw walks. I went up there looking to for walks, actually.
Whatever. That ball was scary.
Anyway, whenever I was lucky enough to draw a walk, I'd be on my toes for any opportunity to swipe a bag. Second? Yeah I'm taking second. I'm taking second, then I'm taking third. I'd take home too if it wasn't against the rules in Little League.
In all my baseball fantasies I've ever had, I was to be Rickey Henderson. Too bad for us, there is only one.
Congratulations Rickey! You deserve it. And indeed you were, much like you told us all back when you broke Lou Brock's All Time Steals Record, the greatest of all time.
11 January 2009
Mushmouth's Revenge
I usually never read articles that deal with unsubstantiated clubhouse stuff, but I was bored and bit on an article about a supposed rift between Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira.
It seems that ol' Dribble glass himself, Peter Gammons went on WEEI in Boston, the nation's most obnoxious sports radio station and took some not-so-surprising shots at Teixeira and A-Rod. It seems the guy who used to write Diamond Notes is now just an old, cantankerous Red Sox mouthpiece with a megaphone. He's already in the Hall of Fame for sportswriters so why even try anymore?
Gammo on A-Rod and Tex:
As you probably remember, there was a lot of testiness between Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira when they played in Texas together [...] And I don't think Alex really cares about communicating with other players, we know [that] from Derek Jeter.
You're right Peter. They hate each other. A-Rod hates Tex and Jeter. Jeter hates A-Rod and Tex hates A-Rod. Jeter and Tex are just OK. They don't hang out, but you know how it is. They're all catty little 13 year-old girls.
Gammo on Teixeira:
Also, we haven't really seen Teixeira in a situation where the expectations are really that high, and he's going to have to deal with them in New York. It will be very interesting to see how it goes with the Yankees."
Yeah, Anaheim never expected to win anything last year. They were just satisfied with dominating the AL West. Right again, Pete.
Gammo on Teixera's deal with NY:
The Red Sox didn't know it, and in the end there was nothing they could do about it. He wanted to go to the Yankees, his wife doesn't like Boston -- apparently she doesn't like the stores on Newbury Street or something -- and in the end that's the way it goes.
What a ridiculous homer.
It seems that ol' Dribble glass himself, Peter Gammons went on WEEI in Boston, the nation's most obnoxious sports radio station and took some not-so-surprising shots at Teixeira and A-Rod. It seems the guy who used to write Diamond Notes is now just an old, cantankerous Red Sox mouthpiece with a megaphone. He's already in the Hall of Fame for sportswriters so why even try anymore?Gammo on A-Rod and Tex:
As you probably remember, there was a lot of testiness between Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira when they played in Texas together [...] And I don't think Alex really cares about communicating with other players, we know [that] from Derek Jeter.
You're right Peter. They hate each other. A-Rod hates Tex and Jeter. Jeter hates A-Rod and Tex hates A-Rod. Jeter and Tex are just OK. They don't hang out, but you know how it is. They're all catty little 13 year-old girls.
Gammo on Teixeira:
Also, we haven't really seen Teixeira in a situation where the expectations are really that high, and he's going to have to deal with them in New York. It will be very interesting to see how it goes with the Yankees."
Yeah, Anaheim never expected to win anything last year. They were just satisfied with dominating the AL West. Right again, Pete.
Gammo on Teixera's deal with NY:
The Red Sox didn't know it, and in the end there was nothing they could do about it. He wanted to go to the Yankees, his wife doesn't like Boston -- apparently she doesn't like the stores on Newbury Street or something -- and in the end that's the way it goes.
What a ridiculous homer.
10 January 2009
Nady or Swisher
As we inch closer and closer towards the beginning of Spring Training, more and more reports are surfacing in regards to the futures of Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady. It seems that because of the Mark Teixeira signing, the Yankees now have a glut of corner outfielders and DH types -- an issue I alluded to when I incorrectly predicted why Teixeira wouldn't be a Yankee. Ideally I'd love to carry both and trade Damon instead and have listed my reasons why. That doesn't seem to be the case though as the Yankees are mysteriously satisfied with Johnny Leather. Whatever, just make sure you show him the door at the end of this season.
The Washington Nationals have most recently expressed interest in both players via MLB.com. Because they are the Washington Nationals, I haven't a clue what kind of prospects we could acquire via trade, but on first inspection the most likely candidates would be one of either Elijah Dukes or Lastings Milledge.
I really wouldn't mind acquiring either, as they are both very special players with that unfortunate combination of raw talent and personal issues that may prevent them from reaching their full potentials. I figure the leadership in our clubhouse would hopefully alleviate some of those pressures and issues though. Personally, I would value Dukes more, but not by much. I just remember him crushing, what was I think, his first professional HR at the old Yankee Stadium (that feels weird to type) and I've had my eye on him since. It's pretty much a wash though as either would represent an upgrade CF. I know, I know, I've lobbied against a CF upgrade, but these 2 represent the real type of upgrade I'd gladly accept. Besides, we need some brothas on the team.
There is also interest on behalf of the Cincinnati Reds. I am less inclined to consider this one as the rumored trade chips, on the internet at least, are starting pitchers Bronson Arroyo or Aaron Harang. I am fine with solving the 5th starter spot internally from either Alfredo Aceves, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, or Phil Coke. I am also fine with not ever considering Bronson Arroyo for anything. Aaron Harang is certainly more intriguing, but I want to leave that 5th spot for a homegrown pitcher.
So who goes?
The most attractive trade piece is Nady as it would just be a one year commitment that would no doubt net 2 prospects when the player and his agent, the lovable Scott Boras, enter free agency at the end of the year. Swisher has 3 years and $22 million left on his deal. That plus his .219 average last year would prevent most teams from taking that entire deal on. Plus, Swisher's versatility makes him a necessary component on the 2009 Yankees.
Xavier Nady, we hardly knew ye.
The Washington Nationals have most recently expressed interest in both players via MLB.com. Because they are the Washington Nationals, I haven't a clue what kind of prospects we could acquire via trade, but on first inspection the most likely candidates would be one of either Elijah Dukes or Lastings Milledge.
I really wouldn't mind acquiring either, as they are both very special players with that unfortunate combination of raw talent and personal issues that may prevent them from reaching their full potentials. I figure the leadership in our clubhouse would hopefully alleviate some of those pressures and issues though. Personally, I would value Dukes more, but not by much. I just remember him crushing, what was I think, his first professional HR at the old Yankee Stadium (that feels weird to type) and I've had my eye on him since. It's pretty much a wash though as either would represent an upgrade CF. I know, I know, I've lobbied against a CF upgrade, but these 2 represent the real type of upgrade I'd gladly accept. Besides, we need some brothas on the team.
There is also interest on behalf of the Cincinnati Reds. I am less inclined to consider this one as the rumored trade chips, on the internet at least, are starting pitchers Bronson Arroyo or Aaron Harang. I am fine with solving the 5th starter spot internally from either Alfredo Aceves, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, or Phil Coke. I am also fine with not ever considering Bronson Arroyo for anything. Aaron Harang is certainly more intriguing, but I want to leave that 5th spot for a homegrown pitcher.
So who goes?
The most attractive trade piece is Nady as it would just be a one year commitment that would no doubt net 2 prospects when the player and his agent, the lovable Scott Boras, enter free agency at the end of the year. Swisher has 3 years and $22 million left on his deal. That plus his .219 average last year would prevent most teams from taking that entire deal on. Plus, Swisher's versatility makes him a necessary component on the 2009 Yankees.
Xavier Nady, we hardly knew ye.
2008: Why We Lost
It's over. Finally. 2008 is nothing more than a fading memory.
2009 looks much more promising
We're set. The 2009 Yankees - barring a minor move here and there - are done throwing their weight and money around. The dust is settling and on first inspection we look much improved and much more of a complete team.
The bats we lost with the departures of Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi will be more than adequately replaced with the productions of Mark Teixiera, healthy contributions from Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui, and a full season (possibly) from Xavier Nady.
Pitchers like Sidney Ponson, Darrell Rasner, Carl Pavano, Dan Geise, and Kei Igawa will not be needed to start 51 games due to the ineffectiveness and growing pains of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. The C.C. and A.J. signings more than bridge that gap. Full, healthy seasons from Wang and Joba could potentially provide a cushion for Alfredo Aceves, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, or even Phil Coke to emerge as the 5th starter. Not to mention, Andy Pettite may or may not exist as an option to add more experience and guaranteed innings to an already strong rotation.
The team defense is marginally improved with Teixeira now responsible for digging rushed and errant Jeterian and A-Roddian throws from the dirt. Anyone's better than Giambi in that respect. I do like our chances of pulling off a 3-6-3 double play though and runners on third won't automatically score on slow rollers hit to the right side anymore. So that's a plus. I also think the OF defense will be a tad better with Nady in RF, any combination of Gardner and Melky in CF, and Damon in LF.
But screw 2009. I need to know what the hell went so wrong in 2008 just so I have any chance of avoiding it this time around. Yeah, that's right, it's a top 10 list. I hope you like reading, cuz this one is going to be long, verbose, and cumbersome. Deal with it.
Top 10 Reasons the Yankees Lost in 2008
10. The Transition of Power - Although I hate to think about it, a lot of what the Yankees do is done for pure business reasons as opposed to pure baseball reasons. Take the free agent signing class of 2008 as an example. We locked up
Look, I'm not gonna say these were bad deals, but 4 years for a 36 year-old catcher just might be pushing it a tad. And in the 10 years A-Rod's in pinstripes, the brothers Steinbrenner will certainly make a good return on the investment, especially if he takes on Bonds HR crown, but 10 years is still a really, really long time to put up with Page 6 reports about A-Rod and an old lady who used to be Madonna.
When it was time for Big George to be put out to pasture, Hal and Hank, Hank for certain, needed some time to find their own voices and direction and in the meantime both needed to ensure it would be business as usual in the
9. The F'n Attitude - Every year since 2003, they seem to get a worse and worse start out of the gate. It's a typical season when the Yankees are expected to make a big 2nd half push after the break. By and large they have -- except for 2008. As August came to a close the writing was pretty much on the wall that the playoffs were more of a crapshoot than reality. Which takes me back to the comments and quotes you hear from the high profile players as they languish in April, May, and June. I swear to God, if Jeter, A-Rod, or Damon even once says "it's early" in May when the team has a sub .500 record I'm going to lose it. These guys can't just turn it on anymore. There's no switch. The days of green pep pills and mysterious creams and clears you rub on your body to remove aches and pains are over. If you're over 35, you need to take a day off here and there. Hence the refrain of younger and more athletic you heard Cash chant this off-season. It's a young man's game again. And it's a beautiful thing if you live in
8. Andy Pettite's 2nd Half - This was a killer. Especially when you take into consideration the fact that Andy Pettite is, historically, the most dominant 2nd half pitcher the game has ever seen. Add to that, the HGH mess he found himself in at the beginning of the season. It begs the question of "Just how good was this guy, anyway"?
For the record Andy delivered a piss poor 2nd half in 2008 going 4-7 with a 5.35 ERA. He also helped opposing batters reach lofty career highs with a .302 batting average against. For his career Andy is 112-51 with a .364 ERA. He used to shut teams down in the second half, holding opponents to a .265 avg. Not last year and because of that there may be no this year for Andy in NY.
Have fun in
7. The Kids - Please believe me when I say that not getting Johan Santana was the best non-decision the Yankees front office never made. That being said, would've one f'n win been too much to ask? Seriously Ian. You too Phil.
As bad as Andy was in the second half, these 2 were certainly not world beaters by any stretch. I have all the faith in the world in both of them to be quality MLB arms. I just would've just much preferred going with Ponson and Rasner from day one. The simple truth is they weren't ready. It is evidenced in the fact that as bad as Ponson and Rasner were, and they were very, very bad, they were light years ahead of the gruesome twosome of Kennedy and Hughes.
Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano are in no way excused from this conversation. Both have come virtually out of nowhere to carve out spots with the club, yet neither is established enough to go through the motions and not play the game intelligently and correctly. Robby's slow starts need to end. Melky's got to grow within the game. Both are very young and have all the potential in the world. Cano is obviously the better of the two, but Melky has the ability to change a lot of minds as well.
Melky's bat was the only effective bat early in the season and he clearly got power happy when he hit .299 with 5 HRs in April. Joe had him batting all throughout the lineup early on and I don't think he kept his head. It's obvious when you look at the dwindling production from that point on. 5 HRs in April led to 3 HRs the rest of the way. 24 RBIs in April and May led to 13 RBIs the rest of the way.
It's all pretty much unfounded, hence the lack of links, but rumors circulated midseason in regard to both Melky and Cano's late nights. Bobbby Abreu was also recently cited in some places as a negative influence on the two young Latino players. We'll see....
6. Derek Jeter and his Mystery Wrist - On May 20th, 2008 Derek was hit on the wrist with a pitch. In true Jeterian form, he refused to sit over an extended period of time in favor of a better SS in Gonzalez. Was he hurt? Or is he a "gamer"? Numbers don't lie. Let's ask them.
Granted the numbers are slightly skewed to justify my point, but that's what I do sometimes. In May, June and July, Jeter hit a low, for him, .280 BA -- it dipped as low as .269 over that stretch as well. In August and September, a long enough time for any nagging wrist injury to heal, Jeter sweetly cherry-picked his way to a .343 avg. Just high enough to finish with a .300 batting average, in time to erase any lingering doubts over his contributions.
These facts are further compounded when you take into account what the guys between him were batting over that period. Damon hit .328 in May, June, and July and Abreu hit .294 over that 3 month period. Derek's team record of 20+ instances in which he hit into a double play looks all the more damning in this light if you ask me. Add to that the false "Captain" moniker he proudly cashes in on yet never seems to wear proudly or publically for that matter. Damon talks to the press. Posada makes the guys "Grind It" T-shirts. A-Rod takes all the heat. What the fuck does Derek do?
Lead by example? No thanks, we don't need that example much longer.
5. Jason Giambi and the 5 Hole - Each day Joe Girardi would release the lineup card, I'd cringe whenever I saw "Jason Giambi" listed after A-Rod.
Say what you want about the man's personality. He was generous, fun, silly, jovial, whatever -- he sucked for 7 long years in the Bronx and failed at the doing what we got him for: Continue the dominance from '96-'00, hit like an MVP, and deliver world championships. 20 mill plus a year for a player who injected his ass with steriods never fully came clean and forgot how to hit to the left side. Thanks, Jason. You'll never see me miss or cheer you.
In 2008, with runners in scoring position Jason Giambi delivered a .213 batting average with a .339 OBP. Rally Killer, thy name is Giambi. None of this guy's clutch stats were impressive last year. With 2 out and men in scoring position he hit .216 with a .356 OBP. After the 7th inning in close games Giambi stepped up and delivered a .155 avg with a .286 OBP.
Almost everyone blamed Melky's production last year but in those same clutch situations, the Melk-Man hit .22o with RISP and 2 out with a .328 OBP and he hit .298 with a .339 OBP in late inning, close game situations. At the very least, Melky delivered on his league minimum salary. The Giambino did not.
I will not miss John Sterling call him that either. Douche-chills.
4. Strategy, the Bench, Prima Donnas, and Pinch Running - Seriously. We mismanaged our way to several early losses last year. It took Jorge a month to realize he needed to go on the DL. Becasue of that we carried 3 catchers and were forced to pinch run guys like Shelley Duncan, Chad Moeller, and Jose Molina. Thinking about such instances still angers me.
I mentioned Jeter's wrist earlier, but his desire to play through obvious discomfort doesn't impress me. A hurt player needs to sit. It's that simple. It smacks of pure selfishness. I don't see a guy playing through pain as noble, I see it as a guy just trying to get his at-bats.
In another post I brought up the fact that the Yankees beat the Rays in head-to head games 11-7. We split our series with the Sox at 9 games apiece. You can't ask for too much more against those franchises with the 2008 team we put on the field day in and out. It's kind of miraculous really. But we didn't put the hammer down against
A mere 2 games separated
3. A Hot, Stinky August -Words fail me when I try to talk about August 2008. It was a pathetic display to say the least. The month of August saw the Yankees go 13-15. They scored 135 runs and surrendered an overwhelming 148. In fact, on August 31, 2008 the Yankees sat 12.5 games out of first - the farthest back they were all season. Needless to say, you're going to have a hell of a tough road ahead in September if you lose the majority of the games in August making October a fantasy scenario.
Ugh, just thinking about it makes my stomach queasy.
2. Just Dumb Luck? - This one is tough to take still. After the All Star Break, the Yankees looked like they were on the verge of making a run. They were a mere 4 games out and should have been buoyed by the arrivals of Xavier Nady, Damseo Marte, and Ivan Rodriguez. The prevailing thought in pretty much all of baseball was that it's only a matter of time. It's only a matter of time....
Time passed and the Yankees dropped like a stone. A weak bench contributed to the collapse, but its not enough of a reason. And to be honest, I don't really know what the hell happened down the stretch. It was just a tired, old team that played very flat with their backs up against the wall. A fairly inconceivable result when you take into account the players, salaries, and expectation.
It's slightly less puzzling when you look at what some of the hitters did in August. Damon hit .304, Jeter and Abreu both hit in the .330's. But A-Rod and Giambi struggled in the .240's that month. It's more than a lineup's production though, too. Gotta be something else. All I got left is luck and....
1. Injuries, Duh - The team was wrecked and ravaged by injury in '08. A-Rod went on the 15 day DL. Posada missed a significant portion of the season with the shoulder injury and subsequent surgery. Wang only pitched in 15 games due to a foot ligament. Brain Brueney missed over half the season with a similar foot injury. Joba Chamberlain missed a month, making both bullpen and rotation that much worse considering what side of the stupid debate you were on. Hideki Matsui's knees acted up and he wound up on the DL. The same can be said for Johnny Damon's shoulder. Derek Jeter missed a handful of games due to the wrist thing. Wilson Betemit was on and off the DL twice. Phil Hughes cracked a rib. Ian Kennedy went on the 15 day. Andy Pettite was hampered both early and late in the season with a bad back and a sore throwing shoulder, the worst part is he couldn't inject the pain away. Our opening day starting rotation made just 99 combined starts. The list goes on.
I know injury is a factor that all clubs deal with, but the mini list I just generated - I'm sure there was more, I just don't know where to go to get DL info - is a very significant cross section of the 2008 club. No team can lose production like that over that period of time and expect to go anywhere in October.
So take note. If you see any semblance of these 10 things in 2009 just know what to expect and how to temper said expectation. That being said I look forward to 2009 with baited anticipation. I expect a big turn-around and another run at a World Title.
And away we go.
07 January 2009
Looking at the Burrell Deal
Tampa Bay defied convention yesterday by actually going out and signing a free agent. Good for them!
Buster Olney loves the deal and now sees Tampa Bay as the team to beat in the AL East. The best thing about his article is he has the audacity to talk about the injuries that plagued the Rays in '07. Injuries? Please.
The Rays opening day rotation started 154 games. The Yankees opening day staff started 99. Yeah, Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, BJ Upton and Carl Crawford were dogged with nagging injuries. But so were Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada. Aki Iwamura hit .220 in April. Aww, poor Aki. Too bad I was busy watching Robinson Cano hit .151 in April.
Do your homework, Buster. Especially if you're seriously trying to make the claim that Tampa is the much improved team heading into '09.
There's no real fair comparison to make on paper. Assuming that C.C. and A.J. make around 30 starts apiece, 7 less than both Pettite and Mussina, and the rest of the rotation holds on a little longer than 99 games, I like our pitching more and I still don't know who the 5th starter is. In other news, bye-bye Andy.
And if you're measuring the Burrell acquisition against the Teixeira deal, the only place the numbers match is in on-base percentage. The guys a career .257 hitter. Tex is a career .290 and has played in 3 less seasons. The only people in Philly who'll miss the guy are little girls who think he's dreamy. Trust me. I lived in Philly, the people there hated him for most of his tenure, The monniker Pat "the bat" was used more sarcastically than earnestly, especially in 2003 when he hit .209 and played in 146 games.
Let's also conveinantly avoid the fact that the Tampa bullpen is virtually non-existant. Let's also avoid the fact that the Yankees beat the Rays 11 games to 7 in the head-to-head match ups last year. Why isn't anyone in the media clamoring for David Price to solidify that bullpen like they still do with Joba? This is the same team that couldn't hold a tie in a 3 inning elimination game.
Run for the hills, here comes Pat Burrell. Not hardly.
Buster Olney loves the deal and now sees Tampa Bay as the team to beat in the AL East. The best thing about his article is he has the audacity to talk about the injuries that plagued the Rays in '07. Injuries? Please.
The Rays opening day rotation started 154 games. The Yankees opening day staff started 99. Yeah, Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, BJ Upton and Carl Crawford were dogged with nagging injuries. But so were Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada. Aki Iwamura hit .220 in April. Aww, poor Aki. Too bad I was busy watching Robinson Cano hit .151 in April.
Do your homework, Buster. Especially if you're seriously trying to make the claim that Tampa is the much improved team heading into '09.
There's no real fair comparison to make on paper. Assuming that C.C. and A.J. make around 30 starts apiece, 7 less than both Pettite and Mussina, and the rest of the rotation holds on a little longer than 99 games, I like our pitching more and I still don't know who the 5th starter is. In other news, bye-bye Andy.
And if you're measuring the Burrell acquisition against the Teixeira deal, the only place the numbers match is in on-base percentage. The guys a career .257 hitter. Tex is a career .290 and has played in 3 less seasons. The only people in Philly who'll miss the guy are little girls who think he's dreamy. Trust me. I lived in Philly, the people there hated him for most of his tenure, The monniker Pat "the bat" was used more sarcastically than earnestly, especially in 2003 when he hit .209 and played in 146 games.
Let's also conveinantly avoid the fact that the Tampa bullpen is virtually non-existant. Let's also avoid the fact that the Yankees beat the Rays 11 games to 7 in the head-to-head match ups last year. Why isn't anyone in the media clamoring for David Price to solidify that bullpen like they still do with Joba? This is the same team that couldn't hold a tie in a 3 inning elimination game.
Run for the hills, here comes Pat Burrell. Not hardly.
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