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December 31, 2007
Happy New Year!
I would like to wish all the readers of WasWatching.com a very happy and healthy new year. And, may all your resolutions for 2008 come true!
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:00 AM | Comments (5)
December 30, 2007
The Look Of The 1960's Yankees
For Christmas this year, as part of a gift, my wife's aunt gave me a 1978 TCMA Stars of the 1960’s Baseball Card Set. It's been fun flipping through the images on those cards. Here's some Yankees - see if you can name them. (Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the photos.)
The Yankees had a different look in the 1960's huh?
From the same set, here's three guys who went on to manage the Yankees. One of the faces you can't help but know. But, how about the other two?
Have fun guessing. I'll post the answers to "Who's Who?" in the comments section, to this entry, tomorrow.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:21 AM | Comments (10)
Something To Think About If You See Snow Today
46 days until Pitchers & Catchers report.
Hey, 6 1/2 weeks ain't so bad. I can do that standing on my head.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:57 AM | Comments (1)
A-Rod, Giambi, Jessica Alba, Paris Hilton, And...Coco Crisp?
From the Arizona Republic:
When the Super Bowl comes to town, it brings a media circus with it. The networks will be sending their big guns to the Valley to cover the game, plus all the festivities that go along with it.
That means opportunities will abound for Valley fans who'd love to impress their pals by popping up in the background of their favorite sports shows.
Portions of several Fox shows will be taped in the Valley, including FSN Final Score, Fox NFL Sunday and The OT. The Best Damn Sports Show Period will broadcast live from the Bird's Nest of the FBR Open in Scottsdale on Jan. 28-Feb. 1.
If you have $300 to spare, the Best Damn Super Bowl Party Period will feature a performance by Ludacris and hosting duties courtesy of Rodney and Holly Robinson Peete and Jenny McCarthy.
The party will be held Jan. 31 at the exclusive Rockridge Estate compound, according to the network Web site, which says to expect such celebrities as Jessica Alba, Paris Hilton, Marshall Faulk, Marcus Allen, Warren Moon, Alex Rodriquez, Jason Giambi, Coco Crisp, Jeremy Piven, Vida Guerra, Brooke Burke, Kim Kardashian and Travis Barker. (Details: www.bestdamnsuperbowlpartyperiod.com) The bash will benefit the Peetes' HollyRod Foundation.
Coco Crisp? How does he sneak in there?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:38 AM | Comments (6)
New Canseco Book Due Opening Day
From the Post -
José Canseco has inked a deal to publish a sequel to his blockbuster steroid tell-all, "Juiced," his lawyer said.
"It will be an unjaundiced view, without the rose-colored glasses that [The Mitchell Report] obviously put on," said Robert Saunooke, Canseco's attorney.
As reported by The Post earlier this month, the former major leaguer and admitted steroid user humbly calls the new tome "Vindicated."
It comes some three years after "Juiced" hit shelves with steroids charges against players like Jason Giambi, who went on to be named in the Mitchell Report.
The new book will hit shelves on baseball's Opening Day this coming spring.
Saunooke said the sequel is set to be published by Penguin Books and will be co-written by former Sports Illustrated reporter Don Yaeger.
Saunooke declined to discuss any big players named or any big details revealed in the book, but said that it would be a more complete version of the Mitchell Report, which stunned the nation with steroid allegations against the likes of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
Saunooke said when former Sen. George Mitchell initially began his investigation, he contacted Canseco and Saunooke, who provided "tons of information and background" on steroid use in Major League Baseball.
I suspect that Canseco will probably have a whole chapter on the 2000 Yankees.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:25 AM | Comments (2)
December 29, 2007
Theo: We Do Things Different Than The Yankees
From the Times -
“If someone wants to compare us to the Yankees based on winning and results, that’s an incredible standard,” said [Theo] Epstein, the general manager of the Boston Red Sox. “If they want to compare us to the Yankees in how we do things, that’s a little off base.”
This notion that "homegrown players contributed directly to the [Red Sox] title" (as the Times reports to back up Epsetin) is a hoot.
Yes, Papelbon, Pedroia and Youkilis were a big part of the team. And, yes, prospects brought the team Lowell and Beckett.
However, it was money that allowed the Red Sox to take on Lowell and Beckett. And, it was money that brought the Red Sox Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, J.D. Drew, Coco Crisp and Julio Lugo - and, Matsuzaka and Okajima too.
I give the Red Sox all the credit in the world for finding David Oritz and Tim Wakefield, like they did, when anyone could have went after them.
But, again, when the Times claims that "the way Epstein and his staff made decisions propelled the Red Sox to their second championship in four seasons," they make it sound as if spending huge amounts of cash had little to do with it. And, that's just not true.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:30 PM | Comments (5)
Yeah, It's Come To This...
From 1978 to 1992, I was really into the NFL thing - and a pretty huge Giants fan. I watched the games every week and sweated out the big ones. But, after that time, I basically stopped watching pro-football. Since then, I've gone to a couple of Jets' games, with a friend who has season tickets. And, I still watch the Superbowl each year - but, that's just about the one and only football game that I watch on TV each season. I've just become disenchanted with the NFL.
Nonetheless, I have to say that I'm interested in the Giants-Patriots game tonight. Sure, the Giants have no reason to be playing this game with no other intent than trying to avoid injury. But, man, if they could manage to somehow win this game - and, yes, that's a tall order - maybe, just maybe, in some way, it could be a shadow of some form of payback, from New York to Boston, for the 2004 ALCS.
Yes, it's apples and oranges. And, yes, it's not an eye for an eye. You can't equate baseball and football. And, you can't equate the last game of the season, with only one team's perfect record on the line, with a league championship. I get that.
It's just that it would be one bubble burst in exchange for another bubble burst, to me...and, well, these days, in Yankeeland, you take whatever you can get when it comes to giving Beantown one less thing to gloat about - even when it's something that they earned and deserve to gloat about...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:48 PM | Comments (3)
Joe DiGangi
Man, before it's too late, will somebody work with this guy on a book? It could be one fun read.
From SignOnSanDiego.com:
Joe DiGangi was ready for his close-up. On the glass-top coffee table in his Coronado condo sat neat piles of clippings and annotated photographs. DiGangi had told his baseball stories so many times that his narration was as lean as a Hemingway novel.
Because DiGangi had spent nine seasons catching batting practice for the New York Yankees, his 92-year-old fingers were a little harder to follow.
“Lou Gehrig always had a hitch (in his swing), and he tipped one,” DiGangi said, holding up his gnarled hand as Exhibit A. “If you look at the damn glove I (had), it was rawhide in those days. You couldn't catch with one hand because the ball would pop out.
“You see the guys now catching with one hand. If I had that, I would have made the Hall of Fame.”
DiGangi told of acting as a bullpen lookout when Babe Ruth wanted a drink between innings, of throwing batting practice to Joe DiMaggio the year of his 56-game hitting streak, of warming up a pitcher while Gehrig was calling himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”
He could not have been more gracious or more helpful.
Among the blessings of old age is the opportunity to recount history through your personal prism, to “remember with advantages,” as Shakespeare put it. Among the treats of the journalism trade is the opportunity to hear history as told by the participants.
– TIM SULLIVAN
Update: Just found out that the Times had a feature on Joe DiGangi about 10 months ago.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)
Yanks Sign Juan Gone?
From MinorLeagueBall.com -
...on another message board, someone posted this article
http://www.vocero.com/noticiasum.asp?id=11112
saying that the Yankees signed Juan Gonzalez (2 years, 2 million). But I'm not sure of the validity because it was written at 1 PM Friday and it hasn't been announced by ESPN/Yankees/Rotoworld/etc. and that Gonzalez probably couldn't get more than a minor league deal.
Juan Gonzlaez, perhaps the one person in the world who can make Carl Pavano seem like Cal Ripken Jr.
Juan Gonzalez, perhaps one of the few baseball players out there who can fail a PED test before it's taken out of it's package.
Juan Gonzalez, well, I could go on all day on this one...
Let's just hope that the story is not true. Even if it's just a Spring Training NRI situation, Cashman would be out of his mind if he pulled the trigger on this one.
(Thanks to WasWatching.com reader Nick M. for the heads-up on this report.)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:15 AM | Comments (5)
December 28, 2007
Leyritz Charged With Vehicular Homicide
From ESPN.com -
Former Major League Baseball player Jim Leyritz was arrested Friday on charges of driving under the influence and killing another driver after his vehicle crashed into hers.
Leyritz, who turned 44 on Thursday, faces charges of DUI manslaughter and DUI property damage, said Detective Kathy Collins, Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman.
Police believe alcohol was involved in the crash, though investigators are awaiting results of blood alcohol tests, Collins said. He posted the $11,000 bond and was released from the Broward County jail at 2:35 p.m. on Friday, according to Keyla Concepcion, a public information officer for the Broward Sheriff's Office.
It could not be determined whether Leyritz, who lives in Davie, had a lawyer.
Fort Lauderdale authorities got a call at 3:20 a.m. that a crash had occurred in the city's entertainment district, Collins said.
She said Leyritz was driving a 2006 Ford Expedition when he collided at an intersection with 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch of Plantation, who was driving a 2000 Mitsubishi Montero.
Veitch was ejected from the car, police said. She died at Broward General Medical Center, Collins said.
Witnesses told police Leyritz had a red light. Officers on the scene observed Leyritz to have red, watery eyes, a flushed face and an odor of alcohol, police said.
Leyritz was told Veitch had died and he was asked to submit to a blood test, police said.
"After he refused, Leyritz was informed that blood would be taken above his refusal," the police statement said.
I hope the courts punish Leyritz for this terrible crime. This is a tragedy - when someone so young, minding their own business, is taken away for no reason whatsoever outside of someone else's inconsiderate behavior. It's beyond sad.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:53 PM | Comments (10)
2008 Fall Classic Hallowed Ground Ballparks Past & Present Calendar
Just a heads-up on something cool. I just received, in the mail, today, a "2008 Fall Classic Hallowed Ground Ballparks Past & Present Calendar" (as a gift). If you're a baseball nut, like me, you'll love this one. If you're looking for an awesome calendar for this upcoming year, I highly recommend this one.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:48 PM | Comments (0)
Romulus & Remus Steinbrenner Have First Clash?
From Joel Sherman -
Hank Steinbrenner has continued to suggest the Yanks are in play for Santana, and a sense has percolated of a tug-of-war between Steinbrenner's willingness to surrender top youngsters and GM Brian Cashman's reluctance. But multiple sources say the media has focused on the wrong son of George Steinbrenner. These sources say Hal Steinbrenner is most responsible for dictating financial policy and does not want to spend the dollars in salary and luxury tax (nearly $30 million annually) necessary for Santana.
This makes me think of what I wrote back on July 8, 2005 - yes, in 2005:
My biggest fear: After George, this thing becomes something like the Wellington and Tim Marra situation and it becomes so ugly and dysfunctional that it impacts the team in a negative way - and the Yankees become like the football Giants (meaning a team with a great and devoted fan-base, lots of revenue, but one that rarely has the best team in the league or wins).
So, is this Santana speed bump the first sign of the Brothers Big Stein pulling a Marra?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:39 AM | Comments (2)
Brian Cashman 2000
Brian Cashman became Yankees G.M. on February 28, 1998.
It's rare for someone to be a G.M. for tens years with one team these days. Ten years does provide for some "body of work" analysis. Therefore, I thought it would be fun, this off-season, to take a look back at Cashman's "moves" during the past decade - one year at a time. (I'll try and post one year, per week, over the next ten weeks.)
Here, we'll look at Cashman's moves in 2000 and how they helped or hurt the team:
No Impact:
January 26, 2000 - Signed Roberto Kelly as a free agent.
April 2, 2000 - Signed Lance Johnson as a free agent and signed Felix Jose as a free agent.
July 12, 2000 - Traded Ed Yarnall, Drew Henson, Brian Reith, and Jackson Melian (minors) to the Cincinnati Reds. Received Mike Frank and Denny Neagle.
August 11, 2000 - Traded Wilson Delgado to the Kansas City Royals. Received Nick Ortiz.
December 14, 2000 - Signed Brian Boehringer as a free agent.
Good Impact:
June 5, 2000 - Drafted Matt Smith in the 4th round of the 2000 amateur draft. Player signed June 21, 2000.
June 20, 2000 - Traded Jim Leyritz to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Received Jose Vizcaino and cash.
August 3, 2000 - Signed Luis Polonia as a free agent.
August 7, 2000 - Traded Chris Spurling to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Received Luis Sojo.
August 21, 2000 - Signed Dioner Navarro as an amateur free agent.
November 7, 2000 - David Cone granted Free Agency.
November 16, 2000 - Signed Damaso Marte as a free agent.
Great Impact:
May 5, 2000 - Signed Chien-Ming Wang as an amateur free agent.
June 29, 2000 - Traded Ricky Ledee, Jake Westbrook, and Zach Day to the Cleveland Indians. Received David Justice.
July 21, 2000 - Traded Ben Ford and Oswaldo Mairena to the Chicago Cubs. Received Glenallen Hill.
November 30, 2000 - Signed Mike Mussina as a free agent.
Bad Impact:
June 2, 2000 - Signed Adrian Hernandez as an amateur free agent.
June 5, 2000 - Drafted Sean Henn in the 26th round of the 2000 amateur draft. Player signed May 25, 2001.
August 7, 2000 - Selected Jose Canseco off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
October 31, 2000 - Jeff Nelson granted Free Agency.
November 20, 2000 - Released Jason Grimsley.
November 21, 2000 - Signed Joe Oliver as a free agent.
Was Probably Not A Cashman Move & More Likely Something Done In Tampa:
June 11, 2000 - Signed Dwight Gooden as a free agent.
______________________________________________________________
This season was much, much, better than the two before it - in terms of pushing buttons and pulling strings. But, it does raise an interesting question. For people like me, who believe that the G.M. is responsible for the team's moves, at the end of the day, you have to give Cashman two huge thumbs up for the work here in 2000. However, for those who like to say that Cashman did not gain total control of the team until 2005, well, to be fair, those people can't give Cashman credit for all these good to great moves in 2000 - can they? This make sense?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:56 AM | Comments (10)
December 27, 2007
Cano's Winter Calf Injury
From ESPN -
The New York Yankees told second baseman Robinson Cano to stop playing winter ball, his Dominican Republic team told ESPNdeportes.com on Thursday.
"The Yankees sent a letter to Cano to stop playing, but they didn't offer many details or reasons," said Alfredo Griffin, the Estrellas Orientales general manager.
Cano told Estrellas teammates, however, that the Yankees didn't want him to aggravate a calf injury that is still healing.
The Dominican winter league baseball tournament began its round-robin playoff series Wednesday. Cano hit .389 in nine games during the regular season. He was hitless in his first postseason game Wednesday.
Around five years ago, I thought there was a rule that allowed big league teams to prevent players under contract from playing winter ball.
If I recall correctly, major league clubs could prohibit native-born Latin players from participation in the winter leagues based on injury, illness or extreme fatigue. And, on that last item, it was basically a catch-all that meant any player who played a full season (in the majors, minors, or some combination) could be held out of the winter leagues.
Maybe that rule went away? I dunno. But, if not, and I'm the Yankees, I wouldn't let anyone play during the winter - unless they were a prospect and needed seasoning. Why risk injury if you can avoid it?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:43 PM | Comments (2)
Joba & Jose Yanks New Crown Jewels?
The current print issue of Baseball America lists who they believe are the top ten prospects (today) in the Yankees farm system. Here's their rankings:
1. Joba Chamberlain
2. Austin Jackson
3. Jose Tabata
4. Ian Kennedy
5. Alan Horne
6. Jesus Montero
7. Jeffrey Marquez
8. Brett Gardner
9. Ross Ohlendorf
10. Andrew Brackman
So, like Goldstein and Sickels, Baseball America agrees: Joba Chamberlain, Alan Horne, Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy and Jose Tabata are the Yankees top five prospects. (Note: I'm just listing them in alpha-order here.)
For the record, here's the "top five" (for the Yankees) from Goldstein, Sickels and Baseball America, from a year ago:
1. Philip Hughes
2. Jose Tabata
3. Joba Chamberlain
4. Humberto Sanchez
5. Dellin Betances
1. Phil Hughes
2. Jose Tabata
3. Humberto Sanchez
4. Joba Chamberlain
5. Tyler Clippard
1. Philip Hughes
2. Jose Tabata
3. Dellin Betances
4. Joba Chamberlain
5. Ian Kennedy
So, it's now two years in a row that Chamberlain and Tabata have made the top five, across the board (among these three sources). Perhaps Joba and Jose are the Yankees best [farm system] "crown jewels" since the days of Scott McGregor and Otto Velez?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:52 PM | Comments (3)
Some Administrative News
As you may or may not be aware, for the last 4 hours someone has decided that it would be fun to SPAM the comments sections of this blog. This happened here before last January and also during this past June. Apparently, we're on someone's six month cycle.
This is not a problem. I can close accounts and delete posts just as fast as this individual creates them.
Please ignore any of these libelous attacks if you should see them in between the time they are posted and the time it takes to remove them. You should not waste any time from your day being concerned with this individual’s attempt at pleasing themselves.
Thanks in advance for your assistance with this matter.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:52 PM | Comments (0)
Have Your Ad Seen By Yankees Fans!
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Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:58 AM | Comments (1)
Clemens Attempt To Break From His Prison Without Bars
Hey, if Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell can keep on staying alive, why not the Rocket?
First, some recent Clemens news. From the Star-Telegram -
Roger Clemens is either an idiot of Michael Vick-ian proportions, or he's telling the truth about not taking steroids.
My hunch is it is the former.
If Roger wants a flying Fig Newton of a chance of being in Cooperstown, it had better be the latter.
You see, there is a natural order to athlete screw-ups: Do whatever it was you should not have been doing, get busted, publicly apologize (entering rehab optional, depending on the crime) and watch as a very understanding public forgives just about any gaffe, big or small.
When problems arise is when a prolonged deny-and-lie is introduced into this equation.
The whole "sincere" apology tends to feel a little slimy when it follows a prolonged period of deny, deny, deny and is issued only after the initial denial is proven undeniably to be a lie. The court of public opinion has a statute of limitations for coming clean.
Or, in the case of steroid users, admitting you were not.
The window already has closed for Clemens, who has been steadfast in his denial of steroid and HGH use since the Mitchell Report had an eyewitness placing his butt on the receiving end of a juiced syringe. Originally, he denied via a lawyer statement, upgrading to an agent statement and a YouTube video in recent weeks.
Next up: 60 Minutes and Mike Wallace.
It used to be, back in the day, just sitting across from Wallace could make a squeaky clean CEO sweat and a dirty politician cry. In fact, 60 Minutes was the show nobody wanted calling them for an interview because their interest probably meant you were guilty of something, and they had you nailed.
Is this the same Wallace and 60 Minutes? Who knows?
There is much skepticism, especially in New York, where it has been noted that Wallace is both a Yankees fan and friend of Clemens. He had better go high and tight with his Clemens questions, starting with how the trainer is standing by his story and how he already has been proven reliable with Andy Pettitte.
What we know now suggests Clemens is lying.
He is an idiot if he is and he has a lot of convincing to do if he isn't.
That's not exactly a bucket of love for the Rocket there from one of his hometown newsies. Related to Clemens, the Times today (among many other sources) is reporting:
Roger Clemens’s lawyer has hired private investigators to try to challenge the credibility of Brian McNamee, the trainer who told federal agents and former Senator George J. Mitchell that he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone, a lawyer familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
The investigators may have a tape of McNamee contradicting what he said about Clemens, the lawyer added, although it was unclear whether the tape predated McNamee’s interviews for the Mitchell report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. The lawyer was granted anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the case.
To me, it's pretty clear what Roger Clemens is doing here - he's making a Pete Rose play. And, considering how close Clemens and Rose are, in terms of their personality, it does not shock me.
For those who don't remember, "The Dowd Report," released in 1989, said that Pete Rose bet on baseball. This is much like "The Mitchell Report," released this month, that said Roger Clemens used PEDs.
For 15 years, Rose kept saying that the Dowd Report was not true - and that he never bet on baseball. It wasn't until 2004 that Rose came clean on the subject.
I expect Clemens to do the same - he'll keep his fight going for as long as he can. And, then, someday, maybe as late as the year 2022, perhaps he'll come out with a book or something telling the true story.
After all, what does Roger have to lose here? The court of public opinion has already made up their mind on him - he's guilty. If he fights that, and loses, he's still guilty - and all he's wasted was time. But, if by some miracle, by protesting, he can win over some people, maybe it works out in his favor down the line? Maybe, in a few more years, we find out that just about every "Hall of Fame" type pitcher, who's thrown in the last 15 years, has used some sort of PED? Who knows? But, if that happens, then Clemens is just one of the crowd - as opposed to being the PED Pitcher Poster Boy - and then it's a better time for Roger to fess up.
Hey, it's a reach. But, again, at this point, what does Rocket have left to throw out there?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:04 AM | Comments (5)
SOTD: 1,000+ Whiffs w/Less Than 300 BB Club
What do you think, will Mo, someday, stand alone on this list?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:52 AM | Comments (1)
December 26, 2007
Calling On Dr. Moose?
Ben at River Ave. Blues ponders "Can Mike Mussina be league-average?"
Just the other day, I was reading the Bill James Handbook 2008 and Mussina's Component ERA last season caught my eye - and it made me wonder (as well) if Mike could be better in 2008 than he was in 2007.
But, for Moose, in 2008, I think the key is his age. He'll be 39 years old next season. I did a quick look at RH-pitchers who were 39-or-older, in the A.L., since 1973, to see how many qualified for the ERA title and had an ERA+ of 100 or better.
The only guys to make the cut were somewhat hard throwers like Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens, or, guys who doctored the ball like Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry and Dennis Martinez, or, guys who were knuckle-ballers like Charlie Hough, Tim Wakefield and Phil Niekro.
We know that Mussina does not have much of a fastball left. And, we know that he doesn't throw a knuckler. So, what's left?
It's simple: if the Yankees are hoping to get an average, or better, season from Mussina in 2008, let's hope that Santa stuffed Moose's stocking this Christmas full of stuff from Black & Decker.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:33 PM | Comments (8)
Taxing Times For Bombers
From the Daily News -
In the world of the Yankees, where anything short of a World Series title is seen as a failure, the 2007 team could be looked at as a $208 million bust.
But that really would be understating it.
After receiving a $24 million luxury tax bill at the end of last week, the Bombers really were a $232 million letdown.
Major League Baseball clubs adopted a team payroll threshold during the collective bargaining sessions in 2002 in an effort to contain costs; each time a team exceeds the league-wide figure, its tax rate increases as punishment.
The Yankees have been over the limit all five seasons and this year paid a 40% tax on all salary above $148 million. That means that when the club gave Roger Clemens a prorated $28 million deal at midseason - that equaled about $18 million in salary - the Bombers actually ended up paying him $25 million for the 18 starts during which he went 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA. Clemens then lasted only 2-1/3 innings in his lone playoff start before being named in the Mitchell Report.
"I can't imagine that was the return they were looking for on that deal," said one executive from another AL club who requested anonymity. "If his postseason - and theirs - had gone better, it might have been a different story."
The archrival Red Sox were over the tax threshold for the fourth straight season, bringing their rate to 40% as well. They owed $6 million on their team salary of $163 million. The Angels were the only other team over the limit - a first for the franchise - and owed $927,000. The bills are to be paid by the end of January.
Hard as it may be to believe, the free-spending Bombers have a lower tax bill this season than in either of the last two seasons. They owed a franchise-high $33.98 million in 2005 and $26 million in 2006 before the $23.88 million hit this season. Over the five seasons, the Yanks have paid $121.6 million to be redistributed among the league's lowest-revenue clubs.
The Red Sox won two championships over the past four seasons and paid $13.9 million in luxury taxes. During the same time, the Yankees' tax bills totaled about $110 million for no titles.
Over the five seasons, the Yanks have paid $121.6 million to be redistributed among the league's lowest-revenue clubs.
Man, you could buy a whole lotta Igawas with $120 million.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:23 AM | Comments (3)
December 23, 2007
Clemens To Appear On 60 Minutes
From the AP -
"Let me be clear, the answer is no. I did not use steroids, or human growth hormone and I've never done so," Clemens said. "I did not provide Brian McNamee with any drugs to inject in to my body. Brian McNamee did not inject steroids or Human Growth Hormones into my body either when I played in Toronto for the Blue Jays or the New York Yankees. This report is simply not true."
"After Christmas, I'm going to sit down with Mike Wallace of '60 Minutes,' and I'll do an interview, and he'll ask me a ton of questions on this subject, and I'll answer them right there in front of him, and we'll do all of this again," Clemens said. "I'm angry about it. To be honest with you, it's hurtful to me and my family, but we're coming upon Christmas now, and I have been blessed in my life. I've been blessed in my career, and I'm very thankful for those blessings."
To quote Professor DeWitt as he watched Andy Schroeder and Diane Chambers go at it: I love it! A Desdemona that fights back!
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:05 PM | Comments (6)
'08 All-Star Tickets & Season Tickets At The New Stadium
Some information that you may find helpful and/or interesting...from the materials that came with my '08 season ticket bill:
Regarding season tickets at the new Stadium, for those who already have season tickets...as per the Yankees...
"Early in 2008, you will receive an official New Yankee Stadium Relocation Package which will detail our relocation policies and procedures, your relocation status as a Ticket Licensee and complete information about seating opportunities at the new Yankee Stadium."
I noticed, for what I think is the first time ever, a "Ticket License Seniority Date" on my invoice - along with my account number. My date is "3/1/2001." Looks like the Yankees will be tying "seniority" into the "relocation" process.
Regarding the "2008 All-Star Summer", for those who already have season tickets...as per the Yankees...
"The Yankees are please to host the 2008 All-Star Summer including the 79th Major League Baseball ("MLB") All-Star Game. For five action packed days, baseball's biggest stars will descend on New York City for what will truly be a magical experience for the players and all Yankees fans. The All-Star events, which will be held at the Stadium, begin on Friday, July 11, 2008 with the opening of the DHL All-Star FanFest (which will be held at the Jacob K. Javitis Center), followed by Taco Bell All-Star Sunday (featuring XM All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell Legends & Celebrity Softball Game,) on Sunday July 13, 2008, Gatorade Workout Day (featuring the State Farm Home Run Derby), on Monday, July 14, 2008, and conclude with the 79th MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15, 2008."
"MLB and the Yankees will use commercially reasonable business efforts to offer Full Season, A Plan, and B Plan Ticket Licensees the opportunity to purchase a license, for Tickets, equal to the quantity of Ticket(s) in said Ticket Licensee's Ticket Account, not necessarily in the same seat locations (subject to availability), for the All-Star events scheduled to be held at the Stadium. All-Star events consist of the following: the DHL All-Star FanFest (to be held at the Jacob K. Javitis Center), the Taco Bell All-Star Sunday, (featuring the XM All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell Legends & Celebrity Softball Game, the Gatorade Workout Day (featuring the State Farm Home Run Derby) and the 79th MLB All-Star Game."
Regarding DHL All-Star FanFest Tickets...
"All Ticket Licensees, regardless of plan type, must purchase a strip or strips of Tickets for all MLB All-Star events to held at the Stadium (i.e. the same seat location and the same quantity of strips for all All-Star events) and each strip will include 2 DHL FanFest Tickets. For example, if you purchase two (2) All-Star events strips of Tickets, you will also purchase four (4) FanFest Tickets. There is no exceptions to this policy."
For those with "C Plan through I Plan, the 20-Game Flex Plan and new 2008 Full Season, A Plan, and B Plan Ticket Licensees," again, "MLB and the Yankees will use commercially reasonable business efforts to offer" them a chance to purchase tickets prior to them going on sale to the general public - with limits on what can purchased. (For example, these groups can only buy two tickets, max, for the Workout Day or All-Star Game.)
The information from the Yankees also referenced the "Scheduled Final Regular Season Game."
"As an existing B Plan, D Plan through I Plan, and 20-Game Flex Plan Ticket Licensee (2007 season and prior)," you'll be invited to a pre-sale to buy two-tickets, max, for the game on September 21, 2008. Anyone with the Full Season, A Plan, or C Plan is not eligible for the pre-sale since these plans already have the game of September 21, 2008 in their plan.
On the bright-side, the materials from the Yankees also state, regarding your tickets:
"StubHub has been selected by MLB as the Official Ticket Marketplace of MLB.com and the Yankees. Commencing for the 2008 season, you may post Yankees Tickets for resale on StubHub through www.yankees.com with no restrictions on resale price. For more information, please visit www.yankees.com."
Click here to see the Yankees regular season schedule for 2008. Note that the Yankees consider Opening Day, Old-Timer's Day, the last three regular season home games, and all games against the Red Sox and the Mets as "premium games."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:07 PM | Comments (0)
The Dan Naulty Story
In case you haven't seen it, the Daily News has an interesting story today, composed by former Yankee Dan Naulty.
Naulty pitched in 33 games for New York in 1999 - 27 of them which were games that the Yankees lost. And, 4 of the 6 games that he appeared in, where the Yankees won, were blow-out victories.
Many Yankees fans probably don't even remember Naulty being on the team. Still, his story is one worth reading about. I'm glad that it seems he's on a better path now.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:28 AM | Comments (5)
December 22, 2007
2008 Polar Bear Plunge @ Seaside Heights, NJ
I usually don't plug too many things here, but, this one is such a good cause, and the person involved is such a good guy, that I can't help myself on this one.
My buddy Dave, who I have known now for over eight years, and who is a huge Yankees fan, is taking part in the 2008 Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, February 23, 2008 (at Seaside Heights, NJ).
Funds raised through the Polar Bear Plunge help to advance the goal of Special Olympics New Jersey, to provide free year-round training and competition in 22 Olympic-type sports to more than 16,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Anyone who wants to make an on-line donation towards this event, of any amount, and help Dave reach (and hopefully exceed) his fundraising goal can do so by clicking here and visiting Dave's personal donation site.
Being that it's year-end, this is a great time to look back over the past 12 months to see how things are going for you. If you're like me, and you have tons of things to be grateful about, it's also a good time to remember that there are folks out there who don't have it as good as you - and, if possible, it's a nice thing to try and help those who are not as fortunate as you.
We often debate things here such as the role of luck in the baseball post-season, etc. Whether or not you believe that luck comes into play in baseball, there's no denying that, for some people, the difference between having serious things to deal with as a part of everyday life, or not, really comes down to getting lucky. When seeing someone who doesn't have it as good as me, I often find myself thinking "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
Hats off to my friend Dave - and to all of you who try and make a difference by helping those less fortunate than yourself. You are special.
And, it's never too late, and no amount is too small, to make a difference. If you'd like to assist Dave help the Special Olympics of New Jersey, please check out his site.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:38 PM | Comments (2)
December 21, 2007
Olney: Joba Could Start '08 In The Pen
Via Buster Olney with a hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org and River Ave. Blues -
If all goes well in spring training for the Yankees, Joba Chamberlain is likely to start next season in the Yankees' bullpen, as part of the team's effort to limit his innings. Chamberlain will go to spring training and, at the outset, prepare to pitch out of the rotation, along with five other rotation candidates: Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Mike Mussina and Ian Kennedy. Assuming that none of the other five has a physical or performance breakdown, Chamberlain would then open 2008 in the bullpen, as a set-up man, for at least the start of the season -- under the Joba Rules.
The Yankees want to restrict the number of innings Chamberlain throws, and working him out of the bullpen for at least a couple of months will allow them to do that. Chamberlain may return to the rotation sometime in the middle of the season, depending on the Yankees' needs.
Remember Tom "Flash" Gordon? He came up as a starter in the minors. In 1986, in the Rookie League, he made 7 starts after he was drafted and signed. Then, in 1987, he made 16 starts in A-ball. Gordon's 1988 season was somewhat like Joba's season this year. Then, Gordon started out in A-ball, then went to Double-A, and then the big leagues...making 28 starts overall...at the young age of twenty.
However, in 1989, the Royals started Gordon out that season in their bullpen.
Pitching from the pen, as a 21-year old, Gordon was a monster. He started the 1989 season going 10-2 in his first 33 games and the league was only batting .175 against him. Then, on July 17, 1989, the Royals moved him back into the starting rotation - and he remained a starter through the 1990 season.
After 1990, Gordon's role went back and forth. He pitched out of the pen and started for the Royals in 1991, 1992, and 1993. Finally, in 1994, the Royals put him back, full-time, in the rotation. And, Flash remained a starter until Boston converted him back to the pen near the end of the 1997 season.
In retrospect, to date, Gordon has been a better pitcher out of the pen than as a starter in his career. Tom has faced 5,543 batters as a starter and allowed an OPS of .725 - whereas, out of the pen, he's faced 3,366 batters and allowed an OPS of .609.
What does this all have to do with Chamberlain? Other than showing Joba would not be the first hot pitching prospect to come up as a starter and then get jerked around a bit, between the rotation and the pen, not much, really. I just hope the Yankees don't bounce Joba around as much as the Royals did Gordon. And, to be honest, if Chamberlain does start out well in the pen, I expect the Yankees to leave him there - as long as the rotation is not in flames.
It would not shock me to see Chamberlain set-up Rivera in 2008 and then start to work into closing some games in 2009 - and then becoming the main closer in 2010.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:36 PM | Comments (8)
Yanks' Most & Least Dominant Teams
Playing around today, I decided to come up with list of the Yankees Top 25 “most dominant” and “least dominant” teams – statistically speaking, using the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia. Here are my results with the teams ranked by year:
Yankees Top 25 “Most Dominant” Teams, by year:
YEAR PLACE W L PCT RCAA RSAA 1920 3rd 95 59 0.617 107 72 1921 1st 98 55 0.641 152 84 1923 1st 98 54 0.645 93 62 1927 1st 110 44 0.714 338 117 1934 2nd 94 60 0.610 166 58 1935 2nd 89 60 0.597 127 57 1936 1st 102 51 0.667 287 57 1937 1st 102 52 0.662 181 144 1938 1st 99 53 0.651 76 149 1939 1st 106 45 0.702 289 92 1941 1st 101 53 0.656 150 66 1942 1st 103 51 0.669 168 86 1948 3rd 94 60 0.610 121 68 1952 1st 95 59 0.617 140 54 1953 1st 99 52 0.656 220 52 1954 2nd 103 51 0.669 149 52 1955 1st 96 58 0.623 136 78 1956 1st 97 57 0.630 142 57 1957 1st 98 56 0.636 154 65 1958 1st 92 62 0.597 95 97 1977 1st 100 62 0.617 146 51 1980 1st 103 59 0.636 108 61 1997 2nd 96 66 0.593 134 78 1998 1st 114 48 0.704 168 102 2002 1st 103 58 0.640 143 76 2003 1st 101 61 0.623 142 50
Yankees Top 25 “Least Dominant” Teams, by year:
YEAR PLACE W L PCT RCAA RSAA 1903 4th 72 62 0.537 -6 -22 1905 6th 71 78 0.477 28 -32 1907 5th 70 78 0.473 -68 -21 1908 8th 51 103 0.331 -30 -117 1909 5th 74 77 0.490 5 -27 1910 2nd 88 63 0.583 1 18 1912 8th 50 102 0.329 -97 -83 1913 7th 57 94 0.377 -109 -42 1914 T6th 70 84 0.455 -59 -12 1915 5th 69 83 0.454 -37 -27 1916 4th 80 74 0.519 -10 18 1917 6th 71 82 0.464 -83 26 1918 4th 60 63 0.488 22 -53 1925 7th 69 85 0.448 -29 -27 1965 6th 77 85 0.475 -44 31 1967 9th 72 90 0.444 -48 -31 1968 5th 83 79 0.512 -41 35 1969 5th 80 81 0.497 -30 23 1982 5th 79 83 0.488 13 -14 1987 4th 89 73 0.549 12 -14 1989 5th 74 87 0.460 -10 -64 1990 7th 67 95 0.414 -82 -68 1991 5th 71 91 0.438 -54 -41 1992 T4th 76 86 0.469 -1 -15
As a Yankees fan, are there any surprises here for you? Any team on the lists that you think should not be there? Any team missing from the lists that you think should be there?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:22 AM | Comments (6)
Tommy Byrne Passes
From WRAL.com -
Former major league pitcher Tommy Byrne, known for his fastball and his fond memories of life in the major leagues, has died, Bright Funeral Home of Wake Forest has confirmed. He was 87.
Byrne, 87, had a career record of 85-69 and an ERA of 4.11 in his major league career.
For a pitcher, Byrne had some pop. Here are the HR/AB ratios of all pitchers who hit more than 10 career homers from 1943 to 1957:
Jack Harshman .051
Clint Hartung .037
Joe Nuxhall .034
Bob Lemon .032
Johnny Antonelli .027
Dizzy Trout .025
Tommy Byrne .023
Don Newcombe .017
Warren Spahn .016
Early Wynn .011
We've lost too many ex-Yankees this year.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:52 AM | Comments (0)
Happy Holidays!
Barring any breaking and hot Yankees-related news, I do not expect to be posting many entries to WasWatching.com over the next five days. Therefore, I wanted to take this time now to wish all the readers of this blog a safe and happy holiday season. It's been 32 months now that WasWatching.com has been up and running, and, I've truly enjoyed all the feedback to this site and its content that you have provided this year and last. Thanks for that wonderful present! I hope you all have as much fun (as I've had here so far) during your holiday observance.
Look for more stuff here starting next week!
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:59 AM | Comments (6)
December 20, 2007
Mike Borzello Leaves Yankees For L.A.
From George King -
Alex Rodriguez will try to duplicate his scintillating 2007 season without a key member of a very small inner circle.
Mike Borzello, a bullpen catcher for the past 12 seasons and Joe Torre's godson, has left the Yankees and taken a job with the Dodgers as a catching instructor.
Normally, a support-staff member splitting doesn't create a huge void. However, Rodriguez leaned on Borzello as a workout partner, and he was one of the few people whose criticism Rodriguez listened to.
Whether it was a 7:30 a.m. spring-training workout fielding ground balls or the daily 3:30 p.m. long-toss session, Borzello was on hand. And when Borzello saw Rodriguez drifting mentally, he wasn't afraid to say.
"He was good for Alex because he told Alex the truth," a Yankee employee said of Borzello. "Not everybody does that."
Without the 37-year-old Borzello, a former minor-league catcher who also is close to Mike Mussina and interacts with the pitcher the same way he does with Rodriguez, it will be interesting to see how Rodriguez reacts.
Nobody in baseball puts more emphasis on routine than Rodriguez, who now needs a workout partner and somebody not afraid to tell the best player in baseball that he isn't perfect.
A bullpen catcher, who was the godson of the former manager (which was probably the reason why he got the job in the first place), quits - and, it becomes an "A-Rod" story. These are the days of our lives, now, in Yankeeland.
Get used to it - we have ten more years of it coming.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:45 AM | Comments (8)
A Tale Of Two Schillings
From the AP, via USA Today, back on November 4, 2001:
Convinced that a promising pitcher was throwing away his talent, the veteran dressed him down, calling him every name he could. It worked. The young guy listened, began making better choices and blossomed into one of baseball's top aces. A decade after that discussion in the weight room at the Astrodome, the two were to face each other on the mound for the first time: Roger Clemens vs. Curt Schilling in Game 7 of the World Series on Sunday night. ''I could not have come up with this,'' Schilling said Saturday night after his Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees 15-2. ''What Roger did for me and has done for me throughout my career, I could not have dreamt this. I'm not that big of a dreamer.''
Clemens was already on his way to a glorious career in the winter of 1991 when he went to work out at the Astrodome, near his home in Katy, Texas.
While there, the Boston star noticed Schilling in an adjacent weight room. Clemens, then 28, said he wanted to talk to the 24-year-old Houston pitcher.
Schilling, a former Red Sox minor leaguer who looked up to Clemens, figured it would be fun.
"What I thought was going to be kind of a sit-down talk about pitching experience turned out to be an hour-and-half half butt-chewing," Schilling said.
"He felt at the time that I was someone who was not taking advantage of the gifts God had given me, that I didn't respect the game the way I should, that I didn't respect my teammates the way I should. He hit every nail on the head as far as I'm concerned."
Said Clemens: "I was hoping that I was not going to waste my time. It got pretty heated. We hashed it out a little bit."
At this year's All-Star Game, with both players sharing the podium, Clemens smiled as he recalled the talk.
"It was a pretty good conversation," he said.
That's not exactly how Schilling remembered it.
"There wasn't much of a conversation," he said. "It was one of those conversations your father has with you when you are going down a stage in life and you need to make a right turn."
Schilling said Clemens' words made an immediate impact.
"I walked away saying to myself, 'You know, No. 1, why would he care as much as he did? And, No. 2, if he did care, there must be something there,' " he said. "I began to turn a corner at that point in my career, both on and off the field."
From MLB.com, today:
Curt Schilling put his fingers to the keyboard on Wednesday, pounding out a 3,676-word blog entry in which he essentially challenged Roger Clemens to fight for his innocence with regards to the findings of the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
If Clemens doesn't put up a convincing case -- legal or otherwise -- to dispute the allegations in the report, Schilling thinks the Rocket should be stripped of four of the record-setting seven Cy Young Awards he's won in his career.
Schilling's mammoth post appeared on www.38pitches.com, which is the Boston right-hander's personal sounding board for thoughts on all matters.
The Mitchell report fingered Clemens for using PEDs. Clemens has strongly denied that it’s true. Personally, I suspect that the Mitchell report is true. But, regardless of what you believe – and even regardless of what is true (about Clemens) – the 2001 report from the Associated Press and Schilling’s entry from yesterday, tell you all you need to know about Curt Schilling.
If Schilling is, indeed, grateful for what Clemens did for him in 1991, then why not (if you’re Schilling) just keep your mouth shut about Roger now – despite how you feel about the use of PEDs – and not bring any more attention to his situation today? Would have that been so hard?
Don’t mistake this as me supporting Clemens in some fashion. I’m not saying that Clemens is clean here – and, if he is not, I’m not saying that I agree with his actions.
This is all about a guy, Schilling, who owes Clemens (big time) for helping him (Curt) get his career (and, to an extent, his life) on a positive track. Curt openly admits to this as truth. And, then, when he (Schilling) gets a chance to grab the spotlight at the expense of the man who did him this huge favor, he grabs it without hesitation – and ignores the high-road of just not saying anything on the matter (regardless of his beliefs).
Stay classy Red Light.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:13 AM | Comments (29)
December 19, 2007
League Execs Predict Hank To Go For Santana - Part 2
Jayson Stark says the following today:
Elsewhere on the Santana front, a tug-of-war could be looming between Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Principal Son Hank Steinbrenner over Santana.
It's clear that since talks broke down, many of the Yankees' baseball people have had second thoughts about including Phil Hughes in any package for Santana -- which effectively would obliterate any chance of that deal happening.
But according to one baseball man who has spoken to the Yankees' brass, Steinbrenner is "moving towards it." And if he moves any further toward doing that deal, he could find himself in a fascinating debate with Cashman and others over whether to pull this very large trigger. If that happens, why do we think it might not be the last debate Cashman has with Hank Steinbrenner?
And as the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox jockey for prime Santana position, the rest of the sport watches from afar, trying to handicap where this will lead. One AL executive still thinks it will eventually lead Santana to the Bronx.
"The Twins are doing the right thing, waiting for the right deal," he said. "But the Red Sox don't need to panic. They don't need him. There's no reason for them to get anxious. But the Yankees actually do need him. They're just trying to convince themselves they don't."
Falls in line with what Jon Heyman is reporting.
Twenty-six months ago, it was reported that Cashman was "fed up" with the Yanks' front-office setup that promoted infighting and limited his power as G.M.
I wonder how he feels about the set-up now?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:19 PM | Comments (18)
League Execs Predict Hank To Go For Santana
From Jon Heyman today -
The Johan Santana Sweepstakes are likely to come down to whether new Yankees boss Hank Steinbrenner is willing to overrule GM Brian Cashman again. Steinbrenner wants to go for Santana, Cashman doesn't (at least not at the cost of Phil Hughes).
Word is that Steinbrenner the Younger would like to back the beloved Cashman, especially after disregarding the GM on whether to hold firm at three years for Jorge Posada and no years for Alex Rodriguez after A-Rod opted out. However, some executives around the league are predicting that Steinbrenner will make the ultimate call again and that Steinbrenner will ignore Cashman's advice to keep Hughes and save the $23 million a year or so, and that the Yankees will eventually land the great Santana.
The package would be expected to include center fielder Melky Cabrera, pitching prospect Jeff Marquez and another prospect in addition to Hughes. The Red Sox and Mets remain in the bidding and can't be counted out. But the Twins appear to be waiting for someone to bend, and the short history suggests that Junior Steinbrenner is the most likely to do so.
But, then again, if the Yankees get Johan Santana, and he goes on to win 115 games for the Yankees over the next seven years, Hank will look like a genius, no?
I'm not saying that Santana will do this - but, it's always possible.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:55 PM | Comments (7)
Buffett Looking To Run The Table?
From The [Philadelphia] Bulletin -
Question: What ever happened to that furniture company that advertised it would refund the purchase price of your furniture if the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, which they did?
Answer: The company lost up to about $20 million or more. No one knows for sure. But here's what we do know: Jordan's Furniture, Inc., which has stores in the Boston area, advertised that if anyone bought furniture between March 7 and April 26, and Boston won the World Series, the purchase price of their furniture would be refunded. Well, Boston did win the World Series. Now here's the closest I can give you to the inside story. Joseph Belth reports this in his respected and reliable insurance newsletter, The Insurance Forum (January 2008). To cover its possible loss, Mr. Belth says it took out a $20 million insurance policy with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., which owns a fleet of insurance companies and also owns Jordan's. Mr. Belth could not get answers from Jordan's or Berkshire, but he managed to piece together the above information. Mr. Belth notes that Mr. Buffett may have hedged his bet by betting against the New York Yankees. Jordan's is sending out checks and also sending out IRS Form 1099s, as the refund is taxable, as a lottery winning would be.
Mr. Buffett may have hedged his bet by betting against the New York Yankees...
So, Buffett tells A-Rod to sign with the Yankees, but, Buffett bet against the Yankees last year. I'm guessing that Buffett wants to bet against New York again next year...and figures having A-Rod there will help.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:14 PM | Comments (4)
Szen Pleades Guilty
From George King:
Former Yankee traveling secretary David Szen yesterday pleaded guilty in federal court to filing a false tax return, admitted he failed to report more than $50,000 in tips from players and coaches and was fired by the club.
Szen took a paid leave of absence in late July while the investigation was under way.
"I was wrong, and for that I'm humbly sorry, your honor," Szen told U.S. District Judge Mark Kravitz in New Haven, Conn.
Outside court, he asked for forgiveness and apologized to his family, employer and friends.
Szen, 56, was released on his own recognizance and will be sentenced March 7. Federal guidelines call for up to six months in prison for the felony conviction. He also faces a fine of up to $100,000 and will be required to pay $10,285 in back taxes plus interest and penalties.
Authorities said the tax loss was $10,285 based on under-reporting of $53,350 over five years. Szen, whose reported 2005 income was $63,631, received tips ranging from a few hundred dollars to $10,000 for services provided to unidentified coaches and players during the baseball season.
The position of Yankees traveling secretary paid an annual salary of $63,631 in 2005? In terms of net income, over the course of a calendar year, what is that, about $900 a week?
No wonder why he didn't report his tips. If I was clearing less than $200 a day and working as hard as he probably had to work, I'd be looking to make-up some ground where I could too.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:52 PM | Comments (2)
SOTD: Saving The Pen
O.K., show of hands, how many people are not shocked by seeing the Yankees so far down at the bottom of this list?
Here's the count for the Yankees pitchers who did "it" last year:
Chien-Ming Wang: 27 times
Andy Pettitte: 25 times
Mike Mussina: 14 times
Roger Clemens: 12 times
Philip Hughes: 7 times
Ian Kennedy: 2 times
Matt DeSalvo: 2 times
Kei Igawa: 2 times
Carl Pavano: 1 time
Tyler Clippard: 1 time
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:35 PM | Comments (9)
Torre Off The Hook?
An interesting study by Mitchel Lichtman (today) at The Hardball Times has the following conclusion:
[Jim Fregosi] is correct that relief pitchers who are worked hard during a season tend to see their ERA’s increase markedly (in our case, almost half a run), such an increase is fully expected due to two things – regression towards the mean and a “drop-out” or selective sampling effect, such that any pitcher who is allowed to pitch a subsequent year will have had a tendency to have gotten a little lucky in the current year, the same problematic phenomenon we see in aging studies. Finally, if there is a small “use-effect” such that relievers who are worked hard tend to suffer in subsequent seasons as compared to relievers who don’t throw as many innings, it is not evident from the data in this study.
This is an interesting update to a study that Cliff Corcoran did a few years ago at Bronx Banter where Cliff concluded:
[Steve Karsay] points to an ugly side of [Joe] Torre's tenure as Yankee manager, one in which he attributes the failures of his overworked relievers to the pitcher themselves, rather than the unreasonable workloads with which he saddles them, and shuns them because of their resulting poor performance.
It has always been interesting to me that guys like Mike Stanton and Mariano Rivera survived Joe Torre's handling whereas guys like Scott Proctor, Tanyon Sturtze, Paul Quantrill, etc. got cooked - or, at least we assume they were fried by Joe. Perhaps it all was maybe just a regression towards the mean - and Torre is not to blame for them?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:47 AM | Comments (11)
'Tis The Season?
Yesterday, I got this holiday e-mail from a friend, Dave, who I used to work with (a year ago). Dave is a huge Mets fan - lives and dies with them.
It's open season on Yankees, thanks to BALCO, McNamee, & Company. Makes it hard to even play the "7 in 17" card these days with my Mets' buddies.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:02 AM | Comments (2)
December 18, 2007
A-Rod Looks To Push His Image & Brand
Reggie Jackson once said "I guess I underestimated the magnitude of me." Looks like Alex Rodriguez doesn't want that to happen to him.
A hat tip to WasWatching.com reader baileywalk and BaseballThinkFactory.org for this news item from Variety:
Guy Oseary, the former record company executive whose personal management stable includes Madonna, has signed his first athlete, Alex Rodriguez.
The New York Yankees third baseman, considered by many to be the game's top player, has signed with Oseary, who personally manages Lenny Kravitz and magician David Blaine in addition to Madonna. He is also a partner in Untitled Entertainment, whose clients include Hilary Swank, Penelope Cruz, Naomi Watts and Ashton Kutcher.
"He's focusing on baseball and needs someone whose interests are aligned," Oseary told Daily Variety, explaining the rare move of an athlete signing with a manager whose expertise is music and film. "This is to help him have more control of his image and brand."
"As I embark on this new chapter in my career, I know that I have found in Guy Oseary someone who is aligned with my interests and who has earned a lot of respect in the entertainment industry," Rodriguez said in a statement.
While a miniscule number of NFL and NBA players have made inroads into entertainment and other non-playing opportunities, Major League Baseball players have not been as fortunate. Very few have had national endorsement deals over the last couple of decades, and the sport has been clouded in recent years by the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Rodriguez, however, is in a rare league of athletes who are household names, play at the peak of their powers for years and have never experienced serious off-the-field troubles.
"Obviously, there are a tremendous amount of opportunities for Alex," Oseary said. "It's about him having someone who he respects who can look at endless possibilities. I don't look at any one area -- and these are areas he has not explored."
Gee, last time I checked, there's no "image" or "brand" in "TEAM."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:09 PM | Comments (6)
Juliano: Flexibility Makes Cashman Right Man For Yanks
William Juliano has decided to pitch in on the Cashman Appreciation Project. What follows below is William's own words. Thanks to William for sharing this content with WasWatching.com!
Every GM has to judged within the context of the team for which he works. In Brian Cashman’s case, we need to evaluate the role that he played in maintaining the Yankees run of success, as well as the steps he has taken to sustain it into the future. To do this, I have broken the Cashman era into three segments: the dynasty years (1998-2001), which focused on supplementing a core; the post-championship years (2001-2005), which focused on using free agents to supplement an aging core; and the youthful retooling (2006-?), which has focused on using an up and coming young core to revitalize the organization and sustain its success.
Dynasty Years
Brian Cashman inherited an immensely talented team in 1998. Still, there was one move that was very crucial to this team achieving regular season history and winning the World Series...the signing of Cuban defector Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez. With so much water under on the bridge, it’s easy to think of El Duque as a natural Yankee and assume that George’s money and brand more than Cashman’s negotiating skill was responsible for the coup. A careful check of the reports in March 1998, however, suggest otherwise. In the early days of the negotiations, Joe Cubas, El Duque’s agent, expressed significant frustration with the Yankees negotiating tactics, singling out George Steinbrenner and Mark Newman for pointed barbs. Once Brian Cashman assumed the role of point man, however, a deal was quickly consummated. In a New York Times article on March 7, 1998, Cubas stated, “I was about to cut a deal with Cleveland. We were at opposite ends of the spectrum yesterday. The thing that helped was that Cashman got directly involved, which he hadn't been from the very beginning.”
Think about that for a minute. If not for Cashman salvaging the negotiation, El Duque not only wouldn’t have been available to save the Yankees season in Game 4 of the ALCS, he very well could have been pitching AGAINST them!! As a result, in the one move, you could make a very strong case for Cashman playing a vital role in the 1998 championship season.
Another important decision from that season was one Cashman didn’t make...a mega trade for Randy Johnson. According to all accounts, the Yankees could have bagged the Big Unit had they been willing to give up a package of young players, including set-up man Ramiro Mendoza. Considering that the Yankees won the next three championships, that decision to hold off on Johnson has to be viewed as a wise one. Not only did the Yankees retain a valuable set-up man who pitched several key innings over the championship run, but they also maintained the clubhouse chemistry that was the defining feature of those teams. Who knows…Randy Johnson could have been dominant for the Yankees, but then again, he could also have been a disruption (and led to a series of other roster moves that would have made those teams very different). What we do know is the Yankees couldn’t have done any better over the next three seasons.
As listed by Steve Lombardi, Cashman registered a few very nice moves in 1999. The most significant one among them was adding Roger Clemens. It sure took courage to trade the bets pitcher off of such a historic team, but Cashman made that difficult decision and it benefited the Yankees for years to come (also, Cashman might have been able to pull off an even better deal if Hideki Irabu had not had a no-trade clause to Toronto). In addition to the Rocket, the additions of Jason Grimsely and Darryl Strawberry also proved to net positive results. Sure, Cashman may have swung and missed a few times as well, but with a team like the Yankees, what counts is the contact you make. With a much larger margin for error, a Yankee GM doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, you can argue that he shouldn’t even try to be. After all, failing to take risks means limiting the reward.
Another trade from 1999 wound up bearing real fruit in 2000. After almost being able to trade Irabu in the Clemens deal, Cashman was able to package him to the Expos for Jake Westbrook and Ted Lilly. As we all know, Cashman then sent Westbrook to Cleveland in a deal that landed David Justice. I don’t think much needs to be said about the role Justice played in winning the championship that year. Once again, while it might only be one move, Cashman made a key decision that helped lead to the Yankees final ring in dynasty era.
Also from 2000, the Yankees signed Chien-Ming Wang to an amateur contract. That decision would pay dividends much later on.
In 2001, Cashman supplemented an aging pitching staff by signing Mike Mussina. Even though Cy Youngs and championships did not follow, Moose has gone on to have a very good career with the Yankees. By targeting Moose and bagging his prey, Cashman deserves credit for a wise play of the FA market. That year, Cashman was also busy in the amateur free agent market, adding Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera. At this point, it is important to note how the Yankees were able to supplement their feeble farm system with international free agents. As free agents became the fuel needed to sustain the Yankee locomotive, these signings helped make up for the lack of high draft picks.
Post Championship
2002 clearly wasn’t one of Cashman’s stronger seasons as a GM. He did a nice job sending David Justice to the Mets for Robin Ventura (who filled a void nicely for the season). Also, at least for 2002 alone, the FA signings of David Wells, Jason Giambi and Steve Karsay all paid off rather handsomely. Unfortunately, the trade of Ted Lilly for Jeff Weaver stands out as a sore thumb. Although many touted the deal as a good one at the time, the record now indicates otherwise. Of the three main pitchers in the deal, Lilly and Bonderman proved to me much more valuable than Weaver. If not for this ill-fated trade, 2002 actually would have been another pretty good year on Cashman’s ledger. Still, the 2002 Yankees won a ton of games in spite of their early post season exit.
For the 2003 season, Cashman added Hideki Matsui to fill a long-time void in left field. He also made a savy signing of Jon Leiber that would pay off a year later. Most importantly, he picked up Aaron Boone from the Reds. While Boone really wasn’t very good for the Yankees, his one swing on a Wakefield knuckleball justifies that entire season for me. Considering that he didn’t really give up much, I think the deal was a very good one. What’s more, with the addition of Boone, Cashman was able to trade a lame duck 3B in Robin Ventura for Scott Proctor. For all the jokes about Proctor, he was hugely successful in 2006. In any event, the Yankees did make the World Series that year. Who knows, if Joe Torre wouldn’t have left Mariano on the bench in favor of Jeff Weaver, there might be another banner flying atop the Stadium.
With the loss of Pettitte and Clemens in 2004, the Yankees were in transition. His best FA signing was Tom Gordon (Sheffield goes on the Steinbrenner’s ledger, although one could argue that Cash’s preference for Vlad is feather in his cap). Also, Cashman was able to pull of one of the biggest trades in team history when he landed Arod for Soriano. Oh yeah...the Yankees received cash in the deal. Cashman also brought back El Duque, a move that paid huge dividends when he went 8-2 over the second half of the season. Other notable additions included John Olerud. On the draft front, the Yankees picked up a kid named Phil Hughes. In retrospect, Cashman’s 2004 was pretty good...he picked up a great bullpen arm; superstar player; emerging top prospect; and a few useful veterans. For a team that was a perennial winner, that’s pretty much all you can ask. Unfortunately, a few bad breaks and one historic comeback later, 2004 looks like a disaster. In reality, it was a pretty good year for the team and the general manager.
If one wants to pin a bad year on Cashman, 2005 is that season. Pavano, Wright and Womack were awful signings...both in retrospect and at the time. Having said that, 2005 wasn’t all bad either. The Randy Johnson deal didn’t bear the fruit that was hoped, but the Big Unit was actually pretty good that regular season (ERA+ of 112 and 5 wins against the Red Sox). Also, although minor at the time, the deals for Shawn Chacon and Aaron Small proved vital. When you consider that Cashman didn’t give up much in the Unit deal, and next to nothing in the other two trades, you can’t argue with that trio’s performance (34 – 11). Still, the Chacon and Small performances were necessitated by the awful deals for Pavano and Wright, so you can’t heap too much praise. Perhaps, where you can give Cashman more deserved praise is for his willingness to admit his mistakes and take the dramatic step of promoting Cano over a clearly awful Womack. With Wang and Cano contributing in their rookie campaigns, Cashman’s strategy of signing international free agents was starting to pay off.
Youthful Retooling
Heading into 2006, Brian Cashman finally had the autonomy he had long desired. His first major move, signing Kyle Farnsworth, certainly wasn’t a good omen, but his draft fared much better. By adding Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy, Cashman continued a strategy of signing over-slot pitchers in an attempt to stockpile young arms (a strategy that has the Yankees as players in every major deal being contemplated). On the major league front, Cashman also signed Johnny Damon. Although the ultimate value of that contract is still to be determined, Damon was a significant asset in 2006. Another feather in his cap was the mid season addition of Bobby Abreu for next to nothing. That deal clearly spurred on the Yankees second half resurgence that culminated in a 5-game massacre of the Red Sox in August. Still, the Yankees fell short of their ultimate goal, and part of the reason was the failing of an older staff. Toward that end, Cashman seems to have realized the need to develop young starters and you can’t argue much with his progress to this point.
With 2006 signaling the need for a transition back to youth, Cashman traded three veterans (Sheffield, Johnson and Wright) for prospects. Although the jury is still out on the young arms received in return, the deals definitely highlighted the Yankees’ new philosophy. Unfortunately, the Kei Igawa deal got in the way of that plan, but even in spite of the large posting fee, Cashman wasn’t exactly effusive with his praise for the signing. Repeatedly, Cash labeled him a reliever/5th starter, so perhaps that deal came more from the team’s marketing department? In any event, 2007 continued the Yankees strategy of drafting high ceiling/high bonus talent, and saw the Yankees eschew trading highly touted young prospects for stop gap solutions.
How well the Yankees revitalized farm is at producing players will likely go a long way toward defining Cashman’s future legacy. Up to this point, however, I don’t think you can complain too much. Could he have compiled a stronger bench and bullpen in some years? Yes. Did he whiff on Pavano, Wright and Igawa? Sure. On balance, however, Cashman has seemed to make the right moves. From El Duque to Wang to Cano, he has tapped the international market with much success. With names like Proctor, Leiber, Small and Chacon, he has also had success scouring the scrap heap. By acquiring Arod and Randy Johnson, no one can doubt his ability to pull off a block buster. At midseason, the acquisitions of Justice and Abreu prove his ability to identify a void and fill it with the perfect solution. Finally, with his recent drafts, he has shown that he has been instrumental in changing the Yankees free agent first philosophy. As the Yankee team has changed, so too has Cashman. This flexibility, ultimately, is what makes Cashman the right man to serve as General Manager of the Yankees.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:00 PM | Comments (11)
Yanks Future: Artificial Players & Artificial Fans?
In an exchange of e-mails between a friend and I this morning, regarding the Yankees ticket price increase for next season, I found myself writing:
The days of going to 9 games [at Yankee Stadium], or more, a year, are out for me. Sad. I can't afford it. At this rate, I'll be lucky to be there for 3 or 4 games a year.
Thinking about it some more, I’m starting to wonder if Yankee Stadium will become like the Titanic when it set out to sea – with all the rich people staying on top, living the high-life, and all the poor people jammed into the bowels of the ship, crammed in there, huddled, and wondering what it’s like for the affluent folks in the nice parts of the vessel.
Seriously, since the Yankees are “reversing the bowls” in their new Stadium – meaning there will be more seats on the bottom level as opposed to the upper deck, which is the opposite of the current Stadium where there are more seats in the upper deck than at field level - will the new Stadium have all the rich people on the first level and the poor people jammed into what few seats will be there in the upper deck?
Worse, when you factor in the current demand for Yankees tickets, and the lure of the new Stadium, will the average to less-than-average income person even be able to buy Yankees tickets come 2009?
You know, not too long ago, Jacobs Field in Cleveland had 455 straight sellouts from June 12, 1995 through April 4, 2001. Further, the Indians actually sold all 81 home games before opening day during three separate seasons. Needless to say, there was a time when getting a ticket to a baseball game in Cleveland was a hard thing to do.
I was actually in Cleveland, during the season in 1999, on a business trip with a friend – and our meetings were scheduled not far from “The Jake.” On the taxi ride from the airport to our meeting, I asked the cabbie if it was, indeed, impossible to get a ticket to the game (that night). He asked me if the first inning was important to me. When I asked him why, he said “If you want to scalp tickets, you’re going to need a loan from the bank. But, if you’re willing to miss the first inning, by that time, the scalpers are willing to then sell the tickets at face value or less – rather than risk not selling the tickets at all.”
Thinking about this today – is this what it’s going to come down to in the Bronx after 2008? Is the only way that you’ll be able to afford decent seats to a Yankees game will be if you’re willing to scalp after the first inning is already played?
Worse, I don’t think that the Yankees care that they’re forcing the “everyday diehard fan” out of being able to go to a game. There will be enough well-to-do people, celebrities, corporations, etc., willing to buy tickets for games at the new Stadium – so, at the end of the day, the Yankees will still get their revenue. But, I will suggest this: There will be a change in the atmosphere at the new Stadium. With the “died in the wool” fans relegated to the few seats affordable and available in the upper deck and/or bleachers, and the majority of the seats filled with “Milli Vanilli type” poser-fans, going to a Yankees game, after 2008, will have an artificial feel to it.
It's funny: Many people like to say that the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez is vain, sensitive, insecure...and, overcoached and artificial.
Is this the Yankees future? Artificial players and artificial fans?
To quote the Chez Quis Maitre D' in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, "I weep for the future."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:14 PM | Comments (11)
Yanks Raise Ticket Prices, Again
I got my season tickets in 2001 - Loge Box MVP seats, right by 1B.
In 2001, they were $37 per seat.
That price stayed the same in 2002.
In 2003, it was raised to $40.
In 2004, it was raised to $45.
In 2005, it was raised to $50.
In 2006, it was raised to $55.
And, last year, 2007, it was raised to $63 per seat.
Now, I just got the bill for 2008 - and the price for next season is $75 per seat.
Is it just me, or, is an increase of 102.7% over a seven year period just seem like a bit much?
You know, before the Cardinals opened their new park in 2006, ticket prices in the ten prior new homes for baseball teams, since 2000, saw a 50 percent average increase.
So, what, now my tickets will be $113 per seat in 2009? Man, that's just crazy.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:50 AM | Comments (20)
December 17, 2007
Cashman Appreciation Project - Follow Up Request
Five days ago, I pitched WasWatching.com’s Cashman Appreciation Project – asking readers to submit an essay that details all the positive things that Brian Cashman has brought to the Yankees in his ten years as G.M. – with the following conditions:
It can’t just be “one” thing – I want to see at least four positive things that Cashman has brought to the picture in the last decade. (Four things over the course of 120 months should not be so tough, right?) And, you can’t make statements/claims without showing the whole picture and providing details and facts. For example:
I don’t want to see a statement like: “Brian Cashman helped the Yankees organization by staffing the team with great young arms [period]”
If you’re going to make a claim like that, I want to also see: What brought cause for the need of the arms? Who was responsible for that? Who are the young arms? What have they done to date and at what level? What have they proven in terms of being able to succeed at the major league level? What proof do we have that Cashman, and not Damon Oppenheimer and/or Mark Newman, was the driving force behind their joining the organization?
To date, only one person has accepted the challenge: Matt Johnson.
And, with his submission, Johnson decided to focus on Cashman’s actions since 2005, ignoring the seven years before that time, and highlighting Cashman’s recent trend of keeping draft picks, signing international players, and not trading pitching prospects. However, to this, I would counter that very few (if any) of these Post-2005 actions noted by Johnson have brought genuine, substantial and sustained positive impact to the Yankees major league team, to date. They may, indeed, become fruitful in the near or somewhat-near future. But, any claim that they will result in the Yankees favor, soon or fairly soon, for fact, is just soothsayer speculation at this junction.
Therefore, I’m still at square one in terms of seeing, from others, the detectable and positive things that Brian Cashman has brought to the Yankees in his ten years as G.M. – and, once again, I’m asking for “you” to provide an assist on this one.
If you’re interested in submitting a “Cashman Appreciation” essay, under the above guidleines, please send it to me via e-mail. While I can’t promise to publish all of them, I will make every attempt to publish the best of the bunch.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:52 PM | Comments (42)
Brian Cashman 1999
Brian Cashman became Yankees G.M. on February 28, 1998.
It's rare for someone to be a G.M. for tens years with one team these days. Ten years does provide for some "body of work" analysis. Therefore, I thought it would be fun, this off-season, to take a look back at Cashman's "moves" during the past decade - one year at a time. (I'll try and post one year, per week, over the next ten weeks.)
Here, we'll look at Cashman's moves in 1999 and how they helped or hurt the team:
No Impact:
March 30, 1999 - Traded Darren Holmes and cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Received Ben Ford and Izzy Molina.
June 2, 1999 - Drafted Alex Graman in the 3rd round of the 1999 amateur draft. Player signed June 5, 1999. Drafted Andy Phillips in the 7th round of the 1999 amateur draft. Player signed June 25, 1999. Drafted Kevin Thompson in the 31st round of the 1999 amateur draft. Player signed June 7, 2000.
December 13, 1999 - Traded Chad Curtis to the Texas Rangers. Received Brandon Knight and Sam Marsonek.
December 14, 1999 - Traded Dan Naulty to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Received Nicholas Leach.
December 17, 1999 - Signed Chris Turner as a free agent.
Good Impact:
January 26, 1999 - Signed Jason Grimsley as a free agent.
February 18, 1999 - Traded Homer Bush, Graeme Lloyd, and David Wells to the Toronto Blue Jays. Received Roger Clemens.
April 5, 1999 - Signed Darryl Strawberry as a free agent.
July 31, 1999 - Traded Geraldo Padua to the San Diego Padres. Received Jim Leyritz.
November 29, 1999 - Signed Mike Stanton as a free agent.
December 15, 1999 - Signed Ryan Thompson as a free agent.
Great Impact:
December 22, 1999 - Traded Hideki Irabu to the Montreal Expos. Received players to be named later and Jake Westbrook. The Montreal Expos sent Ted Lilly (March 17, 2000) and Christian Parker (March 22, 2000) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.
Bad Impact:
February 1, 1999 - Traded Mike Lowell to the Florida Marlins. Received Mark J. Johnson, Ed Yarnall, and Todd Noel.
April 5, 1999 - Signed Wily Mo Pena as a free agent.
December 6, 1999 - Signed David Cone as a free agent.
December 7, 1999 - Signed Allen Watson as a free agent.
Was Probably Not A Cashman Move & More Likely Something Done In Tampa:
None.
______________________________________________________________
This is an interesting year. The terrible decisions to bring back Watson and Cone, at the end of the season, somewhat offset the good moves on Grimsley, Stanton and Thompson. The Irabu trade was a steal - too bad that they didn't keep Lilly and Westbrook (as they would helped, for sure, this season). The Wells-Clemens deal? From 1999 to 2003, Clemens had 62 RSAA in 1004 IP and Wells had 46 RSAA in 981.3 IP. That's close. But, Wells was back in New York for 2002 and 2003. From 1999 to 2001, Clemens had 52 RSAA in 612.3 IP and Wells had 27 RSAA in 562 IP. So, yes, that trade was a good one for Cashman, then, too. The Lowell trade depends on your position. Some will say that he was blocked and it made sense. That's fine. But, the return, in the end, turned out to be a bust - albeit that the pitching prospects sounded good at the time. Ah, pitching prospects...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:49 PM | Comments (14)
Derek Speaks...On Stein High
From the St. Petersburg Times -
Most Hillsborough County schools are named after people, but they're usually educators - poor-pocketed regular folks - and not billionaire businessmen.
Not people like New York Yankees owner and philanthropist George Steinbrenner, whose name was chosen last week for the long-awaited high school in Lutz.
Don't worry, it's not Wisconsin or Indiana, where school naming rights are for sale; or Marion County, where they're considering the practice.
No, school officials here said they simply wanted to honor Steinbrenner: "the Boss," brassy with a heart of gold.
Steinbrenner, 77, made the following statement via his spokesman Howard J. Rubenstein: "I am thankful and gratified with this enormous honor, and I'll continue to help the youth of our community as best I can, because they're the future for us and for the nation."
"With all he's done for this area, if you're going to name a school after anybody in Tampa, it should be him," said Yankee captain Derek Jeter.
Maybe Derek just chimed in on this one because he wants to use it in his case to establish his Tampa residency?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:46 AM | Comments (4)
Revisiting The Recent Question: Are Yanks Being Smart?
The other day, I took a beating from some WasWatching.com readers when I suggested that the proper model for building a baseball franchise would be to draft, sign, and develop position players and trade for, or sign free agent, pitchers.
Today, I found this excellent study entitled "How Much is a Top Prospect Worth?" by Victor Wang in "By the Numbers, Volume 17, No. 3" that backs up what I was suggesting the other day. I recommend reading the study (via the link provided herein). In summary, this is what Wang shared:
With salaries for major league free agents skyrocketing, teams are more reluctant than ever to trade their top prospects. These prospects are so valuable because if they reach their upside, a major league team has a star caliber player under their control for six full seasons while paying that player much less than what he would earn on the open market. Teams are even reluctant to trade these types of prospects for established major league stars, who may provide more certainty but cost more and may soon be free agents. I was curious to see whether teams were making the right choice by holding on to these prospects. In essence, I wanted to determine what type of value a team could get back from a top prospect during the first six years the team had that prospect under its control.
On average, the hitting prospects have given about 24 WARP, or the results of an everyday player. When that player can be controlled for a very cheap price, it gives great value to the controlling team given the current open market. However, when we take a closer look, the chances of a team getting an everyday player is one out of three. They also have a higher chance of having their prospect become a bust than getting a star player in return. A bust happens for one out of every five prospects while a team gets a star player in return for one out of every six hitting prospects. For every Vladimir Guerrero, there are even more Eric Anthonys. The large standard deviations also reflect the large risk prospects carry. While hitting prospects provide a pretty decent return, top pitching prospects have given a terrible one. Out of the 26 different pitchers to rate as a top ten prospect, only one (Pedro Martinez) gave a star return in his first six years. A team only gets a solid starting pitcher for about one out of every ten pitching prospects. Maybe even worse, over half of the pitching prospects became busts. Given the high rate of failed pitching prospects, it could definitely be worth giving a top pitching prospect for an established player, even considering the high price that pitchers fetch in the free-agent market.
It appears that teams are doing the right thing in hanging on to top hitting prospects. Trading a top hitting prospect demands a lot in return in order to ensure fair value in a trade. It also appears that teams are usually doing the right thing by not trading away top pitching prospects for a short term acquisition. There could be value to be made if a team can acquire a more certain asset it can control for over one year for a top pitching prospect, especially given the fact that even top pitching prospects are a bust over half the time.
Like I said the other day, the Yankees have focused their "draft" strategy around drafting, signing, and trying to develop pitching prospects. As Wang notes "top pitching prospects are a bust over half the time." Note we're not talking about "prospects" here but "top prospects." And, note we're not talking about them being "less than great" here but about them being "busts." So, again, I have to ask the question: Is Brian Cashman making the smart move by going with older and expensive position players, with no one to force them out of the picture for less money, and going very heavy with pitching prospects where it's risky to project performance and health at the big league level?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:13 AM | Comments (27)
John Sickels Top 20 Yanks Prospects
John Sickels has published his list of the Yankees Top 20 Prospects for 2008:
1. Joba Chamberlain, RHP, Grade A
2. Jose Tabata, OF, Grade B+
3. Ian Kennedy, RHP, Grade B+
4. Alan Horne, RHP, Grade B
5. Austin Jackson, OF, Grade B-
6. Bradley Suttle, 3B, Grade B-
7. Dellin Betances, RHP, Grade B-
8. Austin Romine, C, Grade B- (hate grading guys who haven't played yet, could be C+)
9. Jesus Montero, C, Grade C+ (borderline B-)
10. Dan McCutchen, RHP, Grade C+
11. Brett Gardner, OF, Grade C+
12. Damon Sublett, 2B, Grade C+ (love this guy)
13. Andrew Brackman, RHP, Grade C+ (could slot anywhere from 9 to 20 depending on what you want to emphasize)
14. Jeffrey Marquez, RHP, Grade C+
15. George Kontos, RHP, Grade C+
16. Kevin Whelan, RHP, Grade C+ (check those K/IP and H/IP, but command?)
17. Frank Cervelli, C, Grade C+ (great glove, bat?)
18. David Robertson, RHP, Grade C+ (stunning numbers)
19. Jairo Heredia, RHP, Grade C+
20. Zach McAllister, RHP, Grade C+
No Humberto Sanchez? No J. Brent Cox? No Mark Melancon? That's fine...but, then, how can you have Brackman at # 13? Note that Ross Ohlendorf and Edwar Ramirez did not make the top twenty either.
Comparing the list to Kevin Goldstein's latest on the Yankees system, tells us that Kevin and John agree that Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Austin Jackson, Jose Tabata, and Alan Horne are the Yankees top five prospects.
It will be interesting to see if the Yankees rotation in 2009 will be Wang, Chamberlain, Kennedy, Hughes, and Horne - or, if the Yankees will move one of the kids for someone like Santana, and/or, try and bring back Pettitte for 2009.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:33 AM | Comments (6)
Ho, Ho, Ho...Need General Joe?
Just a reminder...
if you're interested in getting or giving a "General Joe's Army Shirt" for Christmas, you probably want to order it today - and opt for two-day or one-day express shipping. If you wait beyond today, it may not get to you in time for the holiday.
And, as far as I know, the discount coupon still can be applied.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:27 AM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2007
Anyone Heard From The Captain Lately?
Back on November 9th, speaking at Joe Torre's annual Safe At Home Foundation gala, Derek Jeter said, about Alex Rodriguez:
"There's not many people in the game that do the things that he does. We're trying to win, but it takes more than one person. We've had teams that have won and we haven't had numbers like that put up, so you don't necessarily have to have those type of numbers in order to win."
After that, I heard Jeter on WFAN - as he was named WFAN's Top New York Sports Celebrity. And, then, Derek said he was going to leave the country for a bit. But, he's back now, and, to date, I don't think Jeter has said a word about Alex Rodriguez' return to the Yankees and A-Rod's new contract.
It's been a month since A-Rod's return went down. Doesn't it seem odd - even with him being out of the country - that Jeter's had no comment on this? Or, has he said something and I missed it? Maybe it's just Jeter boycotting the media since they showed up at his mother's house? That was about the same time as when Alex's news broke. Or, could it be that Derek is being quiet because he has some issue with the money being given Alex and the potential of Rodriguez becoming the new face of the franchise?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:00 PM | Comments (10)
A-Rod On 60 Minutes
If you missed it, click here to read the interview.
Alex really doesn't say much - his answers to all the questions are what you would expect him to say...meaning they're very short and/or P.C. in nature. Such as:
Asked why he thinks he gets so much grief over his salary, Rodriguez told Couric, "'Cause I make a lot of money."
"Your new contract is worth $300 million-plus. Are you worth it? Is any player worth that kind of salary?" Couric asked.
"I'm not sure," Rodriguez said. "I mean, that's not my job to evaluate or appraise players. I love to play baseball."
and...
"Why haven't you done better in the post-season?" Couric asked.
"I've stunk," Rodriguez admitted. "You know? I've done very poorly. And that's not acceptable."
After seeing the interview, I am left asking myself the question "What was the purpose of that? Why did Rodriguez consent to the interview if he was going to give it the robo-response routine?"
Perhaps Alex just thought it was important to answer the PED question, in the flesh, and do some damage control on the handling of his opt-out announcement? That's the only thing I can guess here.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:39 PM | Comments (2)
Yanks To Twins (?): If We Can Move Godzilla, We're In On Johan
From Joe Christensen -
Yesterday, Hank Steinbrenner the Newark Star Ledger what many people have long suspected: The Yankees aren’t out of the Johan Santana sweepstakes. “We’re still considering it,” Steinbrenner said. “I haven’t closed the door completely on Santana.” The story adds:
A person who has spoken to Minnesota management and asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak for the team said the Yankees told the Twins they would get back into the Santana talks if they can shed the contract of left fielder Hideki Matsui.
I heard the same thing from the Twins this week.
Poor Matsui - he has to get bounced from the Bronx because of the money wasted on Kei Igawa, Kyle Farnsworth, and Carl Pavano.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:40 PM | Comments (4)
Meet The New Boss, Not The Same As The Old Boss?
The St. Petersburg Times has a great feature up on Hank Steinbrenner today. Some hightlights:
"Maybe at times I'll shoot from the hip too much," says Hank with a deep, deliberate voice that contrasts to his father's faster, clipped delivery. "And that's an influence from my dad. But the biggest thing I learned from him is winning."
For years, he distanced himself from baseball, where there would have been precious little room to establish his own identity while following in his father's footsteps. Other than a brief stint with the team in 1985 and 1986, learning the ropes of the organization, Hank remained immersed in the thoroughbred business some 100 miles north at Kinsman Farm in Ocala, where he would produce a steady string of graded stakes champs and 2005 Kentucky Derby favorite Bellamy Road.
He shunned opportunities to become the DH - designated heir - turning down his dad's offer to run the team temporarily when the senior Steinbrenner was suspended from baseball in 1990. He watched with no regrets as one, then another brother-in-law moved into the line of succession until they became former brothers-in-law - ultimately opening the door for Hank to be groomed for a new role.
"I preferred to stay with horse racing, at that time I was even living at the farm," he said. "At no time did I wonder, 'Well, am I going to end up taking it over?' It was a situation where it was a necessity within the last year."
For all the tempestuousness that would characterize his father as Yankees owner, Hank saw a different man at home. "As a father, he was great," he says. "As a boss, he was very difficult."
But Papa Steinbrenner coaxed his son into joining the baseball business in the mid-1980s. Hank was assigned to then-GM Clyde King in '85, followed by King's successor, Woody Woodward. He saw the inner workings of the operation, with Billy Martin managing the first year, Lou Piniella the second.
"In the years I was with the Yankees, he wasn't too involved," Piniella says. "But I've gotten to know him well since then. Hank's a smart guy. Very intelligent and hospitable. Quiet and more reserved than his father. He doesn't have the bluster his dad was known for. I don't think he probably likes the limelight as much as his dad did. He's very serious - all business."
He's a pack-a-day smoker, but wants to quit to be a better role model for children. As a youngster, he dreamed about becoming a U.S. senator, a goal that delighted his parents. He plays a Fender Stratocaster guitar to relax, likes U2 and he says his favorite meal is pizza.
"Hank's just a regular guy you could have a beer with," longtime friend and Kinsman Farm manager Jim Scott says.
Scott has a favorite story about Hank. It takes place in the '80s, when George Steinbrenner was still highly involved at Kinsman.
"Hank was here in our office and we were on a conference call, and Mr. Steinbrenner was chewing me and a couple of other guys out about something," Scott remembers. "Hank was kind of sitting back, not saying anything. But he had one of those little laugh boxes, and when you pushed the button, it would go, 'Ya-ha-ha-ha.'
"So as Mr. Steinbrenner is yelling into the phone, Hank comes up from behind, puts the box right next to the receiver and all of a sudden he hits that button. That thing starts making laughing sounds. And Mr. Steinbrenner comes apart, wanting to know who was laughing during the a---chewing. I didn't think it was funny at the time, but I did later."
Not long after, following some gentle prodding by Piniella over lunch, Hank emerged and, with Hal, joined their aging father. He needed them, not just wanted them. The time had come to return to his side. The daughters have done the same, with Jessica expanding her Kinsman duties and Jennifer supervising the New York Yankees Foundation, taking a more visible role in overseeing philanthropic endeavors in the Tampa Bay area and New York.
"I'm happy that we've all stepped up," says Jessica, married to Yankees senior vice president Felix Lopez Jr.
"I think Hank will bring a very calm perspective," says Joe Molloy, who, before his divorce from Jessica in 1997, was a Yankees general partner and a candidate to succeed the Boss. Molloy now works as a middle school teacher in Tampa. "He's very levelheaded and thinks things through thoroughly. His interest is to win and that will carry over."
But not, Hank says, as the result of an explosive management style.
"I tend to be somewhat reactive - I take things as they come, every situation is different," he says. "But as a boss, I'm definitely easy."
Time will tell with Hank. But, I see some potential here. Having him get control of the team might be one of the best things to happen to the Yankees since Big Stein got bounced for Howie Spira. I just hope that Hank gets the advice of good "baseball" people and avoids listening too much to "the suits."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:37 AM | Comments (2)
RSN To Now Suffer From "The Boss Curse"?
One can only hope so...from the Hattiesburg American:
Moments after Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon struck out Colorado Rockie Seth Smith for the final out of the 2007 World Series, Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek gave Papelbon the baseball.
Papelbon's agent later said that his client didn't have the ball.
It puzzled some in Boston, as the team had trouble getting the final baseball of the 2004 World Series, too, which the Red Sox also won.
Well, the 2007 mystery is now solved. The World Series baseball is in Hattiesburg.
At least what is left of it is.
"My dog ate it," said Papelbon, who has a home in the Canebrake subdivision.
"He plays with baseballs like they are his toys. His name is Boss. He jumped up one day on the counter and snatched it. He likes rawhide. He tore that thing to pieces. Nobody knows that. I'll keep what's left of it."
Gooood doggie.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:19 AM | Comments (4)
The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008
Being a big fan of The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006 and The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2007, I was truly looking forward to reviewing the The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008. And, once done, I was not disappointed.
Following the format of the two annuals that preceded it, The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 provides an extensive review of the past season, essays related to baseball history, features deep-rooted in statistical analysis, and, pages and pages of stats, stats, and more stats.
If The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 was a baseball bat, clearly, the content therein centering on statistical analysis would be the fat part of the bat.
Don't take this to mean that the features on the 2007 season and baseball history were not enjoyable. On the whole, I found them to be interesting and worth reading.
In particular, Dave Studenmund's "The Story Stat," where Dave uses the 2007 season to explain "Win Probability Added" (WPA) and "Leverage Index" (LI) - at a level where the old woman down the street would understand it - was excellent and recommended reading for anyone who does not understand WPA and LI.
And, Will Leitch's "The Deadspin Spin on 2007" was very entertaining - as was "The Months of 2007 in History" by Richard Barbieri.
Further, Chis Jaffe's "Manager Grinders and Boppers" (where Chis, via the stats, shows us who are baseball's true 'small ball' and 'moneyball' managers) is a must read. (Spoiler Alert: Buck Showalter would rather lose a finger than risk giving up an out.)
More so, it's a matter of the (deep) "statistical analysis" features being so off-the-charts in terms of value that they bring cause for you wanting more of them and less of the other (non-stats based) content in The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008.
Mitchel Lictman's "Signals and Noise" (where he shows us which teams under- and over-performed in 2007), Tom Tango's "With or Without You" (where he uses the stats to determine the best fielding catchers in baseball history), David Gassko's "Do Managers Matter?" (where he details which skippers actually help or hurt their teams), and John Walsh's "The Origin of the Platoon Advantage" (where he shows us that it's actually the fastball and the slider that lead to large platoon splits - and not the not the curveball or the change), were so outstanding that they alone make The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 a worthy purchase.
To be fair, not every feature in the analysis section was as attention-grabbing as those noted above. Personally, I found Tom Tango's "With or Without...Derek Jeter" (where he uses a new look to show Jeter's lack of fielding skill) and Vince Gennaro's "The Dollar Value of Player Development" (where he makes a case for player development being "the lifeblood of an MLB franchise") to be somewhat like beating old drums, albeit using a new stick, and playing a song that we've all heard before...many times.
However, again, the "great to good" to "O.K. to boring" ratio for the statistical features in The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 is very heavy on the "great to good" side. By far, these features put a great swing on the ball and make solid contact many, many, more times than not.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention the "stats" in The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 - as more than half of the book is pages full of statistics.
In a nutshell, the "Statistics" section of The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 is, well, it's the data that you pray the G.M. of your favorite baseball team has at their fingertips, understands, and uses when making decisions. The statistics provided are both ground-breaking and illuminating.
For example, as noted in the book, Jose Contreras had an ERA of 5.57 in 189 innings pitched last season. Ask 99 out of 100 baseball fans and they will tell you that Contreras was a terrible pitcher in 2007.
However, as the statistics in The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 show us, Jose's Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) - meaning strikeouts, walks and homers allowed - was not very out of line for him. Also, his Defense Efficiency Ratio (DER) - meaning the percentage of times a batted ball was turned into an out by his fielders - was third worst in the league. Further, 68% of Contreras' ground balls allowed went for outs - compared to the league average of 74% - and Jose gave up more runs per grounder compared to the average big league pitcher. Via the stats in The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 you can see that Jose Contreras was not a very lucky pitcher in 2007.
You just can't get stats like these in very many places - which makes The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 incredibly unique and useful.
When you factor in the retail price of $19.95, there's really no excuse for a zealous baseball fan not to pick up The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008. (And, if you know a baseball fan, and are looking to buy them a gift this holiday season, you will do no wrong by getting them this book.)
In 2005, I wrote:
I highly recommend The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006. I've read many books like this over the last 25 years and this one is right up there among the best of the group.
And, in 2006, I wrote:
The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2007 is batting 1.000 - in terms of providing great and ground-breaking baseball analysis. It's a worthy pick-up.
Having now read The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008, in summary, I have to "borrow" from what I wrote about its predecessors and say:
I've read many books like this over the last quarter-century and this one is right up there among the best of the group. In terms of providing great and ground-breaking baseball analysis, The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2008 is an excellent learning tool and valuable resource. I highly recommend it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:41 AM | Comments (2)
December 15, 2007
Andy Pettitte's Admission Of Using HGH
Andy Pettitte's statement tonight, via the AP:
Text of Andy Pettitte's statement Saturday issued through agent Randy Hendricks:
First, I would like to say that contrary to media reports, I have never used steroids. I have no idea why the media would say that I have used steroids, but they have done so repeatedly. This is hurtful to me and my family.
In 2002 I was injured. I had heard that human growth hormone could promote faster healing for my elbow. I felt an obligation to get back to my team as soon as possible. For this reason, and only this reason, for two days I tried human growth hormone. Though it was not against baseball rules, I was not comfortable with what I was doing, so I stopped. This is it - two days out of my life; two days out of my entire career, when I was injured and on the disabled list.
If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize. I accept responsibility for those two days. Everything else written or said about me knowingly using illegal drugs is nonsense, wrong and hurtful. I have the utmost respect for baseball and have always tried to live my life in a way that would be honorable. I wasn't looking for an edge; I was looking to heal.
If I have let down people that care about me, I am sorry, but I hope that you will listen to me carefully and understand that two days of perhaps bad judgment should not ruin a lifetime of hard work and dedication. I have tried to do things the right way my entire life, and, again, ask that you put those two days in the proper context. People that know me will know that what I say is true.
The Yankees on this, via their site:
"Late this afternoon Andy Pettitte advised us that he would be making a public statement. We support his coming forward."
O.K., Pettitte admits to surreptitiously using a performance enhancing drug (and, yes, attempting to rehab quicker is attempting to enhance performance) in 2002. And, for sure, if not for the Mitchell Report, Andy would have never fessed up to this - at least not now.
Also, for what it's worth, after coming off the D.L. in 2002, Pettitte went 12-4 in 19 starts with an ERA of 3.29. So, you have to accept the cries from some that want to suggest his 2002 season was aided by the use of HGH - albeit, as Andy claims, just a few injections. Note that I said "accept the cries" and not "accept the fact" - meaning I just saying that you have to give people the right to wonder about his 2002 numbers...given Pettitte's admission...and I'm not saying, for fact, that the HGH helped him.
Granted, Pettitte should have used better judgment at that time. Even without baseball having a policy on HGH in 2002, the fact that Andy was doing this behind closed doors and not through the team, and, given that the HGH was obtained illegally, Pettitte was not looking at the entire big picture when he elected to use the HGH.
Still, you have to give Pettitte some respect for confessing tonight - as he easily could have played the "Not true!" or "I didn't know what it was then!" card that just about everyone else likes to play when pressed into this spot.
Hey, at the end of the day, this is what it's going to come down to:
If you're a fan of Andy Pettitte, you're going to look at this whole thing now and say "I forgive him." And, if you're not a Pettitte fan, or, if you're someone who doesn't like the Yankees, you're going to look at this all now and say (something like) "He's a liar and a cheat."
And, in reality, all the facts, explanations, etc., related to this case don't really matter - because you were probably dead-ready to either forgive Pettitte or stone him...way before all this came to the surface.
Me? I like the guy. So, sure, I'm going to forgive him. Is that fair? Is that being rational? Nope - I must confess that it is not fair or rational. But, last time I checked, when it comes to rooting for a baseball player or team, there's no requirement that you have to apply fairness or rationality to the process.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:28 PM | Comments (6)
Francisco Arcia
The Yankees signed (then) 16-year old Francisco Arcia out of Venezuela in 2006. Reportedly, they signed him for $65,000.
He's a switch-hitter and a supposed good catch and throw guy behind the plate. He caught 47 games in the Dominican Summer League last year - and posted an OPS that was 192 points above the league average.
Don't get me wrong, he's still a million miles away from a point where we can say, for sure, that he's a big league prospect. But, still, he's someone worth keeping on the radar in Yankeeland, now.
Nice find here by Lin Garrett (the Yankees international scouting director).
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:15 PM | Comments (0)
Alan Horne Update
From The Gainesville Sun -
This season, in his second year in the minor leagues, Horne finished with an 11-4 record and a 3.20 ERA to lead the Trenton Thunder – the New York Yankees’ Double-A affiliate – to their first Eastern League Championship and along the way, earned the EL Pitcher of the Year award.
“We were really pleased with Alan’s progression,” Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman told trentonthunder.com shortly after the season. “He certainly has our attention.” That attention was evident during this year’s winter meetings.
After dangling the 6-foot-4, 195-pound righty at the Cincinnati Reds for slugger Adam Dunn this summer, the Yankees deemed him untradable in an attempt to acquire Minnesota Twins ace Johan Santana in November.
“It’s definitely a big honor,” Horne said. “Even to be thrown around with caliber players like Adam Dunn and Johan Santana is nice. Then to find out it’s not going to happen makes you feel really good.
“But anything can happen. There’s always that magic deal that can pop up.”
Now, Horne makes a living in New Jersey, where he hopes to be another successful product of the Yankees’ farm system – like former teammates Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes.
“It’s very encouraging to see your teammates have that success because it makes you think you can succeed, too,” Horne said. “I’m going to go into spring training with the mentality of being a starting pitcher for the Yankees and opening up some eyes. If I have to come out of the bullpen, that’s fine.
“I just want to make the big leagues.”
If I had to guess, Horne will start the year in Triple-A next season. But, if he does well there, he could be in the Bronx some time during the year too.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:05 PM | Comments (6)
One Cool Kaat
Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune has a nice feature up today - getting us up-to-date with Jim Kaat.
The Yankees rewarded Kaat for his excellence with generous pay, but they were unable to talk him out of retirement after the 2006 season. He went home to Stuart, Fla., and started making plans with his wife, Mary Ann, to see the country in their Itasca-Meridian model Winnebago.
"We left Florida at the end of May and didn't get back until the middle of November," Kaat said. "We traveled 10,400 miles through 27 states, with stops at 60 different golf courses and twice as many art galleries.
"Mary Ann doesn't golf, so she brushes the cats while I'm playing golf, and then I pay her back by visiting art galleries.
"We hit every state where we have relatives. We saw every brother, sister, son, daughter, grandchild, niece and nephew we could find."
"I know it's fashionable for retired people to get on a plane, fly to Europe, then come home and talk about how great Rome is," Kaat said. "To each his own, but I'd say to those people, 'You don't know what you're missing -- the scenery, the beautiful little towns, the great people -- by not hitting the highways and seeing this country."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:48 PM | Comments (2)
The Miami Boys On The Mitchell Report
From ESPN -
Jose Canseco said he couldn't believe that Alex Rodriguez wasn't named in the Mitchell report. But A-Rod says in an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" he's never even been tempted to use performance-enhancing drugs.
In the interview, scheduled to air Sunday, when asked by Katie Couric if he had used steroids, human growth hormone or another performance-enhancing drug, Rodriguez said, "No."
"I think baseball's done a fine job of implementing some very strict rules," Rodriguez said in the interview. "I mean, I got tested eight or nine times. I know some of my teammates got tested, you know, seven, eight ... times and, you know, if you think about where the game is today versus where it was six years ago, I think Major League Baseball has made some nice strides."
Canseco's name appears 105 times in the Mitchell report, more than that of Barry Bonds (103) or Roger Clemens (82). In all, the 409-page report identified 86 names to differing degrees, but Clemens clearly was the symbol.
"I saw the list of players, and there are definitely a lot of players missing," he told Fox Business Network. "I don't know what they accomplished or what they are trying to prove."
Prodded further about players not included, Canseco said this of A-Rod: "All I can say is the Mitchell report is incomplete. I could not believe that his name was not in the report."
When asked if he was going to start a blog, and mention his opinion on A-Rod there, Canseco said that he didn't see the point - because many baseball fans only want to read things that are in 100% agreement with their opinion (and not something that dares to differ from what they believe to be true).
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:18 PM | Comments (4)
December 14, 2007
Marty "Death To Healthy Hamstrings" Miller Weighs In On Clemens
From the Daily News:
When Marty Miller heard Thursday that Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte had been implicated as steroid users by their personal trainer, he hardly blinked an eye.
Miller, who served briefly as the Yankees' "director of performance enhancement" last season, saw the effects first-hand of self-appointed fitness gurus such as Brian McNamee.
"All I know is if a player is on a roster he can be tested," Miller says. "If you're not on a roster, you're not a player. There's players who just suddenly retire, and then come back. Some of the answers are sitting right in front of you."
Oh, that Marty, he's such a smarty. No wonder why Cashman loved him. (Yeah, I know, it wasn't a bad hire. Just bad luck, sunspots, or something that was totally not Brian's fault. No way could it be a bad hire.)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:44 PM | Comments (20)
Hank's Still Pondering Santana
From Ed Price -
The Yankees pursuit of Johan Santana is not over.
"We're still thinking about it," senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said today. "We haven't ruled it out completely. We're still considering it. I haven't closed the door completely on Santana."
Hank is going to say this, at least once a week, until the Twins do move Johan - just watch.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)
Stats, Results & Cashman
Yankees team batting and pitching stats since 1996 via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia:
W PS RCAA Rank OvL Rank 1996 92 Ring -4 7 .001 7 1997 96 L-DS 134 2 .028 4 1998 114 Ring 168 1 .052 1 1999 98 Ring 170 1 .031 3 2000 87 Ring 7 7 .010 6 2001 95 L-WS 20 5 .006 8 2002 103 L-DS 143 1 .052 1 2003 101 L-WS 142 2 .047 2 2004 101 L-CS 112 2 .038 2 2005 95 L-DS 138 2 .048 2 2006 97 L-DS 185 1 .046 1 2007 94 L-DS 161 1 .067 1 W PS RSAA Rank EvL Rank 1996 92 Ring 60 5 0.35 5 1997 96 L-DS 78 2 0.73 1 1998 114 Ring 102 1 0.83 1 1999 98 Ring 40 2 0.71 2 2000 87 Ring 54 3 0.16 6 2001 95 L-WS 71 5 0.44 3 2002 103 L-DS 76 4 0.58 4 2003 101 L-WS 50 3 0.50 3 2004 101 L-CS -41 9 -.05 6 2005 95 L-DS -11 7 -.17 9 2006 97 L-DS -14 9 0.14 6 2007 94 L-DS 30 5 0.02 7 W = Wins PS = Post-Season Results RCAA = Runs Created Above Average OvL = OPS vs. League Average RSAA = Runs Saved Above Average EvL = ERA vs. League Average Ranks = Rank In A.L. That Season Ring = Won World Series L-DS = Lost ALDS L-WS = Lost World Series L-CS = Lost ALCS
Every year, the Yankees win about 95 games a season. And, every year, since 1996, just about, the Yankees have had a great offense.
But, the results in October, for the Yankees, is not always the same. As soon as the Yankees pitching started to go from "great to good" (from 1997 to 2003) to "bad" (from 2004 to 2007), the team started having problems in October.
This should not be news to anyone who has been paying attention in Yankeeland since 1996.
Is it safe to say that the Yankees "plan" around their pitching staff is the reason why their regular season success has not carried over to the post-season since 2004? What do you think - looking at these numbers?
This got me thinking - who have been the Yankees worst pitchers from 2004 to 2007? See the following thanks to the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia:
NEW YORK YANKEES, 2004-2007, INNINGS PITCHED >= 40
RSAA RSAA IP T1 Esteban Loaiza -19 42.1 T1 Sean Henn -19 57.1 3 Tanyon Sturtze -15 166 T4 Jose Contreras -13 95.2 T4 Jaret Wright -13 204 T6 Kevin Brown -12 205.1 T6 Kei Igawa -12 67.2 8 Paul Quantrill -11 127.1 9 Javier Vazquez -10 198 T10 Jeff Karstens -7 57.1 T10 Al Leiter -7 62.1 12 Shawn Chacon -5 142 T13 Cory Lidle -4 45.1 T13 Ron Villone -4 122.2 15 Carl Pavano -3 111.1 16 Aaron Small -2 103.2 17 Kyle Farnsworth -1 126
Of the above, Jose Contreras, Jaret Wright, Kevin Brown, Kei Igawa, Paul Quantrill, Javier Vazquez, Shawn Chacon, Carl Pavano, and Kyle Farnsworth stand out the most to me.
Jaret Wright, from most reports, was signed out of the Yankees Tampa office. But, as far as I know, all the others (Contreras, Brown, Igawa, Quantrill, Vazquez, Chacon, Pavano, and Farnsworth) were Brian Cashman pick-ups.
Further, looking back, the Yankees best pitchers, from 2004-2007 were Mariano Rivera, Chien-Ming Wang, Tom Gordon, Andy Pettitte, Orlando Hernandez, and Mike Mussina.
To be fair, Cashman deserves a gold star here for Wang, Gordon, Hernandez and Mussina - who were all picked-up on Brian's watch.
But, clearly, Cashman has picked-up more bad big league pitchers, than good, for the Yankees during the last handful of seasons. And, this is why the Yankees, despite being able to win games during the regular season, have failed in October since 2004.
People like to say I'm a Cashman-basher for claiming this...however, again, based on the numbers and facts, is it that far out to make this suggestion? It seems like a fair assumption, at least to me.
Someone at BaseballThinkFactory.org recently made the following comment:
For too many Yankees fans when it comes to Cashman it's "heads he wins and tails somebody else loses".
That's a great one - and, it's all I'm looking for here. I believe that it's great to praise Cashman for all the good that he's done for the Yankees. However, I also believe that we must recognize that he's done his fair share of bad as well - and that bad is probably the reason why the Yankees have failed in October since 2004.
I know that many believe the Yankees have just had bad luck in October since 2004. However, I believe that luck is the residue of design - and, further, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Better preparation/design by Cashman with regard to staffing the big league team with good pitching probably means better luck for the Yankees in October - at least better than we've seen since 2004.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:02 AM | Comments (25)
Two Juicers On '07 World Champ Red Sox
Here's one for the RSN trolls today. From the AP -
The Red Sox suspected relievers Brendan Donnelly and Eric Gagne of using performance-enhancing drugs but acquired them anyway, according to the Mitchell Report.
No current Red Sox players were among the 12 with Boston connections identified in the report, though Gagne and Donnelly spent time with the team that won the 2007 World Series.
Donnelly was acquired from the Angels last offseason.
"He was a juice guy but his velocity hasn't changed a lot over the years ... If he was a juice guy, he could be a breakdown candidate," Zack Scott of the Red Sox baseball operations staff wrote of Donnelly in a Dec. 13, 2006, e-mail.
Donnelly finished the season on the disabled list and underwent Tommy John surgery. Hours before the report was released, Boston declined to tender him a contract offer for 2008.
"The club had no idea about names prior to release of this report," Red Sox spokesman John Blake said. "We didn't get anything until Mitchell released it at 2 o'clock."
Boston didn't sign Gagne as a free agent, but they got the '03 NL Cy Young winner at the midsummer trading deadline.
In a Nov. 1, 2006, e-mail to Red Sox scout Mark Delpiano, GM Theo Epstein asked, "Have you done any digging on Gagne? I know the Dodgers think he was a steroid guy. Maybe so. What do you hear on his medical?"
The scout responded, "Some digging on Gagne and steroid is the issue."
This is interesting to me. If the Red Sox knew that these two players were "juiced," and did not immediately share that information with Bud Selig, are they then guilty of knowingly withholding information that baseball would have wanted to know?
Don't get me wrong here - I'm pretty sure the Yankees knew that Jason Giambi was on something when they signed him, and they looked the other way. But, that was a long time before baseball seemed to care about who was using or not.
It will be interesting to see if Bud slaps the Sox' hands for this one. Somehow, I doubt it will happen.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:56 AM | Comments (12)
December 13, 2007
A-Rod Offers $0.02 On Mitchell Report
From CBS News -
Baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez says if there is truth in the Mitchell Report that accuses dozens of players of using steroids it will be a "huge black eye" on the game of baseball.
The Yankee third baseman spoke to Katie Couric right after the release of the report Thursday afternoon for an interview to be broadcast on 60 Minutes, this Sunday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
"So many huge players have been named in this investigation and MVPs, Cy Young award winners, hall of famers, what's your reaction to this investigation?" Couric asks.
"Well, Katie you're putting me in a tough spot. I mean these are guys that I play with, they're my teammates, friends, people that I respect, people that I play with every day. If anything comes of this, [I] would be extremely disappointed . I mean it would be a huge black eye on the game of baseball," Rodriguez says. "A lot of fans, they just want to know a lot. They want to know the truth and I think in this George Mitchell investigation . . . Maybe they will get what they want."
I wonder if Katie was wearing her 2004 World Series Championship ring when she was interviewing Alex?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:12 PM | Comments (4)
Statement From The New York Yankees Regarding The Mitchell Report
This one is an instant classic.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 03:43 PM | Comments (1)
The Mitchell Report Findings
Some Yankees named in the Mitchell Report -
Roger Clemens (page 215 of the PDF file), Andy Pettitte (page 223), Chuck Knoblauch (page 225), David Justice (page 229)...
...I would go on, but, I guess the PDF was being hit by everyone and his brother on the 'net, because, the file kept hanging on me. So, next, I looked for some reports and saw that these guys made the list too: Ron Villone, Mike Stanton, and Kevin Brown.
Of course, this skips over the guys that we knew about like Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, and Jason Grimsley.
Of all the Yankees fingered, only Pettitte matters now. And, from what I'm reading, Andy used HGH in 2002 for his elbow rehab. That was five years ago - which is water way under the bridge, for me.
The "report" reads like a book - a heavily foot-noted book. It's a nice summary of how it all got to this point. But, I don't see it as being what it was billed to be...
Anyway, now, baseball has popped the pimple on its face and hopes that its complexion will start to clear up. In the meantime, I guess us fans will be stuck looking at the red mini-volcano there until this goes away.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:13 PM | Comments (28)
Rough Day In The Bronx?
From Bob Klapisch –
According to one industry official, "several" prominent Yankees will be named by Mitchell in his 2 p.m. news conference in Manhattan. The official, who spoke to a third party who'd seen the final report, predicted, "It's going to be a rough day in the Bronx" after the identities are made public.
As long as it's not Paul O'Neill, I can deal with whatever names they want to throw out there.
Shane Spencer? If true, who cares?
Tino Martinez? Chuck Knoblauch? Hey, there was no rules or testing back in those days. At least they were "cheating" - if it claims they were - to win.
Jorge Posada? If true, it would not be shocking.
But, if it's Paulie, well, it would bother me - because I like the guy so much.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:13 AM | Comments (23)
Bad News For Clemens & Pettitte Today?
From the International Herald Tribune:
Moreover, information from Brian McNamee, a former New York Yankees strength coach, was provided to Mitchell's investigators. It was not clear if McNamee spoke directly to the investigators, or if information he provided was in the report. A baseball executive said Wednesday that when he was questioned by the investigators, he was asked about Radomski and McNamee.
Maybe this is why Andy was debating about staying home and calling it a career?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:44 AM | Comments (15)
Beam, DeSalvo & Rasner
T.J. Beam, Matt DeSalvo and Darrell Rasner have been taken off the Yankees roster and are now free agents.
I expect DeSalvo and Rasner to find jobs pretty quick.
Brian Bruney was kept on the roster. I still think we won't see him in the Bronx this year.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:15 AM | Comments (4)
December 12, 2007
Are Yanks & Tigers Being Smart?
Years ago, I recall seeing, regarding having the proper model for building a baseball franchise, a philosophy that said you should draft, sign, and develop position players and trade for, or sign free agent, pitchers.
The logic behind this went as follows:
1. There is less risk and greater ROI when you draft and develop hitters, over pitchers, because position players are easier to project forward than hurlers - and less likely to become injured and/or derailed before they reach the majors.
2. Position players had a shorter learning curve at the big league level, over pitchers, and you have a quicker ROI with them. The case here was supported by all those "prospect" pitchers who went years, and often switched teams, before reaching stud status...such as Curt Schilling, Dave Stewart, etc.
3. Having position players coming up in your system allowed you to let you current major league position players be traded, or have them walk, and not requiring you to have to pay big bucks to retain them...and you could then use the younger position players for 5 or 6 years before they had the hammer at the contract table.
4. By trading for, or signing, "older" pitchers, it was a better ROI situation and a more favorable risk/reward ratio since it's easier to predict what an "established" pitcher will do at the major league level - than predict what a kid may do in the bigs.
Basically, the overall notion is "gamble" (a.ka. spend money) on higher percentage plays - meaning projecting young hitters over young pitchers and older pitchers over younger pitchers - and position yourself so that you can replace future huge cost centers (meaning free agent hitters) with cheaper and just as efficient models.
In some ways, this is what the Boston Red Sox have done lately.
How many position players from the 2004 Red Sox were on the 2007 Red Sox? Granted, some of the 2007 Red Sox "new" position players were acquired players (like Lowell, Drew and Crisp) - and not cheaper - but, where possible, older players were replaced with guys like Pedroia and Youkilis. And, the Sox let guys like Millar, Damon, and Nixon go - rather than spend the money to keep them.
Further, the Red Sox starting pitching is just about all "bought" (or traded for because teams could not afford them) while guys were established. See: Schilling, Beckett, and Dice-K.
Now, look at the Yankees.
They're doing it in a fashion that's opposite of this "model" - they have older and high-paid position players, all locked up at the major league level - for the most part, sans a Cano or a Cabrera. And, New York has almost zero position players in the minors that are close to being able to step into the bigs.
Further, the Yankees have focused their "draft" strategy around drafting, signing, and trying to develop pitching prospects. It's probably not a reach to say that 80% of the Yankees best "prospects" are pitchers and not position players.
So, are the Yankees making a mistake here - going with older and expensive position players, with no one to force them out of the picture for less money, and going very heavy with pitching prospects where it's risky to project performance and health at the big league level?
Would it be smarter for the Yankees to follow the "model" that I heard about, years ago, or, are they outside that box because they can afford to pay position players tons of money and can afford to go with a dozen pitching prospects with the hope of having three of them click in the majors?
Perhaps the Yankees approach does work for them - and it's just not a model that is cost-effective? (But, again, in Yankeeland, it's not about the budget.)
I can't say either way what's right or wrong in terms of an approach - meaning go the suggested "model" way or the Yankee way. But, I will offer that the Yankee way seems to be the lazy way out...pay through the gills for your hitters and play the lotto on pitching.
Come to think of it, the Yankees did used to follow the "model" - when they brought up Posada, Jeter, Williams, etc. - and then went out and bought established pitchers like Cone, Clemens, Wells, El Duque, etc.
But, somewhere, they got away from that plan...and now they have the "new" plan, Cashman's plan.
Actually, it's not even an original plan for Cashman. It's what the Tigers started doing when they got Pudge Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, and others on the batting side (for big bucks) and then started to pump the younger hurlers (like Jeremy Bonderman and Justin Verlander) on the pitching side.
Hey, it worked for the Tigers in 2006 - they won 96 games and the pennant. But, last year, it didn't work so well for Detroit who won 88 games, with great hitting and about league average pitching.
Great hitting and about league average pitching. Yeah, that sounds like Cashman's Yankees as well.
It's probably too early to make a call on this whole thing. We really won't know for another two or three years if what the Yankees and Tigers are doing is the right approach. Perhaps, because of the cost of free agent pitching, or trying to trade for an established (and good) pitcher, this really is the wave for the future - and the Yankees and Tigers are on the right track?
What do you think?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:12 PM | Comments (12)
Johnson: Cashman Recent Transaction Patterns = Success
Matt Johnson (aka mehmattski) has decided to pitch in on the Cashman Appreciation Project. What follows below is Matt's own words. Thanks to Matt for sharing this content with WasWatching.com!
Success for a baseball general manager should not be defined by creating a scorecard of all positive and negative deals, signings, and drafts; it should be measured on the basis of creating and executing a plan that builds a sustainable, winning franchise. Individual transactions should not be judged by their results but by their context- what was the players' value at the time of the transaction? What other teams were interested? What were the Yankees other options at that time? Most of all, the question should be: did a particular transaction match the specific needs and overall plan of the organization? It should be argued that the worst transactions of all are the ones made simply for the sake of making transactions, and have no bearing on the overall scheme of the franchise. There are a few ways, then, to analyze the contributions of Brian Cashman to the New York Yankees. One way would be to look at transaction patterns relative to his peers; this would be a worthy, if lengthy exercise, but important because as stats like RSAA and OPS+ have told us, relative success is just as important as absolute success.
However, the following is an exploration of the greater pattern behind Brian Cashman's actions at the helm of the New York Yankees since Cashman signed his new contract in the 2005 off-season. With this contract, Cashman was given a promise that the team would be more in his control, insinuating that deals prior to 2005 did not have the support of the full front office. The 2005 season represents a turning point in the Yankees' "success," ending a period where they were one out away from winning their third pennant in four years, and beginning a period with multiple first-round playoff losses, but also a period with a distinct change in strategy. This change can be summed up with one annual event, previously ignored by the Yankees: the June Amateur Player Draft.
As noted here on August 30, 2007, Cashman decided to let Damon Oppenheimer have control over draft selections beginning in 2006. Still, Cashman attended the 2006 draft (and chose it over watching a Yankees-Red Sox game). Either way, both Cashman and Oppenheimer were clearly involved in previous drafts, which have so far yielded fairly good results: from 2005, JB Cox, Zach Kroenke, Brett Gardner, Austin Jackson, Garrett Patterson, and Alan Horne were all selected in the first dozen rounds. The year before, the Yankees had used compensation picks on Phil Hughes and Jeff Marquez but otherwise had a fairly boring draft. In each of those years the Yankees did have a first round pick, but not the one originally assigned to them; in 2004 it was compensation for Jon Leiber, who despite not pitching at all in 2003 was granted Type A status; in 2005, only the surprise defection of Andy Pettitte granted the Yankees a first round pick, while the Yankees' pick went to the Marlins for Carl Pavano. Before 2004, the Yankees' farm system was woefully barren, most trade talks stalled as a result, and the efforts of 2005 were only beginning to help.
The 2006 Amateur draft was different; while the Yankees gave up their own pick to Boston in exchange for Johnny Damon, their compensation pick was likely one of design- Tom Gordon was not re-signed, and the Yankees received the #21 overall pick and a supplemental round pick. With these two selections came Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain. The rest of the draft is a cast of prospects familiar because of their discussion in trade talks: Zach McAllister, Dellin Betances, Mitch Hilligoss, and Dan McCutchen. One thing that has become a clear pattern for the Yankees is a willingness to dedicate their substantial wealth to signing prospects above-slot and prying them away from college commitments. This is easily seen in the 2007 draft, with the selection and subsequent signing bonuses for Andrew Brackman, Austin Romine, Brad Suttle, and Carmen Angellini.
This pattern of rededicating efforts towards building the franchise from within began in 2004 and has crystallized for the Yankees in 2007. What has to remain abundantly clear is the dedication to the plan not just from Oppenheimer, but also from Cashman. It would not be possible for the Yankees to be so successful in drafting players recently had Cashman grabbed every free agent player he could find, regardless of their draft-pick penalty. Multiple times this offseason, Cashman has mentioned draft picks and has been wary of free agents with the penalty attached-- the Luis Vizcaino/LaTroy Hawkins swap seems proof that the supplemental pick in 2008 is important to Cashman. The dedication to youth can be seen in other avenues as well- the flurry of trades engineered by Cashman in the 2006 off-season brought the Yankees even more youthful depth with Ross Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, Chris Britton, Alberto Gonzales, Keven Whelan, and, eventually, Humberto Sanchez.
Finally, and most effectively, the Yankees have been major players with international signings, with the resources not only to outbid but also to out-scout other teams in Latin America. This is, of course, not a recent development, and has resulted in Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera; and in the minors there are Jose Tabata, Jesus Montero, and Marcos Vechionacci. The Yankees, in 2007, announced that they will be the first to heavily recruit players from China- while the first prospects may not amount to much, it represents outside-the-box thinking and a dedication to the Far East which has netted clear winners like Chien-Ming Wang and Hideki Matsui.
In the last few weeks, we've seen the battle within the Yankees organization rear its ugly head once again, represented in microcosm by debate on the Johan Santana trade. On one hand is the obsession with winning, every year, at all costs; on the other, a commitment to improving the long-term success of the franchise. Phil Hughes, for whatever his strength and weaknesses, represents this commitment and a hopeful look forward to a day when the Yankees are a team built from within. The reluctance to trade Hughes, even for the best pitcher in baseball during the middle of his prime, is symbolic of a pattern that has taken over the entire Yankees front office over the past few years. While both credit and blame should be levied carefully, in the end it is the responsibility of the general manager to decide whether to take the advice of Damon Oppenheimer or Randy Levine.
The conclusion that should be drawn from the above evidence is that a commitment to rebuilding the farm system has to be engineered through all levels of the front office: there have to be very few high-impact free agent signings to keep draft picks; those draft picks have to be well scouted; and the Yankees are willing leverage their resources to pay high signing bonuses to draft picks and international players. No one person is responsible for keeping all of those plans in working order, but one man is in charge of organizing the efforts of those responsible for amateur drafts, international scouting, and personnel decisions: Brian Cashman. So while others would be content to debate the fine details of every transaction the Yankees have made in the last ten years, a better judge of Cashman's influence over the Yankees' organization is elucidated from his recent transaction patterns. The point is to make the team younger, more talented, and sustainable for longer than with the previous strategy of signing aging veterans. For this dedication, Brian Cashman's latest contract (since October 2005) has to be judged as a success.
_____________________________________________________________
Post-script: Additional reader comments on this can be found at BaseballThinkFactory.org
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:39 PM | Comments (5)
A-Rod Trained With Canseco In '98?
Let's hope that George Mitchell didn't interview Mario Alejandro - as the latter has the following story to share:
I won’t get into Ozzie [Canseco’s] batting instruction except to say that was adequate and expensive ($60 per hour). At the end of the session, we walked past Jose [Canseco’s] gym and Ozzie said, “yeah, all the guys come here and work with Jose.”. Out of curiosity I asked who and he said, “Benito Santiago, Alex Rodriguez, pretty much all the Miami guys”.
Ever hear that ol’ logic that says “If you hang around in a barber shop long enough, eventually you'll get a haircut”?
When is that new Canseco book coming out?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:11 PM | Comments (18)
Pavano's New Agent Tom O' Connell
Click here to learn more about Carl Pavano's new agent.
Note that his e-mail address is included in the information found there - in case you wanted to share some thoughts with him, on the Pavano situation, as a Yankees fan.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:31 AM | Comments (5)
Cashman Appreciation Project
In the 32 months that WasWatching.com has been around (to date), all the content (herein) has been supplied only by myself.
That said, I would like to add something to the site that I am not able to pen (myself). Therefore, I have decided to start a project where “you” may be able to have something published at WasWatching.com – under “your name.”
Here’s what I’m looking for: An essay that details all the positive things that Brian Cashman has brought to the Yankees in his ten years as G.M.
But, here are the rules:
It can’t just be “one” thing – I want to see at least four positive things that Cashman has brought to the picture in the last decade. (Four things over the course of 120 months should not be so tough, right?) And, you can’t make statements/claims without showing the whole picture and providing details and facts. For example:
I don’t want to see a statement like: “Brian Cashman helped the Yankees organization by staffing the team with great young arms [period]”
If you’re going to make a claim like that, I want to also see: What brought cause for the need of the arms? Who was responsible for that? Who are the young arms? What have they done to date and at what level? What have they proven in terms of being able to succeed at the major league level? What proof do we have that Cashman, and not Damon Oppenheimer and/or Mark Newman, was the driving force behind their joining the organization?
If you’re interested in submitting a “Cashman Appreciation” essay, under the above guidleines, please send it to me via e-mail. While I can’t promise to publish all of them, I will make every attempt to publish the best of the bunch.
If you have any questions on this, please post them below.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:17 AM | Comments (25)
December 11, 2007
General Joe's Army Shirts - Discount Coupon
I've been told, just now, that if you use this code:
GRANDOPENING5
when you're checking out on orders over $20 @ Printfection.com, you get $5 off your order.
Try it when you order your General Joe's Army Shirts!
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:49 PM | Comments (5)
Mitchell Report Becomes Public On 12/13
From the Times -
What [the Mitchell Report] contains will be officially revealed Thursday, when first Mitchell and then Commissioner Bud Selig will hold separate news conferences in Manhattan to discuss the findings.
Hank Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ senior vice president, was asked last night if he or the club had been made aware of any of the Mitchell report’s contents.
“No, we really haven’t,” he said. “I think we’re speculating about it as much as everybody else. We really have no idea. I’m sure every team, every owner and every general manager is wondering the same things.”
So, Yankees fans, how are you going to feel if any of the "beloved" Yankees are fingered in this report?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:40 PM | Comments (10)
Searching For The Elusive Fogyballer
From the Greenwich Time:
Craig Marin asked an audience at The Nathaniel Witherell home to tell him their favorite number and then wrote that numeral on a blank sheet of paper.
With a few more quick strokes from his pencil, Marin transformed each number into a famous character -- including Popeye, Fred Flintstone and Dick Tracy -- and gave the finished picture to the audience.
Devin, 10, Michael, 8, and John, 4 -- attended with grandmother Nancy McGrath, a Witherell volunteer, and Devin received a drawing of W.C. Fields, composed around the number '2.'
"I'm not quite sure he knows who he is, but his grandmother does," Nancy McGrath said after the show.
The 30-minute show by Manhattan-based Flexitoon, sponsored by a $500 gift from Sempra Trading, featured Marin and partner Olga Felgemacher interacting and joking with Witherell residents, singing, dancing, drawing and using puppets.
The home's therapeutic recreation director, Mary Bruce, said the performance was creative and original.
"We don't get to have a performance like this every day and the residents loved it," Bruce said.
For one Witherell resident, though, the performance didn't quite reach the home's most recent standard. At the nursing home's annual Christmas party over the weekend, Witherell resident and renowned curmudgeon "Big" Jim Shipman sat down and talked baseball with New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, whose wife's cousin volunteers there.
"I thought the puppet show was adequate, but there's no comparison," Shipman said. "That isn't fair, really, because Cashman is a friend and we talked about a lot of things."
Cashman at a nursing home. Scouting for pitching, no doubt.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:28 PM | Comments (7)
Pavano May Not Accept Minor League Deal
From the Hartford Courant (with a hat tip to Pete Abe):
Carl Pavano is still mulling a Yankees proposal to release him and then re-sign him to a minor league contract. He said Monday he is not close to a decision.
"I'd be giving up a lot of options if I signed a minor league deal," Pavano said.
Pavano and his new representative, Tom O'Connell, met with officials from the Major League Players Association in New York on Monday to discuss those options. Pavano, 31, from Southington, has one year left on his contract and the Yankees owe him $12.95 million, including a $1.95 million buyout of his 2009 option. At the moment, he is on their 40-man roster and cannot be taken off unless he is released.
Even though Pavano will not be fully recovered from Tommy John surgery until at least midseason, he cannot be put on the disabled list, which would free up the roster spot, until the end of spring training. The Yankees, who have agreements with Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and LaTroy Hawkins, would like to open up a spot now.
If the Yankees release Pavano, he could sign with another team for the major league minimum and the Yankees would owe him the rest of his salary while he pitches for someone else. If Pavano signs a minor league deal, he would lose no money but could lose a year's service time since the Yankees could keep him in the minor leagues all season.
Pavano, who had surgery in June, could be ready to pitch by midseason and his chances of getting a new contract anywhere would depend on whether and how he pitches in the majors in 2008.
Brian Cashman signed Pavano. He's the one who took him to "Momma Mia." Pavano was calling him "Cash" like he was a buddy, from the minute he signed.
I wonder how Brian Cashman feels about Carl Pavano today?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:53 AM | Comments (14)
Kei Igawa Offered To Twins In Santana Package?
A hat tip to WasWatching.com reader baileywalk on this one. From Postbulletin.com:
The Minnesota Twins continued exploring potential trade options for Johan Santana on Monday, picking up where they left off at last week's winter meetings.
Meanwhile, the Twins' talks with the Yankees remained dormant. According to a person close to the talks, Yankees lefthander Kei Igawa was one of several players the sides discussed last week, along with righthander Phil Hughes and center fielder Melky Cabrera.
Igawa has four years and $16 million remaining on his contract, and though he struggled last year, some scouts say they think he could benefit from a change of scenery.
I've read in some spots where people think Igawa has a case of "can't pitch in New York." Maybe there's something to this? Perhaps Igawa is the Japanese Kenny Rogers?
Then again, according to Brian Cashman (when he was trying to sign Igawa):
"He's pitched in front of big crowds and we feel he's a back of the rotation guy. Could he be more than that? It would be nice. At the very least, he's a 27-year-old lefty that can compete on a big stage, which he did with the Hanshin Tigers. He's pitched in pressure spots."
And, Brian knows pitching, right? Or, maybe not...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:07 AM | Comments (6)
Brian Cashman 1998
Brian Cashman became Yankees G.M. on February 28, 1998.
It's rare for someone to be a G.M. for tens years with one team these days. Ten years does provide for some "body of work" analysis. Therefore, I thought it would be fun, this off-season, to take a look back at Cashman's "moves" during the past decade - one year at a time. (I'll try and post one year, per week, over the next ten weeks.)
Here, we'll look at Cashman's moves in 1998 and how they helped or hurt the team:
No Impact:
March 7, 1998 - Traded Andy Fox to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Received Todd Erdos and Marty Janzen.
June 3, 1998 - Traded Willie Banks to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Received Scott Brow and Joe Lisio (minors).
August 23, 1998 -Traded Ray Ricken (minors) and Shea Morenz (minors) to the San Diego Padres. Received Jim Bruske and Brad Kaufman (minors).
November 16, 1998 - Traded Allen Butler (minors) to the Minnesota Twins. Received Dan Naulty.
December 8, 1998 - Traded Chris Singleton to the Chicago White Sox. Received a player to be named later. The Chicago White Sox sent Rich Pratt (minors) (January 10, 1999) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.
Good Impact:
August 3, 1998 - Released Dale Sveum.
November 10, 1998 - Signed Scott Brosius as a free agent.
November 11, 1998 - Signed David Cone as a free agent.
Great Impact:
March 23, 1998 - Signed Orlando Hernandez as an amateur free agent.
September 29, 1998 - Purchased Alfonso Soriano from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Japan Central).
Bad Impact:
June 2, 1998 - Drafted Mark Prior in the 1st round (43rd pick) of the 1998 amateur draft, but did not sign the player. Drafted Randy Keisler in the 2nd round of the 1998 amateur draft. Player signed July 21, 1998. Drafted Drew Henson in the 3rd round of the 1998 amateur draft. Player signed July 24, 1998.
Was Probably Not A Cashman Move & More Likely Something Done In Tampa:
November 25, 1998 - Signed Bernie Williams as a free agent.
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Here, the wasting of the 1st three picks in the draft are more than offset by the pick-up of El Duque and Soriano. In terms of the trades, Brian gave up nothing and got nothing - so, they're a wash. On the whole, I would suggest that 1998's results were mixed for Cashman - with a net gain/loss of zero in the end.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:39 AM | Comments (16)
Tim Naehring
From the Cincy Enquirer last week -
Tim Naehring, former player development director for the Reds, has been hired as a major league scout by the New York Yankees.
The move became official as baseball's Winter Meetings opened here.
Naehring ran the Reds' player development department under Jim Bowden and then Dan O'Brien. He was moved to minor league field coordinator under general manager Wayne Krivsky.
The Reds fired Naehring in September.
Naehring, a La Salle High and Miami University graduate, considered getting out of baseball.
"I told someone in the game that," Naehring said. "He said, 'Don't send out any résumés. Don't call anyone. If you start hearing from the top organizations in baseball, you should probably stay in the game.' "
Naehring heard from the Yankees shortly thereafter. New York ended up giving him a two-year contract.
Naehring played for the Boston Red Sox for seven years. Is it a little odd working for the Yankees now?
"Obviously, I have a lot of ties to the Red Sox," he said. "But it would have been different working for the Cubs after working for the Reds."
Naehring is the replacement for Jeff Wetherby. It will be interesting to see if there's a noticeable change in the Yankees advance scouting efforts next year with Naehring in place.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2007
Yanks 2008 Pig Pen
I'm figuring that the Yankees will go with a 7-man bullpen to start the 2008 season. And, I expect them to have one "long man" in the pen - since Girardi has said that he likes to have a long man...and it makes sense for the Yanks to have one with ol' man Mussina and two kids in the rotation. This all said, I'm predicting, as of now, for the Yankees 2008 bullpen to be as follows (on Opening Day):
Mariano Rivera
Kyle Farnsworth
LaTroy Hawkins
Jonathan Albaladejo
Ross Ohlendorf
Jose Veras
Jeff Karstens or Darrell Rasner
Edwar Ramirez, Brian Bruney, Sean Henn and Chris Britton would be back-ups if Albaladejo, Ohlendorf or Veras bomb in Spring Training.
Steven Jackson, Mark Melancon, J.B. Cox, Humberto Sanchez, Jeff Marquez or Steven White could be possible replacements/upgrades to the pen later in the season.
Let's be honest here. Outside of Rivera, is there any name above that you know, for a fact, can be trusted to pitch in a big spot?
Farnsworth? Hawkins?
Albaladejo? Ohlendorf? Veras?
Karstens? Rasner?
Ramirez? Bruney? Henn? Britton?
Jackson? Melancon? Cox? Sanchez? Marquez? White?
Oh, yeah, there's Kei Igawa too. How about him?
I see some guys with shaky big league experience (like Farnsworth, Hawkins and Bruney) and a bunch of guys with limited major league experience (like Albaladejo, Ohlendorf, and Veras) and other guys with no experience higher than Triple-A or less (like Melancon, Cox, and Sanchez).
I dunno 'bout you, but, to me, the Yankees 2008 bullpen, at this junction, has all the markings of one helluva "Arson Squad" to me.
In 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007, the Yankees had bad overall bullpens. (With Scott Proctor pitching out of his mind in 2006, the overall pen that year was better than what we've seen in the last five years.) The bullpen in 2008, as it's shaped now, appears to be just as bad - if not worse, than what we've seen lately in Yankeeland.
You can probably say that the Yankees have not had a deep and effective bullpen since Steve Karsay was healthy and Ramiro Mendoza was in his prime. Well, if you wanted to say that, I probably would not fight you on that.
At some point, does Brian Cashman have to be called onto the carpet for not being able to build an effective bullpen? Or, am I missing something here? His body of recent work (post-2002) and his plan for 2008 sure suggest that he's got no clue on what works in the bullpen.
If all of this means nothing to you, think about these names: Gabe White, Felix Heredia, Felix Rodriguez, Juan Acevedo, Antonio Osuna, Alan Embree, Wayne Franklin, Octavio Dotel...
Brillant moves, all, right?
It's just amazing that Brian Cashman gets a buddy-pass on this one, to me. Pretty soon they're going to have to put him in the Teflon Hall-of-Fame. Amazing stuff.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:54 PM | Comments (53)
December 9, 1982
One quarter-century ago, yesterday, the Yankees traded Dave Collins, Fred McGriff, Mike Morgan, and cash to the Toronto Blue Jays for Dale Murray and Tom Dodd. (They also signeed Steve Kemp as a free agent that day).
McGriff for Murray. That one worked out pretty good, huh?
Attaboy Bill Bergesch.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:43 AM | Comments (7)
December 09, 2007
# 4,000
This is the 4,000th entry ever made to WasWatching.com. Considering that today is the 964th day that WasWatching.com has been around, that's pretty cool: An average of 4 posts per day (by yours truly).
But, here's something more cool:
Back in April of 2005, during its first month, this site received about 200 unique visits per day. By April of 2006, that average grew to about 1,600 unique visits per day. And, by April of 2007, the average increased to about 5,100 unique visits per day.
And, last month, November 2007, on average, WasWatching.com had, about, 6,100 unique visits per day. (Over the last three months, from the reports that I've seen, WasWatching.com averages about 940 readers per day. So, this suggests that many of you visit the site about a half-dozen times per day - if I'm understanding the stats correctly.)
Around a thousand people per day - each checking it out around six times per day. How's that for cool?
Also, to date, there have been over 25,200 comments left on this blog (over the span of the 964 days that it's been open for business).
There are all some very big numbers - more than I ever imagined to be possible.
So, thanks to all for their interest in WasWatching.com over these past 964 days and 4,000 entries. If you keep showing up, I’ll be here with something for you. Lastly, please, keep the comments coming. Those, along with the visitor counts, keep reminding that I'm not spending a lot of time here doing something absent of reason. As long as my fellow Yankees and/or baseball fans get something out of this, that's a great reason to keep doing it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:46 PM | Comments (14)
LaTroy Hawkins
From Ken Rosenthal:
The Yankees, rebuilding their setup corps, are close to signing free-agent right-hander LaTroy Hawkins to a one-year contract believed to be worth approximately $3.75 million, according to major-league sources.
Hawkins, 35, will help fill the void created by the loss of righty Luis Vizcaino, who declined salary arbitration from the Yankees, and righty Joba Chamberlain, who is expected to move into the starting rotation.
The Colorado Rockies and Texas Rangers were among the teams that bid for Hawkins, who went 2-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 62 games for Colorado last season. He also made four appearances in the postseason, allowing one run in five innings.
A 13-year veteran, Hawkins spent his first nine seasons with the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees will be his sixth team and fifth in the past four seasons.
Did you know that, in 1995, Hawkins was once one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball?
There's a part of me that wants to say Hawkins is just a softer throwing version of Kyle Farnsworth. But, still, for one year at $3.75 million, this is a move that you can quickly eat if it turns out to be a disaster. Think "Juan Acevedo, circa 2003."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:29 PM | Comments (14)
General Joe's Army Shirts
Hey, are your "Got Melky?" and "Joba Rules" shirts starting to look worn? Or, do you have to get a gift for a Yankees fan who has everything and you're looking for the perfect and unique "something" for them?
Well, WasWatching.com has something for you!
Unique and must-have apparel for the diehard Yankees fan!
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Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:05 AM | Comments (1)
Matsui On Trade: I'm Not Thinking About It
From Ken Davidoff -
Hideki Matsui, readily available in a trade for the first time in his major-league career, refused to say Saturday whether he would waive his no-trade clause.
"I have not heard anything from the Yankees or my agent [Arn Tellem]," Matsui told Sankei Sports Saturday in Tokyo. "I cannot comment about any reports or rumors. I am going to think about it only when the team or my agent calls me."
If this does go down, I wonder if Hank will enjoy dealing with Arn Tellem - as much as his father did.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:25 AM | Comments (0)
Lights, Camera, [And More] Larsen!
From the Times -
On Oct. 8, 1956, Saul Terry took his 8-millimeter camera to Yankee Stadium, where he and his wife settled into seats in the right-field bleachers, which would cast occasional clouds of darkness onto his film.
Terry was not the only amateur cinematographer at Game 5 of the World Series. Al Mengert, a nontouring golf pro then at Winged Foot, who finished in a four-way tie for ninth at the 1958 Masters, focused his 16-millimeter camera on the field from between home plate and third base.
Two men out of 64,519 fans were unknowingly producing the lost films of Don Larsen’s perfect game, color home movies that complement the few newsreel clips of the game that are frequently replayed, and the NBC broadcast that has been seen only by small groups since it was carried live.
Whether Terry’s and Mengert’s films will be seen by fans depends on efforts to sell or license them. Terry rejected a deal with Major League Baseball last year that would have coincided with the perfect game’s 50th anniversary.
Terry captured Mickey Mantle’s great one-handed catch in left-center off Gil Hodges’s bat in the fifth inning; Mengert followed Mantle’s trot after his home run in the fourth, but not the swing itself. Duke Snider’s tumbling catch in the fourth is in Terry’s; Mengert’s shows Yogi Berra tossing balls to Bill Dickey, who was hitting pregame fungoes. A few feet away, Sal Maglie, the Dodgers’ starting pitcher, warmed up. Terry’s film found the Yankees’ bullpen with Whitey Ford and, it seemed, Bob Grim warming up.
Mengert easily zoomed in on Larsen’s no-windup motion. “I felt like Cecil B. DeMille,” he said recently from Scottsdale, Ariz.
Some day, and some way, someone has to get all the footage out there like this, and the one Doak Ewing has, and make a great DVD that fans can enjoy. It would be a huge seller in Yankeeland.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:08 AM | Comments (0)
Yanks Elect To Keep Pavano In The Family
From George King -
"American Idle" Carl Pavano spoke to Brian Cashman on Friday at the Stadium and said he is going to accept a minor-league assignment after the Yankees release him from the final year of a disastrous four-year, $39.95 million contract.
Needing room on the 40-man roster so they can add Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, the Yankees hatched the idea of cutting Pavano. The right-hander had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in early June and isn't expected to be ready to pitch until July at the earliest.
Under the release plan, Pavano would get the $11 million he is owed for the 2008 season and the $1.95 million buyout he would have coming to him, because the Yankees aren't going to pick up a $15 million option for 2009.
Pavano, 31, can't return to Arizona because his questionable work ethic ticked off fitness guru Brett Fischer last winter. Pavano is leaning toward accepting the Yankees' minor-league offer so he can have a place to rehab his elbow. By keeping him in the system, the Yankees protect themselves from Pavano healing ahead of schedule (pigs have a better chance of flying) and pitching effectively for another team.
Personally, I would cut him and make him rehab his elbow on his own. Having the fear of him "healing ahead of schedule" and "pitching effectively for another team," is a joke. I'd take that risk and prevent him from having a bad influence on any of the prospects that he may bump into while in the minors. Plus, it gets him out of the organization - and cuts his ties. When - and it will happen - Carl does something off the field that makes the press (in 2008), then it will be all on him and not the Yankees.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:29 AM | Comments (6)
December 08, 2007
Meacham On What Makes Girardi Good
Bobby Meacham, on General Joe, via Murray Chass:
“He was prepared like no other person could be prepared and demanded that of everyone around him. He’s a stickler for details.”
Sweet.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:13 PM | Comments (1)
Kazuo Fukumori
From Ken Davidoff -
The Yankees, searching for affordable bullpen help, met with the representative for Japanese free agent Kazuo Fukumori during the winter meetings in Nashville.
Alan Nero, Fukumori's agent, told Newsday he met with Yankees assistant general manager Jean Afterman on Wednesday. Nero said about 10 teams have expressed interest in the righthander. The Padres and Rays are among the reported suitors.
"The Yankees got into it late," Nero said Thursday. "We've given them our medical information and a DVD of his pitching. I don't know to what stage that brings them to."
An official whose team has expressed interest in Fukumori said Nero is looking for a two-year deal. It's possible that that request will not be met, though. The Yankees, having been burned in the past by pitchers such as Steve Karsay, Paul Quantrill and Kyle Farnsworth, are reluctant to commit more than one year to any reliever.
Fukumori, 33, served most recently as a closer for the Rakuten Golden Eagles. He went 4-2 with a 4.75 ERA in 34 appearances, striking out 33 and walking 17 in 36 innings, before going down with an elbow injury. He underwent season-ending surgery in July to remove bone chips from his elbow.
Old, not that good, and a bum elbow. No wonder why Cashman is interested.
I can just see Brian doing his love business when meeting with Kazuo:
Mr. Fukumori, there's something lying heavily on my heart...
Although, I would bet that Mrs. A-Rod would probably be interested in wearing one of his replica Yankees jerseys to the park with his number on the back and "Fuk u mori" appearing (on the back) above it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:28 AM | Comments (2)
December 07, 2007
Cashman Ignoring Vizcaino
From George King -
Yesterday, the bullpen took another hit when the agent for Luis Vizcaino said the effective right-hander's stay in pinstripes lasted one season.
"We are proceeding like the Yankees aren't involved," Bean Stringfellow said yesterday morning. "I talked to Brian (Cashman) and he said he was going to call twice and hasn't. I have teams interested and Luis has played on many teams and has enjoyed them all."
After hearing Stringfellow's quote, Cashman was asked if he planned on calling the agent and said he didn't know.
Viz: I'm not gonna be ignored, Cash!
Geez, I hope Brian doesn't have a pet rabbit.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:11 PM | Comments (2)
Baby Bomber "Tommy John" Club
I'm attempting to put together a list of all the recent Yankees pitching prospects who have undergone Tommy John surgery. I know about:
Alan Horne
Andrew Brackman
Christian Garcia
Humberto Sanchez
J. Brent Cox
Jason Stephens
Lance Pendleton
Mark Melancon
Am I forgetting someone else? Thanks in advance.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:20 PM | Comments (6)
Hank Hearts Cash
From Kat O'Brien -
"We haven't discussed [Brian Cashman's] extension yet, but he's part of the Yankee family and has been for 21 years. I don't see any reason to not continue that."
"He's busy, we're busy, there just hasn't been any detailed discussion about that," Steinbrenner said. "Is Brian's job on the line because of what the team does this year? No, that's sensationalism to say it's based on 2008 ... I'm very pleased with what Brian and Damon [Oppenheimer] and Mark Newman and all the scouts and people have done with the drafts, with the last three drafts."
Looks like Brian can write his own ticket when it comes to Hank.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:40 PM | Comments (4)
Pretending To Be Tigers
From Lynn Henning of The Detroit News:
In the span of 45 days this offseason, the Tigers radically depleted their stash of blue-chip prospects by way of trades that cost them these players: OF Cameron Maybin, LHP Andrew Miller, RHP Jair Jurrjens, OF Gorkys Hernandez, RHP Dallas Trahern, RHP Eulogio de la Cruz and RHP Burke Badenhop.
Don't panic: Blue-chippers aren't always sure things
Under the direction of Dave Dombrowski, the Marlins and Tigers have had 10 top-10 picks. With the Marlins, Dombrowski took RHP Josh Beckett, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, OF Mark Kotsay, OF Jaime Jones and SS Josh Booty. With the Tigers, he has been at the helm for SS Scott Moore, RHP Kyle Sleeth, RHP Justin Verlander, OF Cameron Maybin and LHP Andrew Miller.
The occasional extraordinary first-round pick carries significant promise from the get-go, as was the case with Beckett, and as is almost certain to be the case with Maybin, Miller and [Rick] Porcello. But the probability any prospect will exceed the production of established big league talent -- particularly when it is as young as Cabrera and Willis -- is why trading minor league stars generally is considered good business.
The Tigers knew the percentages in making this deal.
Trading Maybin, Miller, Jurrjens, and Hernandez this winter would probably be the same as if the Yankees traded Austin Jackson, Phil Hughes, Alan Horne and Jose Tabata.
Still, the Tigers did get some interesting talent in return for their prospects.
So, what do you say Yankees fans? What players out there would you be willing to accept in return from a package of Austin Jackson, Phil Hughes, and some other young Yankees hurlers? Would you trade that for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis?
How about Alan Horne and Jose Tabata? If you had a chance to move Derek Jeter to first base (as the Tigers are doing with Carlos Guillen) and then get Edgar Renteria for Horne and Tabata, would you do it?
Don't be shy now, ya' hear!
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:37 AM | Comments (8)
Hank: Door Not Closed On Santana
From Newsday -
In a phone conversation last night, though, senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner did not rule out revisiting trade talks on Santana, saying, "You never close the door completely."
Steinbrenner placed a Monday deadline on Santana trade talks, which he extended until midday Tuesday. But he said last night, "The reason for my deadline is I didn't want to get caught up in the bidding circus at the winter meetings."
Man, I can see opening the door for Sister Suzie, Brother John, Martin Luther, Phil, Don, Uncle Ernie, and Auntie Gin, but, at this point, maybe it makes more sense to just walk-away from Johan...for good.
Unless, of course, the Twins are ready to swap him, one-up, for, say, Alan Horne. However, what are the odds of that happening?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:44 AM | Comments (10)
Moose In '08
From Pete Caldera -
According to the source, Mussina -- who turns 39 on Saturday -- has been participating in a new weight-training and arm-strengthening program. The club also emphasized that Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu should arrive at camp in better shape than they did last spring.
Abreu, who turns 34 in March, has hired a personal trainer. Damon turned 34 last month.
"We're going to do a better job this winter with all of our players, so we can hit the ground running in spring training," Cashman said, without delving into specifics of individual conditioning programs.
"Mike Mussina has been a very big part of our plans over the years, and he's someone obviously that we're really counting on," Cashman said.
As a fifth starter, Mussina could potentially get one start off per month due to breaks in the schedule. Though he's been known to grumble at being taken out of his every-fifth-day routine, Mussina has acknowledged to associates that occasional rest could help his stamina in 2008.
Last year, Mussina went through a brutal August stretch and temporarily was knocked from the rotation. He did not start during the four-game AL Division Series loss to Cleveland.
But heading into this spring, "You would think that he would be one of [our] starters," manager Joe Girardi said. "And obviously ... you have to perform."
Based on his full 2007 season, "I don't think Mike Mussina has forgotten how to pitch," Girardi said. "I still think he can be successful."
So nice of Bobby Abreu to hire a personal trainer for his free agent "walk" year.....
Getting to Mike Mussina, I'm going to make a bold (?) prediction at this time (regarding him). Moose's numbers in 2008 will be about the same, or worse, than what he posted in 2007. Expect less than 6 IP per start, on average, and an overall ERA around five.
Heck, that's basically what Mussina has done the last four years - sans 2006 (which is now starting to look like a guy posting big numbers when he needed them the most...when he was in the last year of his contract).
The Yankees should have listened to me last year.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:16 AM | Comments (13)
December 06, 2007
Cash On Joba, Edwar & Miranda
From Eli of MLB Rumors -
Many have been talking about Joba Chamberlain and whether or not he will be in the rotation or back in the bullpen, where had most of his success. Cashman told me that "he is probably just starting his throwing program...I'm sure he is doing fine. He has always prepared as a starter, even during the last two months of the season." First base seems to be up in the air right now with the Yankees, so it brings up the possibility whether or not they will give Juan Miranda a shot: "He finished at Trenton. [He was] fantastic, he did really well. He is certainly pushing himself up the ladder in our organization, and the industry." Finally, many were wondering whether or not pitcher Edwar Ramirez would get a shot at cracking the bullpen, and Cashman told me that "he will definitely compete, no question about it. He was asked about quite often in trade discussions..by the end of the day, he is going to have a lot of opportunities." The Yankees could be entering a new faze where younger players begin to take over. However, they are still going after Ron Mahay, and are looking into the possibility of LaTroy Hawkins and Octavio Dotel.
Who is Eli? Wasn't that what Roger Clemens used to call David Wells?
Interesting stuff here, if true.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:46 PM | Comments (2)
Godzilla To Giants?
From the Post -
The Giants asked [the Yankees] about Hideki Matsui and are talking to the Blue Jays about Alex Rios for pitchers Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum. Matsui has a full no-trade clause.
And, from ESPN -
The Giants are looking for an outfielder, and an interesting name has surfaced in their search -- Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui. He has two years and $26 million on his contract and would have to waive his no-trade clause.
By season end, Matsui will score you 100 runs, drive in another 100, and hit 25 HR with a batting average around .290 - - but, he is a very steaky hitter.
I expect Giambi to be a total bust this season. So, it would be nice to have Matsui around to DH and spend some time in LF (with Damon).
I would trade him for Lincecum, no question. But, I doubt the Giants make that offer. How about Matt Cain? I'm not sure - I think all those walks, in the A.L., would come back to haunt Cain. But, I could be wrong too.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 03:12 PM | Comments (8)
Will The 2007 Yankees Add To This List?
Teams, since 1973, who have had 2+ starters age 23 or younger make 30+ starts each during a season:
Year Lg Team Number Players Matching +----+--+---------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------------+ 1980 AL Chicago White Sox 3 Britt Burns / Richard Dotson / Steve Trout 2007 AL Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2 Scott Kazmir / Edwin Jackson 2006 AL Detroit Tigers 2 Jeremy Bonderman / Justin Verlander 2003 NL Chicago Cubs 2 Carlos Zambrano / Mark Prior 2002 AL Chicago White Sox 2 Mark Buehrle / Jon Garland 2001 AL Oakland Athletics 2 Barry Zito / Mark Mulder 1998 NL Florida Marlins 2 Livan Hernandez / Brian Meadows 1996 AL Minnesota Twins 2 Frank Rodriguez / Brad Radke 1993 AL Chicago White Sox 2 Alex Fernandez / Wilson Alvarez 1988 NL Atlanta Braves 2 Tom Glavine / Pete Smith 1986 AL Milwaukee Brewers 2 Bill Wegman / Juan Nieves 1986 NL New York Mets 2 Dwight Gooden / Sid Fernandez 1986 AL Texas Rangers 2 Ed Correa / Bobby Witt 1985 AL Kansas City Royals 2 Danny Jackson / Bret Saberhagen 1984 AL California Angels 2 Mike Witt / Ron Romanick 1984 NL New York Mets 2 Ron Darling / Dwight Gooden 1978 AL Oakland Athletics 2 John Henry Johnson / Matt Keough 1976 NL St. Louis Cardinals 2 Pete Falcone / John Denny 1973 NL Cincinnati Reds 2 Don Gullett / Ross Grimsley
Well, it did work for the '85 Royals and '86 Mets...
...but, in reality, only about one-third of these teams had very good seasons.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:57 PM | Comments (15)
SOTD: Santana, Buehrle & Hampton
Just in case you haven't had enough Johan Santana talk this week, so far.
To tack on to the above link here, something via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia:
AMERICAN LEAGUE, 2000-2007, LEFT HANDED PITCHERS
RSAA RSAA 1 Johan Santana 190 2 Mark Buehrle 155 3 Barry Zito 146 4 C.C. Sabathia 97 T5 Kenny Rogers 68 T5 Jarrod Washburn 68
Buehrle is not that far behind Santana here either - about an average of 4 RSAA per season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:13 PM | Comments (4)
Padres Grab Michael Gardner In Rule 5
Gardner had a decent year in the pen for Trenton last year. But, he's 26-years old too. He was taken by the Yanks in the 13th round of the 2003 Draft. He's had some injury issues in the past.
The Padres obviously see something here. It's a good break for him to get taken today. Let's see if it turns out to be a bad break for the Yankees.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:33 AM | Comments (3)
Hank: We Got Pitching Out The Yin-Yang
From Tyler Kepner -
“We’re going to be in beautiful shape,” [Hank] Steinbrenner said Wednesday, a day after declaring that the Yankees had dropped out of talks for Santana. “I’m telling you, I’m very excited. I hope we can challenge this year, and I think we can. But the future looks even brighter.
“If you own a sports team and you’re serious about winning, you’ve got to strive for dominance — and to be dominant, you’ve got to be self-sufficient. The Yankees had that before, and the Patriots have that now in the N.F.L. There’s no reason we can’t do that again.”
“That was an experience from the ’80s, and there’s no question it was painful,” said Steinbrenner, who resisted taking a position of influence for his father then. “The bottom line is, I’ve got to be happy with what I’ve got. We’re all happy, and it’s only going to get better and better.
“Our goal is to be self-sufficient,” Steinbrenner continued, repeating a theme, “like the Yankees used to be, and do it through the draft and Latin America. Our guys are the best scouts in baseball, and they’ve proven that over the last few years. It’s unbelievable the job Damon Oppenheimer and his scouts have done. That’s what’s got to continue.”
“We have a lot of good young pitching in the minors — better than anybody, I guarantee you,” Steinbrenner said. “We’ve got the best young pitching in the majors and in the minors. It’s not even close. It’s pretty obvious, and we’re not the only ones who think so.”
“People keep saying, ‘Do we really have a No. 1?’” Steinbrenner said. “I’m telling you, we’re going to have three No. 1’s three years from now, and we may have two or three great closer prospects, too.”
Just like his dad humming Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker," I can now see HankdeStein Jr., pacing the halls inside Yankee Stadium, singing "We will, we will, rock you...."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:31 AM | Comments (4)
Looking For A Lefty Pen Man
From the Daily News -
Hank Steinbrenner had told The News that the Yankees' relief corps were the pressing issue for him, even though the Bombers were pursuing Santana at the time. "The bullpen was always my biggest concern," Steinbrenner said. "I'm fine with the starting rotation."
The only lefties currently in contention for a Yankee bullpen spot are Kei Igawa, Sean Henn and Chase Wright. They could also consider using some of their minor-league starters - Alan Horne, Jeff Marquez or Steven White, for example - in relief roles during the spring.
Kei Igawa, Sean Henn and Chase Wright...
Well, to borrow from Cliff....Name three people who I don't want to see in Papi Ortiz' kitchen, Alex.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:22 AM | Comments (6)
December 05, 2007
Damaso Marte
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -
The Pirates and New York Yankees, in another surprising twist, are discussing a trade involving Damaso Marte.
Another left-handed reliever, John Grabow, has come up in talks, too, but the focus is thought to be on Marte. The Pirates and Yankees had not made contact regarding relievers until last night.
This time, last year, the Pirates and Yankees talked about a trade that would bring Damaso Marte to the Yankees for Kevin Thompson.
I wonder what the price-tag, for New York, would be this time?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:30 PM | Comments (9)
Brower: Kennedy Has More Upside Than Hughes
From Charley Walters -
Former Minnetonka High School and Gophers pitcher Jim Brower played in the minor leagues last season with Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, two of the Yankees' pitching prospects discussed in trade talks.
Brower also played in New York for a little while with another discussed Yankee, center fielder Melky Cabrera.
Brower, 34, has pitched professionally for 14 years for eight major league organizations. Last season, he played with Hughes, 22, and Kennedy, 21, for parts of the year at Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and then in New York with the Yankees.
On Friday, it will be announced that Brower has signed a free-agent contract with the Cincinnati Reds.
Brower said he likes Kennedy's upside more than that of Hughes, but he says both young pitchers have bright futures.
"Kennedy is young and polished; the Yankees compare him to Mike Mussina," Brower said. "He goes down low from the stretch like Mussina does. Stuff-wise, he has control of three pitches. Velocity is around 90 mph; he's not going to blow you away. But he locates his fastball great, and that overrides velocity.
"He's a good kid who works hard and is real finished. I was real impressed with him."
"Phil's fastball's not overpowering, 89 mph to 92 mph probably, and he's a bigger guy than Kennedy, who is about 6-1," Brower said. "He has a good curveball and throws it for a strike and a four-seamed fastball that people don't pick up. Whether it's deception or what, he gets away with throwing up in the zone a lot. But he locates his fastball, and he's got a lot of confidence."
"I think Ian's more polished than Phil, but they're so young, it's hard to say how they'll progress," he said. "Ian's numbers in the minor leagues were great, and his numbers don't lie. There were not a lot of hard-hit balls off him.
"Both Ian and Phil have a chance to be 15-game winners with that offense."
Phil's fastball's not overpowering...
This now makes four independent parties with this claim.
Granted, being able to locate is more important than being able to throw hard. But, where I fear this is going to be an issue for Hughes is because of his size. Guys that big, who don't throw hard, for some reason, in baseball, always get labeled as being a lesser pitcher.
Ask Brian Moehler or ask Joey Hamilton or ask Rick Helling. Beefy righties without gas are often labeled as not being "stud" material because of their missing a plus-fastball.
Older pitchers do better with handling this burden. For a young guy, like Hughes, it could be something that will mess with his head.
Let's hope this does not become an issue for Hughes.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:33 AM | Comments (37)
Hank: We're Passing On Haren Too
From Pete Caldera -
"We're going to be a powerhouse in a couple of years, but with the pitching we've got now, we can win it this year," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said on Tuesday, after the team ended trade talks with Minnesota regarding Santana.
Though the Yankees expect to engage the Athletics on Dan Haren, and also inquire about Baltimore's Erik Bedard, Steinbrenner said that "we really haven't dealt with that yet."
Oakland general manager Billy Beane is asking for two of these three Yanks' right-handers: Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes. With that price tag, "I don't see us considering Haren," Steinbrenner said by phone from Tampa, Fla.
"I think we need to stay set in what we originally planned to do," Steinbrenner said, which means incorporating Hughes and Chamberlain in the rotation with Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina, or possibly Kennedy. "And we've great young pitchers coming behind them in the minors."
With their current pitching staff, I still think the Yankees can win 90 games in 2008. But, the question is: If Boston gets Santana, how many wins will Boston have next season? If I had to guess, I would say, still, around 95 wins.
A difference of five wins, estimated, at this time, is no reason to panic. That could easily go either way. The Yankees are right not to rush into anything now.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:10 AM | Comments (10)
December 04, 2007
Castro & Ransom
The Yankees have signed Bernie Castro and Cody Ransom.
They probably would get more out of Tango & Cash or Bacardi and Cola.
Heck, they'd probably get more out of Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:56 PM | Comments (6)
Lester Vs. Hughes
I was recently asked to pick between Jon Lester and Phil Hughes. So, here goes...
Lester will be 24-years old next month whereas Hughes will be is 22-years old in about 7 months.
Lester throws left-handed and Hughes throws right-handed.
Lester was the 57th overall pick in the June 2002 Draft and Hughes was the 23rd overall pick in the June 2004 Draft.
As a 22-year old, in 2006, Lester made 15 big league starts and threw 81.3 IP. He faced 367 batters and allowed an OPS of .815 in those PA.
As a 21-year old, in 2007, Hughes made 13 big league starts and threw 72.7 IP. He faced 306 batters and allowed an OPS of .699 in those PA.
In terms of a "rookie" season, Hughes gets the edge here - as he was younger and allowed a lower OPS.
To date, Lester has faced 1,193 minor league batters - walking 203 (17%) and whiffing 446 (37%).
To date, Hughes has faced 1,030 minor league batters - walking 66 (6%) and whiffing 311 (30%).
Hughes gets the edge here for "command" - but, perhaps, Lester may get the edge in "stuff."
Into sabermetrics? Check out Lester vs. Hughes over the last two seasons in the majors (via the CBE):
BASERUNNERS/9 IP vs. the league average
ERA vs. the league average
STRIKEOUTS/WALKS vs. the league average
GS BR/9 IP ERA SO/BB IP Jon Lester 26 -1.39 -.14 -.53 144.1 Phil Hughes 13 1.30 0.05 0.00 72.2
Again, Hughes has been better, so far, at the big league level to date. Granted, Lester has been also recovering from cancer during this time. So, factor that in, if you wish.
Still, based on the data available, it appears that Phil Hughes is the better of these two pitching prospects. Hughes has shown greater command and performance - and he's two years younger than Lester. If given the choice to pick one over the other, based on the numbers, I would pick Hughes, today.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:39 PM | Comments (10)
Red Sox About To Strike A Deal For Santana?
From the Boston Herald's Blog -
The Red Sox and Twins will resume “serious negotiations’’ later this morning as they close in on a blockbuster deal that would bring ace Johan Santana to the Red Sox, according to a baseball source involved in the negotiations.
The package of players the Twins receive is still in flux and there are two packages under discussion, with still varying mixes of players in each. The first is left-hander Jon Lester and center fielder Coco Crisp, the other is headed by center field prospect Jacoby Ellsbury. The Red Sox have successfully held the line on not including Ellsbury in a package with either Lester or Clay Buccholz, their other top starter.
The names, in some combo, minus one or two, include starter Justin Masterson and shortstop Jed Lowrie.
Late Monday night, the Red Sox received a call from the Twins requesting the medical records of Lester. After reviewing the information, the Twins were satisfied that there were no red flags there that would block a deal, said the source.
“The Red Sox are legitimate, real players in this now,’’ said the source. “The Twins like their players.’’
There is no other team involved in these negotiations, it is believed. There remains a chance that the Yankees could jump back in by agreeing to include Kennedy but it remains to be seen if the Red Sox and Twins are too far down the road for the Yankees to come back. Right now, it appears so.
When I read this, the one thing that comes to my mind is: “Hmm, I guess the Twins don’t think Phil Hughes is that good?”
I mean, really, if Phil Hughes is one of the, say, top three pitching prospects (in his age group) in all of baseball, then why would the Twins not JUMP at the chance to get him? You’re going to lose Santana at the end of the season. There’s only so many teams that you can trade him to because of his salary and contract demands. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, about to lose someone who is perhaps one of the best pitchers in the game under 30-years of age, and you can replace him with someone who is 22-years old and supposedly the next coming of Tom Seaver, again, wouldn’t you JUMP at that chance?
And, in addition to Hughes, you get a young, switch-hitting outfielder, who plays good defense – and another, third, prospect too.
Well, since the Twins aren’t jumping, and they’re willing to take on of these packages offered by Boston, that strongly suggests to me that the Twins don’t think Phil Hughes is a can’t miss ace in the making.
Makes you wonder why they think that, huh?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:00 AM | Comments (18)
Clippard For Albaladejo
The Yankees have traded Tyler Clippard to the Nationals for Jonathan Albaladejo.
Here's some scoop on Albaladejo from Baseball America:
Jonathan Albaladejo, rhp, Nationals
Once called a "fat tub of goo" by a scout in the Carolina League, the 24-year-old bounced around the Pirates system for six seasons before being released this spring. But he was reborn with the Nats this summer, getting called up to the big leagues and establishing himself as a reliable bullpen arm.
Q: James from Miami, Florida asks:
Chris, you've covered the Pirates' system for some time now. How dumb do they look by having let go Jonathan Albaladejo, and then seeing him reach the Majors and do extremely well?A: Chris Kline: I'll refrain from using the word 'dumb,' but you could run down a list of guys they've undervalued from their own system over the years. And really, if there is one guy I wouldn't necessarily blame them for it's Albaladejo. This is a guy who got numerous opportunities to prove himself and either showed up out of shape and didn't perform, or he lacked intensity on the mound. The latter lasted all the way to the Caribbean Series last year when he got absolutely raked by the Dominican Republic. He never showed the ability to bear down. So yes, they should have tried to get something back, but word on the street at the time was no one wanted him. It's a credit to Albaladejo to take advantage of a new situation and really show what he's capable of.
I was a big Tyler Clippard fan. So, I'm sorry to see him go. I still think he will be a decent big league starter.
Jonathan Albaladejo? Well, based on the reports from Baseball America, he seems like a mix of Hideki Irabu, Chris Britton, and Brian Bruney. At this stage, put me in the "not impressed" camp (on this trade).
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:53 AM | Comments (12)
Yanks Shift Focus Towards Haren?
From the Daily News:
Monday night, a Yankees source told the Daily News that the Santana negotiations were over.
"I just don't think they were ready to do a deal," the source said. "We're moving on."
According to a second source, the Yankees now plan to turn their attention toward Oakland starter Dan Haren, who is currently being shopped. Although the righthander, 27, isn't as proven as Santana, 28, he is more attractive in a financial sense, as he is set to make $4 million in 2008 and $5.5 million in 2009 with a 2010 option for $6.75 million.
Oakland GM Billy Beane is said to be looking for a package of four players in exchange for Haren, with Hughes and Cabrera once again the likely centerpieces if the Yankees are to be serious players.
The Yankees believe that, had the Twins found the offer for the lefthander to their liking, they would have completed a deal by now.
I hate the idea of having to deal with Billy Beane. I hope that Cashman takes the lead on this one over Hank. I fear Beane taking Hank to school on this one.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:45 AM | Comments (5)
December 03, 2007
Stark: Yanks-Twins Santana Deal Could Be "On Life Support"
From Jayson Stark -
With the Yankee's self-imposed deadline approaching, the Twins and Yankees were getting nowhere Monday night in their attempt to complete a deal for Johan Santana. So the Yankees were again making noises that they might pull out of the Santana talks for good.
According to baseball officials who were aware of the talks, the Twins again asked the Yankees on Monday night for pitcher Ian Kennedy -- a pitcher the Yankees have insisted for several days that they wouldn't trade -- as the third player in their proposed deal. The Yankees apparently turned down that proposal immediately.
But the Twins also haven't budged since Friday. They wanted Kennedy then, and they still do. So unless one side or the other gives, it now appears a trade that once appeared inevitable could blow up for good.
The two teams still hadn't even met in person as of late Monday night, even though both clubs' delegations had arrived in full at the winter meetings. It's believed they simply exchanged proposals by phone, in what could be another indication that this trade was now on life support.
You know, the Yankees fought hard with the Red Sox to get Jose Contreras - and won - but, in the end, it was not money well spent. And, the Yankees fought hard with the Red Sox to get Carl Pavano - and won - but, again, in the end, it was not money well spent.
Maybe, just maybe, it's not the greatest thing in the world for the Yankees to fight hard with the Red Sox, over a pitcher, and then "win" in the end - at a very high cost?
For what it's worth, when I read that the Twins were thinking about filing tampering charges against the Yankees, today, I thought to myself "That doesn't sound like two teams who are partnering together on making something happen..."
So, maybe, just maybe, Johan Santana will not be coming to the Yankees now?
Yes, I know: writing that should be the kiss of death. I know that I'll wake up tomorrow and hear, first thing in the morning, that the Yankees have acquired Santana.
Well, if they do, I hope it works out better than Contreras and Pavano.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:14 PM | Comments (11)
Cashman Out Of The Santana Loop?
Gordon Edes of the Globe offers some insight this afternoon (2 pm ET) on the Yankees and Red Sox comings and goings today:
You're waiting for news on Johan Santana, and while we've spoken with any number of baseball people who think the Sox should make the deal, even if it involves Jacoby Ellsbury, there is very little of a substantive nature that has come out thus far. We ran into Terry Francona, dressed in sweats, who was off to see a friend ... he pleaded ignorance when asked if anything was going on. Pitching coach John Farrell also passed by, but said he had yet to be brought up to speed.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman, meanwhile, had yet to arrive. GM Theo Epstein and his aides have been holed up in the Sox suite, holding meetings and making phone calls, and there remains a school of thought that the Sox’ primary interest is driving up the price for the Yankees. One Sox type told me a little while ago that there may be more rumor than substance to what has been reported to date, which is par for the course at these things, though we are persuaded by our sources that Ellsbury and Jon Lester have been offered in different packages.
Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner was remarkably blunt and public in comments expressing the team's desire to get Santana, and in setting a deadline of today; Steinbrenner may have crossed the line into tampering with some of his comments. Trust me, Sox brass are far more careful about even breathing Santana's name.
Here’s a thought: If the Yankees told the Twins that today is the day to fish or cut bait on Santana, then why is Brian Cashman taking his sweet time to get down to the meetings today? Does this suggest that Cashman is not driving the deal from the Yankees side?
Yeah, I know, he has a cell phone and stuff. But, still, if it really is the 11th hour on these talks, and everyone else is down there already, where’s Brian? Again, unless this whole deal is out of his hands...right?
Think about it - the deadline is midnight and, as of 2 pm, Cash is MIA. Something there is not adding up.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:32 PM | Comments (8)
Did Project P46 Help?
From Tyler Kepner -
“Calls and requests for him to return from Brian Cashman, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Joe Girardi, among others, influenced [Andy Pettitte], as did an outpouring of requests from Yankees fans,” Hendricks said, after the news was first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
...as did an outpouring of requests from Yankees fans...
Are they talking about Project P46 here?
Well, if folks mailed their letters around 11/23, they probably got to Andy's agent around 11/26 - and then probably not forwarded to Andy until around 11/30. That was Friday of last week.
That seems like such a tight turn that it doesn't seem possible that Project P46 could be part of this "outpouring of requests from Yankees fans."
But, hey, you never know...right?
In any event, again, thanks to all my fellow bloggers who mentioned Project P46. (You are all awesome for passing the word.) And, of course, thanks to all of you who sent letters!
Like I said, you never know...maybe it did help? Wouldn't that be cool?
Update, 12/3/07, 10:56 pm EST: Maybe it did help, indeed. As Kat O'Brien wrote in Newsday today:
While Andy Pettitte weighed whether or not to return to pitch for the Yankees in 2008, he heard plenty of opinions from those around him.
Pettitte's agent, Randy Hendricks, wrote in e-mail messages Monday that he was swayed in part by family members of the Yankees organization and even fans.
Along with the teammates and Yankees officials, Hendricks said the barrage of fan pleas had an effect as well. One fan, Steve Lombardi, even came up with "P46" or "Project 46", representing Pettitte's number, and urged fans to write letters and e-mails to Pettitte.
"The fans helped," Hendricks wrote. "Some wrote very touching and eloquent letters."
Wow. Thanks to all again, for spreading the word and sending letters. I think this quote says it all: "The fans helped. Some wrote very touching and eloquent letters." Great job everyone! (And, thanks to Kat O'Brien for this report!)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:37 PM | Comments (6)
Twinkies Ticked At Hank?
From the Star Tribune Blog -
A Twins official this morning confirmed that the club is not pleased with comments made by Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner about negotiations involving ace lefthander Johan Santana.
When asked if he thought the comments constituted tampering, the official replied, “We’re not happy. We’ll deal with this internally.'’
Steinbrenner made his comments on Sunday while threatening to pull out of talks with the Twins over the two-time Cy Young award winner.
While charging that the Twins were playing his team against the Red Sox in the Santana sweepstakes, he said the following:
“Because as much as I want Santana, and you can make that clear — for his sake, to know that I do want him — but the fact is that I’m not going to play the game,'’ Steinbrenner said.
It’s unsure if the Twins will pursue tampering charges, but it’s definitely added even more spice to the Twins attempts to trade Santana.
Unless the Twins have some video of Hank making those statements, I doubt they have a case here. Besides, everyone and their mother knows that the Twins are shopping Santanna and that the Yankees and Red Sox have been talking to them about him. This is not a case where an owner, out of no where, says "Hey, Babe Ruth is going to be a Free Agent after this season and we would have to have him play for us next year."
Brass tacks, the Twins have been playing the Yankees and Hank called them out on that. That's what has the Twins' twisted here...and, to that, I say "Aw, Gee...too bad."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:17 PM | Comments (12)
Cheap & Lucky Yankee Homers In 2007
One of the items that Greg Rybarczyk lists on his great website, Hit Tracker, are "Just Enough" home runs. These are big flies where the ball cleared the fence by less than 10 vertical feet, or that it landed less than one fence height past the fence. According to Greg, these are the taters that barely made it over the fence. (In the old days, these were called Chinese Homeruns.)
Looking at the A.L. Leaders, for 2007, in "Just Enough" homers shows us how many of these long balls the Yankees hit last season:
Rodriguez, Alex 13
Posada, Jorge 8
Cano, Robinson 6
Abreu, Bobby 5
Matsui, Hideki 4
Cabrera, Melky 4
Giambi, Jason 3
Jeter, Derek 3
Damon, Johnny 2
Duncan, Shelley 1
Another stats that Greg "tracks" is "Lucky Homers" - meaning a homer that would not have cleared the fence if it has been struck on a 70-degree, calm day.
Looking at the A.L. Leaders, for 2007, in "Lucky" homers shows us how many of these long balls the Yankees hit last season:
Rodriguez, Alex 5
Posada, Jorge 3
Matsui, Hideki 2
Cano, Robinson 2
Jeter, Derek 2
Damon, Johnny 2
Giambi, Jason 1
Abreu, Bobby 1
Duncan, Shelley 1
Derek Jeter had 12 homeruns in 2007. Looking at these totals from Hit Tracker, there was a good chance that he could have ended up with less than 10 homers last season.
The last time the Yankees had a batter with 700+ PA and less than 10 HR is season was 1989 - when Steve Sax did it. The last time before Sax was Horace Clarke in 1970.
In fact, from 2004 through 2007, Jeter's HR% has gone down, all four years in a row:
2004 3.58
2005 2.91
2006 2.25
2007 1.88
When is that Mitchell Report coming out?
And, yes, I'm just kidding with that last comment. Really, KIDDING.
But, still, wouldn't that be something? Nah, I can't even think about it. That would be a disaster - a sheer and utter disaster.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:33 AM | Comments (6)
Pettitte Returns
From ESPN.com -
Andy Pettitte, who had considered retirement after the 2007 season ended, will return in 2008 to pitch for the New York Yankees, the Houston Chronicle reported on Monday.
According to the report, his agent, Randy Hendricks, said he has advised the Yankees that Pettitte will come back."Many teammates have called urging Andy to return as well as manager Joe Girardi," Hendricks said, according to the report. "It's well known that the Yankees have publicly stated that they were ready for Andy when Andy was ready."
The Chronicle reported that it earlier learned from friends, former Houston Astros teammates and some current Yankees teammates that the left-hander would return.
This is 33 starts and 215 quality innings that the Yankees can now put in the bank for 2008. Great news for those in Yankeeland. I'm very happy to see Andy return for another season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:11 AM | Comments (10)
December 02, 2007
Monday D-Day For Yanks & Johan?
From Jon Heyman -
The Yankees have set a Monday deadline for the Twins to respond to their proposed trade of top young pitcher Phil Hughes, center fielder Melky Cabrera and a third prospect for superstar pitcher Johan Santana, SI.com has learned.
So assuming the Yankees strictly stick to their deadline, it is very likely there will be a resolution regarding Santana -- widely considered baseball's best pitcher -- by the end of Monday.
If true, it's a smart move by the Yankees. They have made a legit (and generous) offer for Santana. If they allow the Twins to chew on it too long, the Yankees could then lose out on the other stud pitchers on the trading block. The Twins will be hard pressed to get another offer like the one the Yankees have presented. It's good to tell them that it's time to pinch their loaf or get off the pot.
If Dan Haren or Erik Bedard are available, the Yankees can then start to focus on them. There's no way the Yankees will, or should, sweeten the offer to the Twins. It's time for Minny to take it or leave it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:22 PM | Comments (18)
Hank's Last Interview?
I'll believe that when I see it.
From "Bill Madden breaks bread with Yankees' 'New Boss' Hank Steinbrenner" -
"I had a lot of good teachers whether they know it or not," Hank says now. "All those dinners on the road with Clyde and Woody and Lou - I learned a lot."
"What was the most important thing you learned?" I asked him.
"The mistake of trading young pitching," he answered quickly. "It killed me seeing all those young pitchers we traded back then - (Scott) McGregor, (Jose) Rijo, (Doug) Drabek - who went on to have great careers because we just didn't have the patience. If there's one thing that's going to be different between me and my dad it's patience."
"Maybe," I said, "but it sounds like you're about to do the same thing - trading young pitchers - for (Johan) Santana."
"There's a big difference," Hank countered. "Santana's only 28 and just coming into his prime. I remember consoling Woody when my dad insisted we trade Drabek for (Rick) Rhoden. Rhoden was 32 or 33, but back then that's the way we did things.
"There was stuff we all wanted to do but weren't allowed to. We all treaded very lightly."
"My dad always loved the limelight," Hank says, "and that was part of the reason he never wanted to retire. Me? I could take it or leave it, although I do enjoy connecting with the media and, by association, our fans. The last couple of years he'd been after me to come back into the baseball operation and this time I could see he really was looking to get less involved and to turn over a lot of the responsibility for running the club to my brother and myself."
"Like I said, I feel I have a duty to let our fans know as much as I can with their team, although sometimes I do go too far," he admitted. "In the respect of being the front guy, that's gonna slow down now. This is my last interview."
"No, I guess what I'm saying is we don't want these huge media circuses that were associated with my father. I mean he wasn't Jonas Salk."
No, but from a baseball standpoint certainly, he was pretty big, turning an initial $8.8 million investment into a billion-dollar empire while restoring the Yankees as the most prestigious franchise in sports. Hard as it was to work for Steinbrenner, following his act figures to be even harder for his two sons.
"I don't know," Hank said, "I see myself doing this for another 10 years and then my son, George Michael, will be 21. He's already getting ready."
He's got the name, too - GMS IV. And according to Hank, young George Michael already has a lot of his grandfather's bravado.
"Last summer," Hank says, "George Michael was watching one of our games at his grandmother's house when she started putting a tape in the TV. 'That's okay, Grandma,' he said. 'We own the rights.'"
Why can't I get the image of George-Michael Bluth out of my head now?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:45 PM | Comments (1)
Pen Manship Concerns
From George King -
Rebuilding the bullpen is a necessity. Joba Chamberlain is going from the 'pen to the rotation, and that leaves a crater in front of Mariano Rivera. Yankees say they want Luis Vizcaino back but he remains a free agent. Kyle "The Mop" Farnsworth is the only reliever in place with experience, and the Yankees will gladly listen to trade offers for him and the $5.75 million he is owed.
There is a feeling in the organization that youngsters Ross Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, Mark Melancon, J.B. Cox and Humberto Sanchez will eventually be able to help in the bullpen, but only Ohlendorf (six games) has big-league experience. Melancon, Cox and Sanchez are coming off arm problems.
The Yankees have shown interest in free agents La Troy Hawkins, David Riske, Trever Miller and Jeremy Affeldt.
If the next baseball season opened today, this would be the Yankees bullpen:
Mariano Rivera
Kyle Farnsworth
Followed by four or five guys from Brian Bruney, Chris Britton, Ross Ohlendorf, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, Sean Henn, Jeff Karstens and Darrell Rasner.
If I had to bet now, I would say that the winners from that group would be Ross Ohlendorf, Jose Veras, Jeff Karstens and Darrell Rasner. That's not very pretty, at this point.
La Troy Hawkins, David Riske, Trever Miller and Jeremy Affeldt don't exactly thrill me either, for what it's worth. They all scream of "Journeymen looking to be overpaid" to me. Think "Juan Acevedo, Gabe White, Felix Rodriguez, and Dan Naulty," if you must.
At this point, it's almost a must that the Yankees bring back Luis Vizcaino and trade for another quality relief pitcher. Maybe Cashman can work on both of those things next week.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:31 AM | Comments (5)
December 01, 2007
Gardner & Miranda Make AFL Top Prospects Team
From a MLB Press Release -
The Arizona Fall League announces its 2007 Top Prospects Team. Selected by Fall League managers, coaches, and administrators, the Top Prospects Team identifies the players who distinguished themselves throughout the league's six-week schedule against other top prospects from every organization in Major League Baseball. Voters were asked to consider Fall League performance and major league projectability.
Here's what the release had on Yankees who made the cut:
Brett Gardner (Peoria Javelinas/New York Yankees) - Like Fuld, one of the league's top overall offensive performers ... led the league in stolen bases (16) and runs (27) ... second in hits (37), fourth in on-base percentage (.433), and fifth in average (.343) ... tied for third in walks (17) ... one of 13 players with 100 or more at bats.
Juan Miranda (Peoria Javelinas/New York Yankees) - Hit .295 in 22 games with 5 doubles and 5 home runs ... five homers tied for fourth in the league ... fifth in league in on-base percentage (.423) ... tied for fifth in RBI (17) ... sixth in slugging percentage (.551) ... tied for seventh in walks (16).
This could be a reason why the Yankees are not interested in picking up anyone, long-term, off the free agent market for center or at first.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:44 PM | Comments (7)
Some Perspective On Moving Phil Hughes
The "STATS Inc. Minor League Scouting Notebook" was launched in 1995. Eddie Epstein wrote the first edition. The following year, John Sickels took over for Epstein. The last edition of the "STATS Inc. Minor League Scouting Notebook" was in 2002. Beginning in 2003, John Sickels started his own continuation of the series with "The Baseball Prospect Book." And, he has released an edition of this ever since.
In "The Baseball Prospect Book 2007," Sickels listed the Yankees' Phil Hughes as the best pitching prospect in all of baseball - followed by Matt Garza (Twins), Yovani Gallardo (Brewers), Homer Bailey (Reds) and Tim Lincecum (Giants).
I thought it would be interesting to go back, as well, and look at 1995 through 2006, to see who was selected by Sickels (and Epstein in '95) as the top five pitching prospects in baseball. Here's the list:
2006
Justin Verlander - Tigers
Francisco Liriano - Twins
Matt Cain - Giants
Chad Billingsley - Dodgers
Craig Hansen - Red Sox
2005
Felix Hernandez - Mariners
Adam Miller - Indians
Jeff Francis - Rockies
Chad Billingsley - Dodgers
Scott Kazmir - Devil Rays
2004
Zack Greinke - Royals
Ryan Wagner - Reds
Edwin Jackson - Dodgers
Joe Blanton - A's
Scott Kazmir - Devil Rays
2003
Jesse Foppert - Giants
Francisco Rodriguez - Angels
Rich Harden - A's
Jerome Williams - Giants
Kurt Ainsworth - Giants
2002
Josh Beckett - Marlins
Dennis Tankersley - Padres
Juan Cruz - Cubs
Mark Prior - Cubs
Jake Peavy - Padres
2001
Ryan Anderson - Mariners
Ben Sheets - Brewers
Josh Beckett - Marlins
Jon Rauch - White Sox
Roy Oswalt - Astros
2000
Rick Ankiel - Cardinals
Kip Wells - White Sox
Brad Penny - Marlins
Eric Gagne - Dodgers
Matt Riley - Orioles
1999
Rick Ankiel - Cardinals
Brad Penny - Diamondbacks
Bruce Chen - Braves
Matt Clement - Padres
Ryan Anderson - Mariners
1998
Carl Pavano - Expos
Kerry Wood - Cubs
Matt Clement - Padres
Scott Elarton - Astros
Kris Benson - Pirates
1997
Jaret Wright - Indians
Kerry Wood - Cubs
Jeff Suppan - Red Sox
Carl Pavano - Red Sox
Sidney Ponson - Orioles
1996
Paul Wilson - Mets
Billy Wagner - Astros
Jason Schmidt - Braves
Jimmy Haynes - Orioles
Jeff Suppan - Red Sox
1995
Scott Ruffcorn - White Sox
Alan Benes - Cardinals
Jimmy Haynes - Orioles
Jim Pittsley - Royals
LaTroy Hawkins - Twins
Take a look at those "number one" selections prior to Hughes:
Carl Pavano, Felix Hernandez, Jaret Wright, Jesse Foppert, Josh Beckett, Justin Verlander, Paul Wilson, Rick Ankiel, Ryan Anderson, Scott Ruffcorn, and Zack Greinke.
Is it just me, or, have about 70% of these "overall best pitching prospect in baseball" guys failed?
Sure, about now, someone might be saying "Wait, yes, they failed...because Sickels (and Epstein in '95) have no clue in identifying good pitching prospects."
But, there's two problems with a claim like that. First, anyone who knows anything about Sickels' work can tell you that he has a good system to make these picks. Sickels uses stats like K/BB ratio, K/IP ratio, H/IP ratio, and HR rate - all within league context - when looking at these minor league pitchers. Secondly, if you want to say that Sickels system is a poor prediction tool for identifying the best pitching prospects, then, well, you're putting yourself in a position where you have to agree that picking Phil Hughes as the best pitching prospect in baseball (for 2007) was a bad choice. (As a Yankees fan, do you really want to go there?)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Phil Hughes can't be the next Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander or Josh Beckett (who were also once the best in their litters). What I'm attempting to say here is that, once upon a time, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Paul Wilson, and Scott Ruffcorn looked like "can't possibly miss" great pitching prospects - compared to all other pitchers in the game - yet, they didn't exactly set the world on fire. For one, young pitchers are very vulnerable to injuries and that sometimes gets them off track - despite their great talent/promise.
Here, I expect a lot of Yankees fans to say "But, Hughes is a horse. Just look at the guy. I doubt he's going to get hurt like Wright and Wilson." However, to that, I would have to remind my fellow Yankee zealots that Phil Hughes has, indeed, already had a minor injury to a toe, some past shoulder and elbow soreness issues, and a major hamstring injury - all in the last four years. There's no way, based on what we've seen, that anyone can label Hughes as "unbreakable."
Reportedly, in the late 1990's, Gary Huckabay gave us the phrase "There's no such thing as a pitching prospect" (aka "TNSTAAPP"). The logic behind this statement ties into the point I'm attempting to drive home here - meaning that even "the best" pitching prospects sometimes - and perhaps often - fail.
Try and remember all this if the Yankees do end up trading Phil Hughes this off-season. Moving Hughes is not a guaranteed terrible move. Yes, there's some risk moving a prospect of his stature. However, it might also just be a situation where the Yankees get some return on an investment when it's at its highest value.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:53 PM | Comments (43)
If Melky Goes, Damon May Return To Center
From Buster Olney -
With the Yankees' upgraded offer for Twins left-hander Johan Santana now on the table Saturday morning, Yankees' officials are confident that they will sign Santana if a deal is worked out. And the club's internal plan, if center fielder Melky Cabrera is included in the trade, is to switch veteran Johnny Damon from left field back to center field.
Damon, 34, battled injuries in the early part of last season and in his absence, Cabrera played center and so greatly improved the team's defense that when Damon was ready to return to the outfield again, Cabrera remained as the center fielder, with Damon moving to left.
As the Yankees have considered the alternatives in a Santana trade, they've determined to shift Damon back to center field, rather than to pursue one of the many free agent center fielders available -- someone like Aaron Rowand, Mike Cameron or Andruw Jones.
Betcha Johnny doesn't last the full season in center if this holds true. This would be some carrot for Brett Gardner or Austin Jackson to get off to a good start in the minors next season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:11 PM | Comments (14)
Hank: When A Problem Comes Along You Must Zip It
From the USA Today:
New York senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said Friday outside Legends Field, the Yankees' spring training complex, that the team will not be publicly addressing negotiations with Minnesota.
"Anything said at this point, and I expect the other people in the organization to follow suit, you never know how it affects whatever, especially with other teams we're dealing with," Steinbrenner said. "It's just no comment for now. At this point, until we get something done or don't get something done on whatever we're looking to do, it's kind of as far as I'm concerned a lockdown now."
Below is some footage of HankdeStein Jr.'s inspiration behind this no comment approach:
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)
Former Yank Ken Clay Headed To Prison
From the Sarasota Herald Tribune:
A former New York Yankees pitcher who grew up in Lynchburg is in trouble again.
A circuit judge sentenced Kenny Clay, who now lives in Florida, to five years in prison Wednesday, a longer sentence than the prosecutor recommended.
A jury convicted Clay, 53, of grand theft for creating a fake sales order at the Sarasota copy machine office where he worked in 2005 that would have netted him a $7,500 commission check.
Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of three years, but Circuit Judge Rick De Furia cited the former major league pitcher’s criminal history in giving him the maximum sentence for the charge.
Clay has been caught stealing several times since his career as a ballplayer ended, and he was on probation for a similar crime when he tried to steal from the copy machine office in 2005.
In that previous case, Clay had pleaded guilty in Manatee County to stealing identification information about his girlfriend and using it to falsify credit card applications to forge checks and lease a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder.
Clay was also convicted in 1988 in Campbell County of stealing $16,000 from a class ring distributor that employed him.
Ken Clay was drafted by the Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1972 amateur draft.
May 21, 1978 and October 3, 1978 were probably the two best games in his Yankees career.
Talent and promise doesn't always lead to a story-book ending. Sad.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:42 AM | Comments (1)