April 19, 2008
Joba Back, 'Sado To Play First?
George King is reporting that Joba Chamberlain will return to the team this evening and that Jorge Posada will be playing first base tonight instead of Jason Giambi.
One has to wonder if Jorge at first is going to become a long-term thing...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)
April 18, 2008
Tomasino: Hughes At Crossroads
Via Dan Tomasino of The Post:
Phil Hughes is in dangerous territory. The 21-year-old Yankees right-hander will make his fourth start of the season tonight against the Orioles in Baltimore but already he faces a crossroads.
At 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA, Hughes could see his season spiral out of control quickly if he doesn't correct whatever has hindered him the last two starts.
Hughes and the Yankees coaching staff said his mechanics were off when the Red Sox pounded him for six earned runs on six hits and three walks during his two-inning performance Sunday.
"I see him rushing, trying to do too much instead of trusting his abilities, trusting his pitches," first-year pitching coach Dave Eiland said. "All young pitchers do it. He has to slow down the game a little bit in his mind. He's doing everything too quick."
That can be interpreted as a positive or a negative analysis.
On the plus side, it indicates that, if Hughes can calm his mind and allow his body to work, he'll be effective. On the other hand, for a pitcher who's been praised as much for his maturity and demeanor as for his fastball, the idea that his struggles are rooted in his mental approach is not a good sign.
"There's going to be rough spots," said Hughes, who will be opposed by hard-throwing right-hander Daniel Cabrera (0-0, 5.94 ERA). "You've just got to put your head down and go to work and get through them."
This will be the first time that Phil Hughes has ever pitched at Camden Yards. Here are Hughes' career splits, via Baseball-Reference.com, when batters hit the ball off him:
PA BA OBP SLG Babip To Infield 106 .058 .058 .058 .058 To Outfield 151 .500 .490 .804 .462 Ball In Play 250 .298 .294 .396 .291 Fair Terr 250 .327 .323 .510 .300 Foul Terr 7 .000 .000 .000 .000 Pulled-RHB 31 .400 .400 .600 .379 Up Mdle-RHB 78 .280 .269 .373 .260 Opp Fld-RHB 30 .172 .172 .172 .172 Pulled-LHB 34 .500 .500 1.088 .414 Up Mdle-LHB 64 .250 .250 .344 .250 Opp Fld-LHB 20 .450 .450 .750 .421
Note these splits (from the above):
PA BA OBP SLG Babip To Outfield 151 .500 .490 .804 .462 Pulled-RHB 31 .400 .400 .600 .379 Pulled-LHB 34 .500 .500 1.088 .414 Opp Fld-LHB 20 .450 .450 .750 .421
These suggest that Phil Hughes gets battered, but good, when he allows hits into the outfield - especially when it's hit towards left-field or pulled into right-field.
Camden Yards is not going to help Phil in this respect. It could be a very interesting game for Hughes tonight down in Hot L Baltimore.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 03:29 PM | Comments (2)
April 17, 2008
Manny To Follow Damon On Haircut Trail?
Is there a chance that the Red Sox do not pick up Manny Ramirez' contract option for 2009?
Related, what happens if the Yankees do not bring back Bobby Abreu next season? You know that Jason Giambi will be gone after this year. Does the money saved on Giambi and Abreu, coupled with the need for a right-fielder and three-hitter (if Abreu leaves), bring cause for the Yankees to chase a 37-year old Manny Ramirez on the free agent market?
Me? In my lifetime, I've seen some great right-handed batters play: Jeff Bagwell, Edgar Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, Frank Thomas and Albert Pujols come to mind. And, I'd put Manny Ramirez up there with any of them - if not on the top of the list. But...man...the whole Manny being Manny thing...in Yankeeland? I dunno. I just don't know...
What about you? How would you feel about "Manny In Pinstripes '09"?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:28 PM | Comments (12)
In Case Cooperstown Is Not Keeping Count
Alex Rodriguez played in 485 games with the Texas Rangers. And, he also played 790 games with the Seattle Mariners.
Coming into this season, A-Rod has played 629 games with the Yankees. This means, assuming Alex doesn't miss much time this year, come early 2009 Alex will have played in more games with the Yankees than any other major league team.
Any question what cap should be on Rodriquez' plaque in Cooperstown? Even if he retired today, I don't see how it can be anyone else but the Yankees now.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:30 AM | Comments (6)
Rotation To Be Altered?
Via Kat O'Brien -
The Yankees may split up Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy in the rotation following the off-day Monday. Asked if that was under consideration, Girardi smiled and said; "It's a possibility."
It makes sense. Having Mussina, Hughes and Kennedy in a row is a tax on the bullpen. Back in March, I said that you don't want Pettitte and Wang pitching back-to-back. Nothing has changed that opinion for me.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:59 AM | Comments (1)
April 16, 2008
SI: The Secret Of Wang
Albert Chen of SI has done a big feature on Chien-Ming Wang. Click here to read it. (Hat tip to the print issue of SI in the waiting room of my periodontist.) Some of the cool parts:
[Wang] sits in the passenger seat of a midnight-blue minivan with tinted windows as it squeezes through a swarm of cars and motorbikes, on the city's main avenue. Peering through the side window he spots a line of customers at a street vendor's cart and decides that he wants what they want: a small piece of cake stuffed with red bean -- a local specialty he won't be able to get once he returns to the U.S. in another week. But because he is Chien-Ming Wang, pitcher for the New York Yankees, he can't step out of his vehicle, or even roll down his window, without making news in the next day's papers. "The street food, it's what I miss most in America," he says in a rare moment of wistfulness. Wang could dispatch his bodyguard, Daniel, who is driving, but left waiting in a parked van, Wang would surely be recognized through the front windshield. It happened two years ago, when, on his way home from the airport, a mob of more than a thousand blocked the narrow street to his home. For more than a hour, he sat with his wife in a stationary car, surrounded by the throng until 40 policemen arrived.
So to the notion of buying a piece of cake, Wang says, "Forget it," and the van rolls on, headed to a gym, where it pulls up to the rear entrance.
Wang had been exposed as a one-pitch anomaly, or so said the baseball cognoscenti, the scribes and the sabermetricians who've long proclaimed the 6-foot-3, 225-pound righthander the beneficiary of a large amount of good fortune. How else to explain why a pitcher with a minuscule strikeout rate, who misses fewer bats than almost every other major league starter, could be so successful? No, Wang's October wasn't just a pair of fluke performances in an otherwise accomplished season, nor was it the result of a tired arm, but rather the sign of something larger. This, the skeptics said, was perhaps where the end began.
The adopted son of workers in a metal utensil manufacturing company, Wang played Little League but was never regarded as a standout while growing up in Tainan. "In high school, he was kind of terrible," says Louis Yu, a sportswriter who covered Wang then. "He was tall and very, very skinny. His delivery wasn't smooth, and his fastball was not impressive."
Just as Wang was about to sign with Seattle, with him and his family sitting at home in Tainan wearing Mariners caps, New York swooped in with a $1.9 million offer. "While we knew Tsao could be a star," Yu says, "Wang never had a great game in high school or college like him. People in Taiwan were surprised [the Yankees] gave him so much money. No one thought he could be a star."
Wang's sinker gradually earned a reputation as one of the game's filthiest pitches. "An ultimate weapon, like Johan Santana and his changeup," says Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte. "It's the best sinker I've ever seen."
Halfway around the globe, in a baseball-crazed country starved for somebody to root for, Wangmania took off.
Now Taiwan's major newspapers charge a higher advertising rate for issues published on a day that Wang pitches, as well as the day after each start. The country's largest circulation daily, Apple Daily, estimates that it sells as many as 300,000 extra papers on days that carry reports of another Wang victory. Endorsements that have come Wang's way include McDonald's, Ford, E Sun Bank (one of the largest in Taiwan) and computer-maker Acer, which claims that Wang's name alone has increased its product sales by 10% and lowered the average age of its consumer by almost four years.
On the Yankees, Wang has no close friends. He has known second baseman Robinson Cano the longest -- the two rose through the minors together and were promoted to the majors within a week of each other in the spring of 2005 -- but neither can recall the last time they socialized outside the ballpark.
More than the fans, major league clubs believe what they've seen from Wang. Over the last two years they have signed 15 players from Taiwan, and nearly half the teams have full-time scouts on the island. Kao sees the talent coming up through the high schools and colleges, and it gives him hope. "The quality level here is getting better," he says. "Coaches are learning, coaching smarter."
Will there be another Chien-Ming Wang? Kao laughs, sounding as if he thinks the question is absurd. "No, I don't think so, not while I'm still living," he says. "He is a precious gem. Our precious gem."
Great story.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:55 PM | Comments (0)
Farnsworth: "Time To Stop Finessing Slider"
Hey, check out Farnsie...he's going John Daly on us. Grip it and Rip it. Via Newsday -
Farnsworth said he watched video of his slider on Monday and feels as if he may have picked up something that will help him get it down and in to a lefthanded batter - like Joba's slider - instead of in the fat of the plate.
"At times I've babied it a lot, which is stupid of me to do," he said. "I'm not a finesse pitcher. Just trying to make a perfect pitch like a finesse pitcher would do. I don't need to be doing that because my arm will drag and more times than not it's been left over the middle of the plate."
This could be a "Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh" moment for Kyle. Don't think, Meat. It can only hurt the ball club.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:16 PM | Comments (1)
Keri On Why Yanks Will Win Or Lose A.L. East
Jonah Keri via the New York Sun:
WILL WIN IF: The young pitching pans out. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy are off to rough starts this year. But Hughes in particular has both the stuff and the minor league track record to succeed at the big league level — it's just a question of when it will happen. There's a potential chain-reaction effect on the Yankees' staff. If Hughes or Kennedy don't pan out or Andy Pettitte's balky elbow gets the best of him, the Bombers could consider moving Joba Chamberlain to the rotation. Underrated and talented newcomer Jonathan Albaladejo has a chance to become a very good setup man if the team lets him, which could make it easier to get Chamberlain in the rotation where he belongs.
WILL LOSE IF: The team's veteran hitters show their age. Already, the normally durable Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada have battled injuries. Jason Giambi's been declining for a while now, Johnny Damon looks like a Punch-and-Judy hitter and Bobby Abreu hasn't topped 20 homers in three years. The offense will be good, no matter what. But it needs to be great for the Yankees to win it.
It's an interesting point on the "power" question. Are Godzilla and A-Rod the only "true" power threats on the Yankees now? I could see where a case could be made to support that claim.
Posada and Cano should be good for 20 homers each - but, not much more. At this point, the only two guys on the Yankees who are pretty much "good" for 25+ homeruns these days are Matsui and Rodriguez, no?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:48 AM | Comments (2)
Former Yanks P.R. Director To Lead Hall At Cooperstown
Via the Daily Star -
The Daily Star learned exclusively Tuesday night that Jeff Idelson will be named the permanent president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame today. An announcement will be made during a media conference this afternoon at the shrine in Cooperstown, a source speaking on the condition of anonymity said.
Idelson, 43, succeeds Dale Petroskey, who resigned March 25 after nearly nine years. The same day, the Hall named Idelson as its acting president, an interim tag that lasted three weeks. The Hall’s 17-member Board of Directors made the decision to hire Idelson, the source said.
The Hall hired Idelson as its director of public relations and promotions in 1994. In 1999, Idelson earned a promotion to vice president of communications and education, an appointment he continued to hold even after he was named acting president. Before working at the Hall, Idelson served as assistant vice president and senior press officer for World Cup USA in 1994, the year the U.S. played host to the World Cup for men’s soccer. From 1989-93, Idelson worked as the New York Yankees’ director of media relations and publicity after holding a similar position with the Boston Red Sox from 1986-88.
Idelson graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in international economics May 25,1986, and began working in the Red Sox’s PR department 11 days later.
After having to deal with the 1986 Red Sox and those Yankees teams from 1989 to 1992, dealing with anything else should be a snap.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:36 AM | Comments (1)
April 15, 2008
Salfino: Evolution & Pitching Mechanics
Michael Salfino of SNY.tv takes a look at internet reports on the mechanics of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain. Click here to read his feature.
I can remember watching a Yankees game in 1995. At that time, Jim Kaat was comparing the mechanics of two young pitchers in the Yankees starting rotation: 23-year old Andy Petitte and 24-year old Sterling Hitchcock. If I recall correctly, Kaat (then) projected Pettitte more likely to be free of issues because his delivery ended on a bent leg whereas Hitchcock pitched off a stiff front leg. In retrospect, Kitty was right.
I'd love to see someone with a lot of pitching experience, as a player and a coach (and maybe a broadcaster too), take a look at the mechanics of Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain and see what they have to say...someone like Kaat, Orel Hershiser, or...hey, what about Al Leiter? (Nah, YES would never go for that.)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:01 PM | Comments (3)
Trenton Trappings
Stephen Cornell of phillyBurbs.com has a nice column today on some happenings with the Trenton Thunder - including updates on Austin Jackson, Chase Wright and Jason Jones. Click here to read it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:27 AM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2008
Many Thanks To Jessica Alba & Ricky Ledee
Because it's just not right for me to keep calling him "The fat kid from the Nationals that we traded Tyler Clippard for....," I'm now going to make a concentrated effort to learn how to pronounce Jonathan Albaladejo's last name.
Back when the Yankees traded for him, their official site read that Albaladejo was pronounced "Alba-la-DAY-ho."
That doesn't look that hard. It starts with "Alba" as in "Jessica Alba" and it ends with "ho." I think I can remember those two parts easy enough. And, in the middle, it has "la-DAY," which is sort of like how "Ricky Ledee" had his last name pronounced.
(Jessica) Alba, (Ricky) la-DAY, ho.
I'm not sure how Jessica would like that, but, Ricky may enjoy the sound of it. And, it's going to help me, for sure, remembering how to say his name.
Jonathan, Alba la-Day ho.
Yeah, I'm golden with this one now. It's locked down, solid.
It's so nice to no longer have my tongue tied on "Albaladejo."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:37 PM | Comments (1)
Klapisch On Hughes
Via Bob Klapisch of The Record:
Scouts still believe Hughes is on a long-range path to success; but he’s making obvious mistakes with a fastball that’s been curiously anemic. On Sunday night, the radar gun had Hughes in the 90-91 mph range, and sometimes it wasn’t even that quick.
"Obviously (Hughes) is not where we want him to be, but he’ll get better," Joe Girardi said. "I still believe in my guys."
It’s true, Hughes is being given a wide berth by everyone in the organization, up to and including Hank Steinbrenner. But make no mistake, the corporate plan also calls for a 13th consecutive trip to the postseason, and if the Yankees have any hope of winning the wild card, let alone catching the Red Sox, they’ll need more from Hughes.
Question is: Just how much can the Yankees really expect from the prospect who was hailed as a young John Smoltz?
In three starts, (11 innings), Hughes has allowed 11 earned runs on 16 hits, including eight walks. These aren’t just growing-pains numbers, these are signs of distress.
One scout who’s watched Hughes recently said, "He’s going to need a plus fastball to keep hitters honest. He’s got a great curveball, but they’re going to start sitting on it sooner or later."
"I wish I could pinpoint it," Hughes said of his struggle. "I pride myself on getting ahead in the count and then having pinpoint control of my fastball. But I have been out of my comfort zone lately."
You know, the super-hype on Phil Hughes goes back for at least two years now - probably even longer...going back to when he was drafted in 2004.
The more I think about it...it seems like it's just too much pressure to live up to those expectations. And, now, it's worse for Hughes, because of the whole Johan Santana trade-talk thing.
Andrew Brackman is next up...the hype is already building on him.
It just seems like it's going to much easier for guys like Zach McAllister and Alan Horne to break into the big leagues, in the New York market, than the Hughes and Brackman types who need to be lights-up from jump street.
It's too late to make things easier for guys like Hughes - with respect to the spot-light being on them. Hopefully, there's a lesson learned in here for the team. Don't support or allow the hype and give these kids a chance to ease into it. Do whatever you have to make it possible for them to sneak in a back-door rather than just throw them out on stage...billed as the next coming of the savior.
It's bad enough that it's all uphill trying to break into the bigs as a pitcher. Is there really a need to tie weights to the guy's shoulders at the same time?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:33 AM | Comments (9)
April 13, 2008
Pascarelli: Hughes To Be Future Ace
Via Peter Pascarelli of ESPN.com -
In Hughes, the Yankees have someone who they believe is destined to be an ace-caliber pitching star. Only Arizona's Justin Upton (by two months) is younger than Hughes in the major leagues this season. But Hughes' ability is far beyond his years.
And in his brief major league tenure, Hughes has already earned the respect of his veteran Yankees teammates. "He's going to be an ace down the road when he gets comfortable and pitches more at this level," said Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon.
What makes Hughes such an enticing prospect is not just his considerable physical ability, but his feel for pitching, which is so advanced for someone so inexperienced.
"When he's putting his fastball in the spots he wants, he can handle any lineup," said first-year Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland, who has overseen Hughes throughout his meteoric rise through the New York farm system. "He has a very good curve ball -- a legit outpitch -- and both his change and slider have kept improving.
"He also has a poise and presence that you don't see in many young players. He can be as good as anyone."
Via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, career leaders in Runs Saved Above Average (RSAA) since 1973 by pitchers 21 or younger with at least 10 big league starts:
RSAA RSAA IP GS 1 Dwight Gooden 99 744.2 99 2 Dave Rozema 51 427.2 56 3 Bret Saberhagen 42 393 50 4 Fernando Valenzuela 40 495 62 5 Mark Fidrych 38 250.1 29 6 Frank Tanana 36 552.1 72 7 Dennis Eckersley 25 386 54 T8 Felix Hernandez 20 465.2 73 T8 Britt Burns 20 250.2 34 T8 Jose Rosado 20 106.2 16 T8 Rick Ankiel 20 232 41 12 Mike Witt 19 308.2 47 T13 Ismael Valdes 18 226 28 T13 Bob Welch 18 111.1 13 T15 Storm Davis 16 301 37 T15 Matt Cain 16 237 38 T15 David Palmer 16 132.1 12 18 Kerry Wood 15 166.2 26 T19 Terry Forster 14 172.2 12 T19 Jerome Williams 14 131 21 T21 Dontrelle Willis 12 160.2 27 T21 Dennis Blair 12 309.1 49 T23 Gil Meche 10 171.1 30 T23 John Candelaria 10 120.2 18 T23 Yovani Gallardo 10 110.1 17 T26 Mark Prior 9 116.2 19 T26 Bill Gullickson 9 142 19 T26 John Henry Johnson 9 186 30 T29 Chad Billingsley 8 90 16 T29 Don Robinson 8 228.1 32 T29 Dan Petry 8 262.2 40 T29 Floyd Youmans 8 77 12 T29 Jamey Wright 8 91.1 15 T29 Steve Trout 8 177.1 21 35 C.C. Sabathia 7 390.1 66 T36 Scott Kazmir 6 219.1 39 T36 Jeff Russell 6 68.1 10 T36 Rick Jones 6 104 14 T36 Edwin Nunez 6 140 10 T40 Juan Cruz 5 142 17 T40 Bud Smith 5 84.2 14 T42 Brandon Lyon 4 63 11 T42 Alan Wirth 4 81.1 14 T44 Brandon McCarthy 3 67 10 T44 Brad Havens 3 78 12 T44 Mark Lemongello 3 244 34 T47 Roger Clemens 2 133.1 20 T47 Dave Stieb 2 129.1 18 T47 Jerry Garvin 2 244.2 34 T47 Phil Hughes 2 72.2 13 T47 Miguel Asencio 2 123.1 21 T47 Jon Garland 2 186.2 29 T53 Steve Avery 1 309.1 55 T53 Wilson Alvarez 1 56.1 10 T53 Jaret Wright 1 90.1 16 T56 Dan Larson 0 92.1 13 T56 Andy Benes 0 66.2 10 T56 Bill Pulsipher 0 126.2 17 T56 Pete Redfern 0 118 23 T60 Sid Fernandez -1 96 16 T60 Mike Jones -1 80.1 12 T60 Tom Carroll -1 78 13 T60 Tom Gordon -1 178.2 18 T60 Ramon Martinez -1 134.1 21 T65 Rich Harden -2 74.2 13 T65 Mark Gubicza -2 189 29 T65 John Mitchell -2 121.2 20 T68 Steve Baker -3 63.1 10 T68 Jim Abbott -3 181.1 29 T70 Brett Myers -4 72 12 T70 Tommy Boggs -4 117.2 19 T70 Dennys Reyes -4 114.1 15 T73 Kyle Davies -5 87.2 14 T73 Chris George -5 74 13 T73 Rich Dotson -5 222.1 37 T73 Carlos Zambrano -5 116 17 T77 Jeff D'Amico -6 221.2 40 T77 Joel Davis -6 176.2 30 T79 Jim Clancy -7 76.2 13 T79 Pat Mahomes -7 69.2 13 T79 Lary Sorensen -7 142.1 20 T79 Gene Nelson -7 162 26 T79 Alex Fernandez -7 279.1 45 T79 Nick Neugebauer -7 61.1 14 T79 Sean Burnett -7 71.2 13 T86 Mike Norris -8 112.2 22 T86 Larry Demery -8 95 15 T86 Mario Soto -8 78.2 11 T86 Jake Peavy -8 97.2 17 90 Scott Scudder -9 100.1 17 T91 Pete Falcone -10 190 32 T91 Kevin Kobel -10 177.2 25 T91 Larry Christenson -10 229 36 T94 Ramon Garcia -11 78.1 15 T94 Gary Serum -11 207 23 T94 Moose Haas -11 213.2 34 T97 Edwin Jackson -12 75.1 14 T97 Todd Van Poppel -12 88.2 17 T97 Roger Erickson -12 265.2 37 T97 Bruce Robbins -12 97.2 14
As you can see from the list, there have been about 60 pitchers, since 1973, who pitched well in the majors at the same age, or younger, that Hughes is now, up until that stage. And, there have been at least another 40 pitchers, same age, etc., who didn't pitch all that well.
Of these 100 pitchers combined, some went on to have nice careers, a few became Hall of Famers, and many (or most?) of them flamed out due to injury and/or ineffectiveness.
Based on this, I would suggest this is the way one should look at Phil Hughes future/potential: There's a 5% chance he'll be a Hall of Famer, there's about a 25% chance that he'll go on to have a fine major league career, and there's about a 70% chance that his career, albeit due to injury or lack of performance, will be a disappointment.
Just being young, advanced, poised, polished and in the big leagues doesn't make you a lock to be a future ace.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:49 AM | Comments (9)
April 10, 2008
Giambi: Yanks Playing Like Old Men
This quote from Jason Giambi yesterday is getting a lot of play in blog-land; so, I thought I would add to the party:
"You've got the young kids (on the Royals) running around like maniacs," Jason Giambi said, "and we're playing like a bunch of old men right now."
Last time I checked, the Yankees only have two non-pitchers on their team who are age 35 or older: Jorge Posada (who didn't play last night) and Jason Giambi.
So, if Jason is concerned about the Yankees being more youthful, maybe he should retire now and then the team can replace him with someone like Shelley Duncan or Brett Gardner? If Giambi were to express an interest to retire, today, I'm sure that the Yankees would be willing to discuss some settlement terms on the remainder of his contract to make it work for both him and the team.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:46 PM | Comments (9)
Buck Showalter Heading Back To ESPN
Some Buck Showalter news via the USA Today -
...ex-Texas Rangers manager Buck Showalter is being added to ESPN's Baseball Tonight.
Not a bad spot for Buck to be in...keeps him in the public view...just sitting there waiting for an opening somewhere...
There's no question that Buck deserves another chance to manage again. I could see it happening in the next one to two years.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:00 AM | Comments (1)
April 09, 2008
Sickels Talks Yankees
Bugs & Cranks has a nice Q&A posted with John Sickels on some Yankees prospects. Click here to check it out. (Hat tip to Sliding Into Home.)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:38 PM | Comments (0)
Alberto Gonzalez Coming?
Via George King -
Shortstop Alberto Gonzalez was lifted from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre's game against Louisville last night and is a good bet to be with the Yankees in time for tonight's game versus the Royals.
With Derek Jeter out at least until Friday and possibly a DL candidate due to a strained left quad, the Yanks need somebody better defensively at short than Wilson Betemit, who has filled in the past two games.
Gonzalez, who was obtained from Arizona in the Randy Johnson deal, is a defensive whiz with trouble putting two good halves together at the plate.
GM Brian Cashman said he would be comfortable with Alex Rodriguez returning to the position he played during the first 10 years in the big leagues. However, Cashman said that would only happen in a long-term situation. As of last night, a decision to place Jeter on the DL hadn't been made.
Girardi said yesterday that Jeter, who initially felt what he thought was a cramp during Sunday's game, left Monday's game after two innings and had an MRI Monday night. The test didn't reveal a tear but showed something, and Jeter will miss the three games against the Royals and be evaluated prior to Friday night's tilt at Fenway Park against the Red Sox.
Jeter couldn't tell what shape the leg was in yesterday since he didn't test it. Jeter started the 2001 season on the DL with a strained right quad.
"I haven't done anything today," Jeter said after an extensive stint in the trainer's room for treatment. "I don't feel it walking around. I don't have anything for you."
As for placing Jeter on the DL, Girardi said that decision isn't imminent.
"We are a long way away from that," Girardi said. "We will evaluate after this three-game series."
I would be pretty excited to see what Gonzalez could do, defensively, if given an extended period to play short in the big leagues.
What happens, if, Alberto shines with the leather (and is not an auto-out with the stick) and, say, Jason Giambi breaks down in a major way? Would the Yankees then dare ask Jeter, when he returns, to play first (for Giambi) and keep Gonzalez at short? Would Jeter do it?
What a story that would make, huh?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:30 AM | Comments (17)
Ian "Throw Back" Kennedy
One of the things that has always interested me about Ian Kennedy is his face. When I see him, I think he looks like, facially, what ballplayers looked like in the 1930's. Anyone else ever see this?
Here's a side-by-side of Monty Stratton and Ian Kennedy. (Click on the thumbnail to enlarge it.) See what I'm talking about here?
It just seems like Ian has that "1930's" look - again, to me.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:04 AM | Comments (4)
April 08, 2008
Today's Forecast In K.C.
The current weather report for today's Yankees game via the K.C. Star:
Kansas City, MO
Conditions as of 10:23 AM
Rain
Temperature: 45°
Wind: ENE 12 mph
Dew point: 41°
Pressure: 29.85 in.
Wind chill: 39°
Humidity: 87%
Visibility: 2.0 miles
Observed at: Kansas City, MO
Seeing this, I wonder if the Yankees should consider using Phil Hughes the way that the Giants used Tim Lincecum last week? But, that all depends if it looks like the rain will break later on in Kansas City. If it's going to rain all day, then it makes more sense to just start Hughes and see where it goes from there.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:57 AM | Comments (0)
Would Yanks Use A-Rod To Fill In For Jeter?
Via the Post:
The Yankees don't want to believe Derek Jeter's strained left quadriceps will cost him more than a few games. But what if they aren't so fortunate?
One possibility Joe Girardi didn't rule out last night was moving former shortstop Alex Rodriguez back to his old position.
"There's a lot of different scenarios we would talk about as a club," Girardi said after the Yankees beat the Rays 6-1 at the Stadium. "Right now we're just keeping our fingers crossed it won't be too long."
Is A-Rod at shortstop among those scenarios?
"It's something we'll talk about internally and let [everybody] know," Girardi said. The manager said Wilson Betemit will start today's game in Kansas City at shortstop. Betemit began last night's game at first base and shifted to short in the third inning after Jeter departed.
Rodriguez last started a game at shortstop in his final season with the Rangers (2003).
Since joining the Yankees, A-Rod has played short for two innings in 2004 and for six innings in 2005. So, in the four years prior to this season, Alex has played eight innings of shortstop.
Based on this, it seems a bit unfair to ask Rodriguez to play there again - outside of an emergency basis. The last thing Alex needs, or the Yankees - for that matter, is for A-Rod to be in a situation where he hurts the team, or himself, because he's pressed into duty for a few games at short.
Call someone up from Triple-A, even if it means sending down Shelley Duncan or Ross Ohlendorf for ten days or so, if Jeter is going to be day-to-day for a week or so. Either that, or, stick Giambi or Jeter on the D.L. and give them a full two weeks to heal.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:46 AM | Comments (6)
April 07, 2008
Don't Believe Kay's Folktale About Jeter & Torre
During the bottom of the 3rd inning in yesterday's game, on the YES broadcast, Michael Kay went into a story about how Derek Jeter, in his rookie season, was thrown out trying to steal third (against the White Sox) when there were no outs in the inning. As Kay tells the story, Jeter went right up to Joe Torre on the Yankees bench, immediatley after the mistake, and sat down next to him - rather than avoid any possible lecture about not making the first or third out at third base during an inning. (As Kay tells the story, Torre told Jeter to "Get outta here" because Jeter didn't need to be reminded that it was a bonehead play.)
In his "Big Book Of Baseball Legends," Rob Neyer noted that Kay also told this story during a YES broadcast on June 13, 2007.
However, as Neyer notes:
"Jeter was caught stealing seven times in his rookie season. Once was at third base: August 12 against the White Sox. However, it was the third out of the inning - not the first - so Jeter couldn't have sat down next to Torre (at least not right away) because he had to immediately grab his glove and play shortstop."
Maybe Jeter went to Torre during the top of the 9th or 10th innings of that game? And, because it's a much better story, Kay makes it out to be like Jeter did it right after he was caught stealing. It's possible.
Actually, in the 10th inning, Jeter was on-deck when the final out was made. So, he probably only had a small window to make it happen in that frame - if it happened at all. And, the 9th inning for the Yankees in this contest was quick too - three up, three down. If Derek did it then, it probably had to be quick as well.
There's a good chance that this story never happened at all, in reality.
Update, 4/7/08, 1:00 pm ET: Thanks to reader "christopher" for some links (in the comments below) that indicate Jeter went to Torre in the next half-inning (during the 9th). It appears this story does have some legs! (Sorry Michael!)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:43 AM | Comments (6)
The 21 Project
Derek Jacques has an intersting idea on addressing the La Troy Hawkins uniform number situation. Click here to see it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:14 AM | Comments (0)
Pags: Hughes Loses Velocity Because Of Mechanics
Last week, I reached out to Jim Callis, Kevin Goldstein, and Deric McKamey on the topic of Phil Hughes' fastball, its current velocity, and how it impacts Hughes' status as a prospect. Their feedback suggested that Hughes' heater is what it's always been - and that there was nothing wrong with it and therefore his status was just fine.
At the same time, I reached out to Mike Pagliarulo with the same question. Last night, Mike posted his response at Dugout Central. With the permission of Adam White (the CEO of Dugout Central/Baseline Group) here's what Mike Pagliarulo wrote...
...via Dugout Central:
Great question from Steve L. over at www.waswatching.com:
Mike - Last season, the Yankees Phil Hughes’ fastballs were averaging 89 to 92 miles an hour. However, reports said that Phil usually threw around 92 to 95 MPH. Even Yankees GM Brian Cashman was curious about this last August. At that time, Hughes’ fastballs were averaging 88 to 91 miles an hour, according to Cashman, when they should have been 91 to 93. Here’s what Cashman had to say about Hughes drop in velocity: “I don’t know why. It’s our job to continue to look and see if there’s anything mechanically. He could still be just building arm strength from being down for so long.” Phil Hughes, this spring, said that he never really trusted his leg (after his hamstring injury) and that did not allow him to let loose with his pitches. But, Hughes maintained that he was sound now and it was no longer an issue. However, in his start last night, Hughes was, once again, consistently at 91 MPH with his fastball. In your opinion, how does this development impact Phil Hughes in terms of his status of being a pitching prospect?
A big difference between good organizations and bad organizations is their ability to develop their own prospects. Scouting and the ability to make sound player acquisition decisions are the other two big ones, but we’ll leave those for another day.
The reason Phil Hughes isn’t throwing his fastball faster than 91 MPH is mechanics – and nothing else. Why doesn’t Brian Cashman know this? Because he’s an expert at managing groups, people and processes; he’s NOT a baseball expert in terms of scouting, of understanding pitching mechanics, or understanding hitting mechanics, etc. That’s in no way an insult to Brian. Jack Welch, formerly CEO of General Electric, is one of the most respected business leaders of our time, and he couldn’t build a jet engine or a refrigerator himself. But he could manage the people who could.
So, it’s unfair to ask Cashman the Hughes question since it’s not his area of expertise. It’s like asking Joe Girardi about brain surgery.
What to do about Hughes? He needs to change his delivery, just as Roger Clemens did when he went from Boston to Toronto. Hughes’ mechanics are the weakest during pitching stages three and four, the time in which he takes the ball out of glove to when the ball leaves his hand. Two issues: First, he’s not getting full arm extension after taking the ball out of his glove – and this creates an inconsistent release point and, therefore, an inconsistent pitcher. Second, he’s leading with his head instead of staying back and throwing “around” his head – something that young, aggressive hitters can be guilty of.
The effects of these issues:
+ Reduced velocity on his fastball, because he isn’t able to fully leverage his lower half.
+ His changeup is ending up off the plate to Hughes’ arm-side of home plate.
+ His curve (normally a 70/75 grade pitch on a 20-80 scale) is being left up in the zone.
You’ll notice that Hughes has been throwing his slider more often, despite the fact it’s just his fourth best pitch. Because of his mechanics, Hughes’ arm slot is lower than ideal and, thus, his slider is the only breaking pitch that he can command effectively. It’s the same reason you don’t see three quarter or side arm pitchers with good curveballs. It’s also why if you’re looking at Hughes behind home plate his curve ball is breaking at a 10 to 4 angle as opposed to its typical 12 to 6.
The good news is that Hughes’ mechanics are fixable. Whether he is coachable – a trait needed for a player to improve – is another thing. I’m not saying he isn’t coachable; I just don’t know the guy, so I can’t say.
My guess is that if Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland is allowed to really work with him, Hughes will be on track by 2009 or 2010. Let’s not forget this kid should still be in AA Trenton.
But this is the risk the Yankee front office is taking. And it’s a big risk, given that it deviates from previously successful methods of developing prospects for championship teams in the minors, not the majors. Looking at the last generation of Yankees stars, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams, Mo Rivera and Jorge Posada were all much more advanced in their development prior to their call-up than Hughes. Jeter (21), Pettitte (23) and Williams (22) were close to the same age as Hughes when they started contributing to the major league club, but development is about being ready to produce, not just age.
This is interesting stuff. And, it somewhat ties into what Carlos Gomez had to say about Hughes last season - that's it's an arm slot and/or angle of release, related to throwing the curve, that's impacted Hughes' fastball.
It seems, based on the reports from Pags and Gomez, that Hughes is not helping himself by throwing a 1-7, 2-8, or 10-4 curve in addition to trying to throw one with a 12-6 break. Maybe Phil should stick with one type of curve - or just ditch it and go back to the slider? Personally, when I hear all this talk about monkeying around with the curve and a (perhaps) slower fastball, I start to get Barry Zito images in my head. And, while Zito was great from ages 22 to 28, we all saw what happened to him last season (and this one, so far).
In any event, my thanks to Mike Pagliarulo for taking the time to write about this matter - and to Dugout Central for allowing me to share it here.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:30 AM | Comments (7)
April 06, 2008
Gardner Hits Big Fly
Via the Scranton Times Tribune:
It’s not a question about what Yankees fans will be excited about when they scan the Triple-A box score this morning.
Nor is it a question of what they should be excited about.
There, in the small type next to the home run category, they’ll find Brett Gardner’s name. They’ll see that he hit a two-run blast in the fifth inning that helped the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees put away Lehigh Valley for the third consecutive day — this one a 7-2 triumph. And that will be exciting enough.
What they won’t know is that this wasn’t a cheap home run. It was a blast off a fastball from a pretty good left-hander named Brian Mazone that landed in the net that hangs from PNC Field’s message board in right-center field, just to the right of the power alley and the 371-foot sign on the blue wall.
Fans will see that, and see a brighter future. All that debate about whether the 5-foot-10, 180-pound leadoff man could ever drive the ball well enough to stick in pinstripes will probably end for a while. This will be all the proof some fans will need.
If you’re one of them, just keep this disclaimer from the man himself in mind.
“That’s one at-bat, so you can’t say I’m a power hitter after I hit one home run in however many at-bats,” Gardner said. “It’s not a case where I’m going to try to hit a bunch of home runs this year to try and prove people wrong. I’m just going to try to become a better hitter, whether I don’t hit another homer all year or end up hitting 15. I’m just trying to be more consistent all year.”
Interesting timing. When Giambi came up lame yesterday, my first thought was "If they D.L. him, maybe Gardner gets the call-up? And, maybe he can be a spark for this team like Cano in 2005 and Melky in 2006?" But, then, thinking about it, the question was "Where would he play?"
Damon, Cabrera, Abreu and Matsui fill the outfield and DH slots. And, Gardner is not going to play first. Basically, for Gardner to have any shot at playing time, he needs one of the Yankees outfielders to go down, not Giambi.
The numbers are just not working here for Gardner, now - in terms of getting a window to join the Yankees (this season).
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:37 AM | Comments (1)
April 05, 2008
It's Now Time For Me To Lay Off Phil Hughes' Fastball
On April 3rd, I wrote:
If Hughes is throwing 91 MPH as a 21-year old, he's not going to gain speed as he gets older. It doesn't work that way. Give him about 2,000 big league innings and he will lose four MPH on his fastball (at the least). And, then, Phil Hughes will be a 31-year old pitcher who features a fastball that's in the range of 89 to 87 MPH. And, that's not good.
And, some Yankees fans didn't take kindly to that comment. So, I decided to take the question to a higher court.
I reached out to a few folks "in the know" and (pardon the pun) "pitched" the following to them:
Last season, the Yankees Phil Hughes' fastballs were averaging 89 to 92 miles an hour. However, reports said that Phil usually threw around 92 to 95 MPH.
Even Yankees G.M. Brian Cashman was curious about this, last August. At that time, Hughes' fastballs were averaging 88 to 91 miles an hour, according to Cashman, when they should have been 91 to 93. Here's what Cashman had to say about Hughes drop in velocity: “I don’t know why. It’s our job to continue to look and see if there’s anything mechanically. He could still be just building arm strength from being down for so long."
Phil Hughes, this spring, said that he never really trusted his leg (after his hamstring injury) and that did not allow him to let loose with his pitches. But, Hughes maintained that he was sound now and it was no longer an issue.
However, in his start [on April 3rd], Hughes was, once again, consistently at 91 MPH with his fastball.
In your opinion, how does this development impact Phil Hughes in terms of his status of being a pitching prospect? He's 21 years old now. Will his velocity increase as he approaches age 30, or, will it stay the same? Or, will it decrease? What about life after age 30? If he's throwing 91 MPH in his 20's, should we expect Hughes to be throwing in the high 80's when he's in his 30's? If so, should Yankees fans be concerned about the long-term projection on Hughes' performance?
Here's what they had to say:
Via an e-mail from Jim Callis of Baseball America -
This doesn't concern me at all. Interesting to see Hughes confirm what I thought all along about 2006, that he wasn't 100 percent physically and that led to decreased velocity. He pitched just fine anyway, of course. As for last night's start, it's one start, it's early in the year, it wasn't warm--I don't think this means we saw what his velocity is going to be from here on out. And even if he sits at 90-92 mph, he has good life on his fastball, he commands it well--it will still be a good pitch. As for how well he maintains velocity in the long run, a lot of that has to do with how hard he works and how healthy he stays--hard to project with much accuracy at this point.
Via an e-mail from Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus -
In the minors, Hughes was generally 90-95, so if he was consistently 91 his first time out, I wouldn't really be too concerned at all or see it as a trend, yet. Maybe something to keep an eye on at most, but hardly a reason to panic. A lot of velocities are off in start No. 1.
I also spoke to Deric McKamey of Baseball HQ and he said that past reports on Hughes' velocity, as is often the case with pitching prospects, were greatly exaggerated. Deric said that he personally timed Phil Hughes while he was in the minors, and, while Hughes was able to touch 95 MPH "maybe a handful of times," that Phil's fastball was in the range of 89 to 92 MPH and that was "pretty much what he threw."
That said, McKamey offered that Hughes was more about movement on the fastball and an ability to disguise his pitches - offering batters the same look, arm-slot, etc., whether it was a two-seam fastball or a curve.
As far as the future, Deric suggested that "big guys" (like Hughes) who "use their legs" generally don't lose velocity as they get older. He did say that Phil could lose a few MPH when he's in his mid-30's; but, that he should still be around 91 MPH when he reaches thirty.
Just for the fun of it, I shared my "Andy Benes" observation with McKamey and he thought that was a "pretty good comp." It's important to note that, Deric stressed, as I did last year, that there's nothing wrong with being the next Andy Benes - and that most organizations would be thrilled to have a 21-year old Andy Benes on their roster.
This was an interesting exercise for me. First, I want to thank Callis, Goldstein and McKamey for their great insight! Secondly, it has changed my opinion on the matter.
I'm no longer concerned, at all, with Phil Hughes' fastball velocity in terms of where it sits now with respect to what it was, reported, in the past; and, in terms of what it means with respect to his future. Unless Phil's fastball starts to dip below the 90-91 MPH mark, I feel there's no need to be tracking it. And, I'm not going to expect him to be hitting 95 MPH with any consistency - because that seems to be a myth in the first place.
So, personally, it's time to just look at Phil Hughes pitching results and not the speed of his fastball - as long as he keeps it around 91 MPH. I cannot wait until his next appearance and the start of this new view for me.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:45 AM | Comments (6)
April 04, 2008
Wait Till Next Year?
These are the top team payrolls in baseball this season:
1 New York Yankees $209,081,579
2 Detroit Tigers $138,685,197
3 New York Mets $138,293,378
4 Boston Red Sox $133,440,037
The Yankees have a chance to take $81 million off their payroll this coming off-season. When you factor in bare-minimun replacement players, that would put the Yankees payroll for next year closer to $133 million.
If that happens, there's a chance that the Yankees will not have the highest payroll in baseball next year. How about that?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:22 PM | Comments (15)
Jason "Twinkle Toes" Giambi
Via Howard Megdal -
“I’d get hurt all the time, and I just took it as part of getting older,” Giambi said as he stood near his locker before yesterday's game against Tornoto, a bat leaning against his leg. “But when I worked toward getting back from the plantar fasciitis, I worked with a new doctor, who deals with—well—ballet dancers. And he told me that I had really high arches. I got these inserts—“he gestured toward prescription orthotics in his cleats “and suddenly it didn’t hurt to run anymore.”
His high in batting average since 2002 is .271, and last year he even saw his power drop precipitously, to just 14 home runs in 254 at bats.
His ability to take walks remained, though, and Giambi believes that his stronger legs will improve his offense, too.
“Well, for one thing, I hope my doubles go back up,” said Giambi, who had as many as 47 doubles in his prime, but just 8 last year. “A lot of singles last year should be doubles this year. And there should be more first-to-third, more second-to-home.”
Let's just hope that these inserts are better than the ones Giambi got last May - because they didn't seem to work out.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:37 AM | Comments (1)
April 03, 2008
Yeah, You Can Let "Him" In
Via Neil Best with a hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org:
In my item in Tuesday's paper on Paul O'Neill limiting himself to 25 games per season on YES, I forgot to mention an amusing moment:
I was walking with O'Neill toward the Blue Jays' locker room when a security guard stopped him and demanded to see a credential. O'Neill didn't have one, but politely pointed out he is, well . . . Paul O'Neill!
The guard wasn't buying it. I was about to chime in (and risk arrest) when another guard came over and said O'Neill was OK to go through.
I told O'Neill that maybe if he called more than 25 games a year, the staff would know who he is.
Maybe the guard though O'Neill was a La Troy Hawkins imposter?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:25 PM | Comments (0)
General Joe Knows Math
Looks like Joe's sister is not the only math-person in the family. Via Peter Abraham -
Today was my first look at the manager’s office at Yankee Stadium since Joe Girardi took over.
But what caught my eye immediately was a copy of the Baseball Prospectus 2008 annual on the shelf behind the desk. Baseball Prospectus in the manager’s office?
Yep, Joe Torre doesn’t live here any more.
Reason # 127 to love having Joe Girardi manage this team.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:27 AM | Comments (1)
April 02, 2008
Game 2 Streak - Albeit A Little One
Last night was a fun one in Yankeeland. How will today's game go?
Let's hope it's better than Game 2 of 2007. Proctor, Vizcaino and Jeter were not great that day. In fact, as a team, the Yankees were 3 for 13 with RISP. This is what I wrote about that game:
A: The rear view of an adult male baboon with external hemorrhoids.
Q: What is almost as ugly as the way the Yankees, as a team, played in this game.
And, then there was Game 2 of 2006. In that game the Yankees bats went 2 for 15 with RISP and Proctor blew it in the 9th. But, as I wrote back then...Joe Torre was more to blame for that one than Proctor.
The Yankees wouldn't pull this again, tonight, in Game 2 (for the third year in a row) would they? If so, can they just tell me now and save me the drive tonight...please?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:19 PM | Comments (4)
Mussina Feels Better This Year
Via Peter Botte -
Following what he referred to as a "more-involved" workout regimen before and during spring training, Mussina says he feels "better physically now than I did last year," when he missed a few early starts with hamstring problems.
With Mussina's contract set to expire in October, the Yanks are counting on a healthy and productive season from the righthander, who is 43rd on the all-time list with 250 wins after reaching double-digits for an AL-record 16 straight season.
"It's just like the end of any other contract. You've just got to play," Mussina said. "This team doesn't negotiate early, so that's not an issue. And because I'm getting up there in age, there are other factors that go into what I'm going to do next year. So I'll just play."
I'm not expecting much from Mussina this season. But, I would be thrilled if he does well - because that would be good news for the team. However, I will say this: Even if Moose has a season this year where he goes 20-3 with an ERA under three, there's no way in the world do I want the Yankees to resign him after this season. If the Yankees bring Mussina back, well, I dunno what I will do...but it won't be pretty.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:37 AM | Comments (1)
Where We Are With A-Rod & Canseco On April 1st
Via the Daily News -
Alex Rodriguez maintained his silence regarding all things involving Jose Canseco Tuesday. A-Rod said he would have nothing to say about Canseco's allegations "for the rest of the year," vowing not to comment regardless of what Canseco has to say during his book tour.
Via Newsday -
While Alex Rodriguez has been reticent in responding to allegations of steroid use, Jose Canseco hasn't been shy about sharing his thoughts on the Yankees' star third baseman.
Canseco said Rodriguez's relative silence on the issue is an attempt at trying to "sweep it under the rug."
"He should just say it was the truth and move on," Canseco said at a book signing in Ridgewood, N.J. for his newest book, "Vindicated."
Canseco questioned Rodriguez's recent responses by saying if he was ever wrongly accused, he'd immediately, and publicly, fight back.
"Really, you have to win this in the public's opinion, and how do you do that? Take a polygraph, pass it and get the results out," Canseco said.
I thought it would be interesting to make note of where we are with this story, on April 1st, to use as a point of comparison in the future. Will it go away? If not, will we be at this same point - where Canseco says "X" and Alex will not comment? And, for how long will it stay this way? Until the All-Star Game? The end of the season? 2009? I just have a feeling that, at some point, something more will come of this...and one of these two will be proven to be telling the truth. Either it will be a ex-girl friend that comes out of the woods, or, some former teammate that pops-up, or something else, that will be the source of something that will be the ammo that either Canseco or A-Rod needs to get this story to go one way and stay that way. It always seems to work out that way, no?
And, I have to wonder, if Alex is proven to be a PED-user, how Hank will feel about all that extra money he's going to pay A-Rod for reaching homerun marks - - if the public ends up feeling the same way about Alex reaching them as they did about Barry Bonds reaching them (after we found out he used PEDs).
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:33 AM | Comments (6)
April 01, 2008
"Mad Dog" Russo: Pedroia Takes Back-Seat To No A.L. 2B - Including Cano
Since some have brought this up in comments made here today, I thought that I would add my two cents. Yes, I heard Chris "Mad Dog" Russo on WFAN (660 AM Radio in NYC) today, between the hours of 5 pm and 6 pm (ET), go into his mini-rant on how Dustin Pedroia was a 'winner' and a 'gritty player' (etc.) and how Pedroia should not have to take "back-seat to any second baseman in the A.L." Russo went on to say that Pedroia was a clutch post-season performer, saved no-hitters, etc.
First of all, I think Russo was trying to push buttons with this comment. But, let us assume that he actually believes this to be true. Does he have a case?
Last season, as a 23-year old second baseman, in 581 Plate Appearances, Dustin Pedroia had 15 Runs Created Above Average as a batter. In 2006, as a 23-year old second baseman, in 508 Plate Appearances, Robinson Cano had 21 Runs Created Above Average as a batter. And, last season, Cano had 11 Runs Created Above Average in 669 Plate Appearances. So, on the whole, it appears that the two are close in age and somewhat close in terms of their relative offensive production. But, I'll get back to that in a moment.
What about defense? According to The Fielding Bible, Robinson Cano was +17 in the field last season for second baseman - which was third best in the league behind Aaron Hill and Mark Ellis. And, Pedroia? Well, all we know from what's publicly available (and free) is that Dustin Pedroia was less than +7 and greater than -10 in 2007. So, clearly, last season Robinson Cano was a better defender than Dustin Pedroia.
Getting back to hitting, check out the home and road splits for these two players.
In his career, at this moment, Dustin Pedroia's BA/OBA/SLG marks at Fenway Park are .334/.391/.482 - but, on the road they're just .265/.335/.365.
In his career, at this moment, Robinson Cano's BA/OBA/SLG marks at Yankee Stadium are .296/.329/.468 - and, they're .330/.361/.508 on the road.
This is interesting - as it shows that Pedroia can't reach base outside of Fenway Park and Cano has issues reaching base in Yankee Stadium...but, at least Cano drives the ball, no matter where he plays, whereas Pedroia has no pop outside of Fenway.
So, in the end, this (to me) suggests that Cano is a better defensive player than Pedroia. And, Cano's bat carries more sock than that of Pedroia. If that's not a back-seat position for Pedroia (compared to Cano), I don't know what is...right?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:24 PM | Comments (8)
Freakonomics Q&A With Bill James
Bill James answers some Yankees related questions. Via Freakonomics:
Q: Based on your statistical analysis, how do you feel about the Yankees’ young prospects, namely Chamberlain, Kennedy, and Hughes, making a huge (positive) difference for the Yankee pitching staff?
A: The same as I feel about our young pitching prospects with the Red Sox, really — Buchholz and Lester and Masterson. When you’re depending on young pitching, you’re vulnerable. Some of these guys are going to be very good, but probably not all of them, and there are going to be bumps in the road that will rattle your teeth.
Q: Do you think we will ever see another 300-innings-pitched season from a starter? How could they do it in the past, but not now? Given a Phil Hughes-type pitcher, what is the best regiment he could be given now that could prepare him for 300 I.P. in the future?
A: There is absolutely no way you could train Phil Hughes to throw 300 innings in modern major league baseball. “Ever” is a long time, but I don’t see it. Many different changes in the game are working against that happening — for example, the length of the games, in minutes and hours, and the fact that there is more emphasis now on getting strikeouts.
Unexpected changes occur because the system breaks down at some point. But until it breaks, there are 30 different trends in motion which all have the effect of driving innings by top starting pitchers downward.
There are many, many, other questions that James addresses in this Q&A. It's worth checking out.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:55 PM | Comments (3)
Can You See Me Now?
If you see someone up at the Stadium tomorrow, wearing a Yankees 100th Anniversary Cap and a Redesigned On-Field Premier Yankees Jacket, there's a good chance that it will be me.
Say hello if you're there and you think that you've spotted me.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:57 PM | Comments (2)
Biff At Yankees Spring Training 2008
If you haven't seen it yet, go over to the Letterman site and check it out.
Just don't drink a soda while you're watching it. If you do, it will come out your nose.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
Girardi Wants '08 Yanks To Remember '07 - Like the '98 Yanks Remembered '97
Via Jack Curry -
Even though the Yankees were supposed to play their first game Monday, Girardi explained that he gave his season-opening speech Saturday. He said he thought some players would be too busy on game day to absorb the message.
Before Girardi spoke to the team Saturday, he showed a seven-minute videotape. The tape opened with the last game the Yankees played, a 6-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians in the 2007 American League division series. The current Yankees watched Jorge Posada strike out for the final out and then watched the camera shift from one glum Yankee to the next.
Girardi wanted the players to remember how despondent they felt because he still recalled how depressed he was after the Yankees lost to the Indians in the 1997 playoffs. On the flight home from that series, Girardi opened his laptop, wrote about his feelings and used those memories to motivate himself in the off-season. He wanted these Yankees to do the same.
“We talked about where the club ended up last year and how empty that feeling is and doing whatever it takes to not let that happen again,” Girardi said.
When it comes to motivation, it always boils down to pleasure and pain: I will do this because it will give me pleasure. Or, I will do this because, if I don’t, it will bring me pain. (On the flipside, it’s: I’m not doing this because it brings me no pleasure. Or, I will not do this because, if I do it, it will bring me pain.)
I think Torre was playing the “do it” for “pleasure” card long enough. Clever move by Girardi to try the “do it” to avoid “pain” card now. I also (like Girardi) think that "pain" factor motivated the ’98 Yankees. Hopefully it will do the same for the 2008 Yankees.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:49 AM | Comments (1)
March 31, 2008
That Crazy New Math
Bruce Bukiet, "NJIT's indefatigable math professor," is predicting that the Yankees will win 98 games this season. Then again, last season, he predicted that the Yanks would win 110 games.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:05 PM | Comments (0)
Getting Jiggy With Cash
Via Ken Davidoff:
The conditions were brisk but beautiful, the 2008 Yankees took their first hacks at this cathedral in the Bronx and a relaxed-looking Brian Cashman held court in the home dugout. You can't see the new Yankee Stadium from the old Yankee Stadium, yet Cashman's mind-set - at reporters' prompting - veered in that direction.
"We're hoping to rock the house for one more season before it's done," a smiling Cashman said yesterday. "Or someone's going to rock my house."
[Tom Jones with some help from Art Of Noise] Think I'd better dance now... [/TJwshfAON] To that end...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:48 PM | Comments (0)
Pinstriped MacArthur Parking Ticket
Like the members of the team, fans get pretty excited about Opening Day as well. Those on the team talk about getting "butterflies." I can understand that - as you do feel the excitement in your stomach on Opening Day, even as a fan. (At least, I do.)
The weather today was a true wet blanket on that, again, at least for me. It's like the relief pitcher who gets the call to warm up in the pen and then is told to sit down (rather than come into the game). The players have an expression for that. The first word is "dry" and the second word starts with an "H" and rhymes with "lump."
Once those butterflies are stirred, it's hard to recapture that feeling again. I'm going to be thrilled to watch Yankees baseball tomorrow - in a game where it counts - but, it's not going to be amped up to the level of a "true" Opening Day. It's just not the same.
Plus, with so many other teams having now already enjoyed their opener, it feels like the holiday has passed and the Yankees fans were left off the party list.
If you never understood what was meant by the phrase "Someone left the cake out in the rain," well, baby, this is it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:50 PM | Comments (0)
I Just Heard The Groans Of 57,545 People
Via the Yankees site:
The final Opening Day at Yankee Stadium will have to wait. Rain postponed Monday's game with Toronto, which will be played on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Betcha less than 40,000 return for the game tomorrow. That retractable dome would have come in handy today.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:33 PM | Comments (4)
Today's Game
Is it just me, or, is this weather today a total bummer?
There's no way in the world, at this point, that the game will be called. So, get ready for a sloppy mess and the possibility a few rain delays too.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:15 PM | Comments (1)
Yikes, I Never Thought Of It That Way
Via Ed Price -
The new stadium opens in a year. But the Yankees' new era begins today.
Owner George Steinbrenner has ceded control of the team to his two sons. Joe Girardi takes over as manager after Joe Torre guided the team to the playoffs 12 straight years. And there is a commitment to young players -- such as Phil Hughes, who was 9 years old the last time someone other than Torre managed a Yankees game.
Think about that for a minute. When Jim Leyritz hit that homer in the rain, Phil Hughes was almost 9 years and 4 months old.
Makes you wonder what 9-year olds out there now will be in the Yankees starting rotation in the year 2020?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:20 AM | Comments (1)
Ehrke: Are Players Better After Joining Yanks?
Don Ehrke of Dugout Central looks at the question "Does putting on a Yankee uniform still make a man a better player?
Looking at "at every significant performer (minimum 200 at bats or 60 innings pitched) who joined the Yankees from another team between 1997 and 2007," Don concludes:
Overall, 45 significant players joined the New York Yankees between 1997 and 2007, and surprisingly, 25 didn’t play as well in the Bronx as they had with their previous team.
And, who was the G.M. of the Yankees during almost all of this time period?
The biggest problem found in the study was pitching. As Don wrote:
Twenty-four pitchers joined the Yankee staff from a different club and pitched 60 innings or more. Nine pitchers improved their ERA plus while 15 declined. Among pitchers who performed better in New York the average improvement in ERA plus was 24 points, while the average decrease among those who performed worse was 56 points (excluding Chris Hammond – an extreme statistical outlier).
And, that didn't include Kei Igawa. Ouch.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:49 AM | Comments (2)
March 30, 2008
Mussina: Torre Would Close Barn Door After The Horses Got Out
Via The Globe and Mail -
"Joe [Girardi] does a little more talking to the players as the game goes along," Mussina said on Friday. "Joe [Torre] kind of sat back and let the guys make the mistakes and then gave the instructions. Joe [Girardi] may not let it go that far. He might make sure he reminds people of stuff before it ever happens.
"I know he's talked to me a lot more than Torre did," Mussina added. "It can be good or bad, you know? There are certain situations where you want to let the guy work out of it.
"But there's also time to remind guys what to do in different situations because this is a game of different situations, where you can experience something suddenly that you haven't experienced for two or three years."
...[Torre] kind of sat back and let the guys make the mistakes and then gave the instructions...
Just another feather in the cap of the theory that once Don Zimmer left New York any hope for Yankees in-game strategizing went with him.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:08 PM | Comments (2)
Serby Q&A With Murcer
Steve Serby has a nice Q&A posted today with Bobby Murcer - some highlights:
Q: Being in the booth with Scooter (the late Phil Rizzuto)?
A: One of the greatest times in my whole life. I became the cannoli expert of the world for Oklahoma. We had more cannolis and salamis and cheeses. ... I never gained so much weight in my life. I learned a lot from Scooter. You had to be on your toes because he was liable to throw you a curveball or a spitter at any time.
Q: You were in the booth for the George Brett pine-tar game.
A: I've never seen such a crazed man in my life. It's a good thing somebody intercepted him. He was ready to choke somebody, wasn't he? Good thing he was in shape, otherwise he might have had a stroke! I was doing the color with Frank Messer. I actually got it right, what they were doing when they were measuring with the pine tar being too far up the label.
Q: You didn't appreciate Gaylord Perry's spitball, so you sent him a gallon of lard.
A: I think I got the clubhouse kid to get it. I just asked him to get me some pure, old grease.
You'll never find a nicer guy than Bobby Murcer.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:59 AM | Comments (0)
Hawkins Is A Good Teammate
Via George King -
When the Yankees signed La Troy Hawkins as a free agent, they heard he was a wonderful presence in the clubhouse. Friday night he proved it.
Seeing that Scott Patterson was upset about being sent out, Hawkins headed for Patterson's locker. Hawkins knew Patterson was almost perfect in eight games (one hit, no runs in 71/3 innings) and figured he needed some encouragement.
"I told him to go to his room and have some drinks and charge it to my room, 901," Hawkins said.
Patterson didn't run up Hawkins' room service bill but appreciated the support.
"That was awesome, I probably needed that at that point," said Patterson, who will open the season at Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
Hawkins also gave Patterson advice he received from Kirby Puckett, Rick Aguilera and Kevin Tapani when he was with the Twins.
"I told him I have been there before and they know what you can do," Hawkins said. "He isn't that far away. They put him in every situation they could and he came out smelling like a rose. He got big-league hitters out. It was OK to be upset."
Love to see this stuff. Great move by La Troy.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
Abraham Q&A With Cashman
In case you're one of the few to miss it, you should check out Peter Abraham's fan Q&A with Brian Cashman. I loved what Cash said about Brett Gardner.
For the record, I sent Pete a question as a suggestion. It was not used. Here's the question from me:
Brian, last season you elected to feature two question-marks in the starting rotation, Pavano and Igawa, and it backfired. Luckily, you were able to go out on the market to pick up Roger Clemens as a band-aid last year - albeit an expensive one. This season, you've elected to feature two question-marks in the rotation again, Hughes and Kennedy, along with a quasi-question mark in Mussina. If some of these question-marks in the rotation fail this season, what's your contingency plan for this year - without having a Clemens type out there to fall back on?
Shame, I really would have liked to have heard what Brian's plan was for this season on this matter.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:25 AM | Comments (4)
March 29, 2008
And, That's A Wrap On Spring Training...
With their win tonight, the Yankees go 14-12-2 for the spring. Considering that, coming into tonight's contest, New York had lost 5 of their last 6 games, 14-12-2 is pretty good.
An interesting game by Phil Hughes tonight.
The great news: He threw 64% of his pitches for strikes, used only 3.45 pitches per batter, and retired 75% of the batters that he faced. Plus, his fastball was clocked at 94 to 95 MPH in the fifth inning. If he does all that every time out, he'll be a 20-game winner.
The only concerning news: 73% of Hughes' non-strikeout outs came on fly balls - on a night playing in a big ballpark with wind at 11 MPH coming in from center. Ideally, you want to see Phil keep the ball on the ground more. (Paul Hoover gave one shot off Hughes a pretty good ride in the fourth. Had that one been a little deeper, it changes the look to Phil's outing tonight.) But, at the end of the day, it all worked out for Hughes this evening in terms of the bottom line.
So, now, we wait until Monday afternoon...it's going to seem like forever.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:38 PM | Comments (10)
Wild, Wild, East?
Ken Davidoff is predicting the Yankees to finish in third this season - behind Boston and Toronto.
Bob Nightengale and Mel Antonen of USA Today both also have the Yankees finishing in third this season - with the Blue Jays finishing in first followed by the Red Sox.
You don't see too many predicting the Yankees to finish in third place this season.
What do you think? What are the odds that the Yankees finish third in 2008?
Me? I suppose that it's possible. But, for me, it would mean that both Toronto and Boston have more than 92 wins this season. I think Boston should be right around 92 wins. But, Toronto? Well, I could see them winning about 87-88 games. So, with some luck, they could push that to close to 92 wins.
And, as crazy as this sounds, I saw a projection somewhere (I forget where) that had the Rays getting close to 90 wins this season. When you factor in that the Red Sox, Yanks, Jays and Rays all play each other 19 times this season, each, well, it could just be a Wild, Wild, East in the A.L. this season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:49 AM | Comments (5)
Thank You Colorado
Gerry Fraley looks at the chain of events that led General Joe to the Bronx:
After another consuming spring training day in the crucible that is managing the New York Yankees, Joe Girardi pondered a what-if question.
What if the Rockies had not selected Girardi in the 1992 expansion draft?
"Without Colorado," Girardi said, "I'm probably not sitting here."
Without Colorado's foresight, Girardi would have sunk deeper into the role of backup catcher with the Chicago Cubs.
Without Colorado's opportunity, Girardi would not have made himself into an attractive player during three seasons as the Rockies' starter.
Without Colorado's payroll squeeze, Girardi would not have been traded to the Yankees after the 1995 season.
The deal started a relationship that will enter a new chapter Monday, when Girardi is scheduled to make his regular-season debut as manager in the final Opening Day at Yankee Stadium.
For a moment, Girardi might flash back to the Rockies' first home opener, when a crowd of 80,227 at Mile High Stadium saw him catch Bryn Smith in an 11-4 win against Montreal.
"I've been fortunate everywhere I played," Girardi said. "But Colorado was a special experience."
"We knew there were so many positives that Joe could contribute to a first-year club," said Arizona vice president Bob Gebhard, who was the Rockies' first general manager. "He was not only a good defensive catcher. He was smart, a leader, a very respectable young man. He was the right type of guy for us."
At the same time, Girardi grew in stature. His ability to work with and protect a pitching staff, which the Cubs had discounted, caught everyone's attention.
"Joe was the leader," said Yankees bullpen coach Mike Harkey, a Girardi teammate with the Cubs (1990-92) and the Rockies (1994). "He was the most prepared guy I'd ever been around. It wasn't going to work with him. You learned."
The run ended after the 1995 season, when the Rockies sent Girardi to the Yankees for right-hander Mike DeJean and a minor league pitcher. The trade was surprising because Girardi had played such a vital internal role on a club that reached the playoffs as a wild card.
Girardi, who had a prominent role with the Major League Baseball Players Association, had a run-in with Rockies management during the 1994-95 strike regarding its efforts to use minor leaguers in spring training replacement games. Girardi does not believe his stance caused the trade.
"I believe things happen for a reason," Girardi said. "You're always sad when you leave a team, because you've developed relationships with the guys there. But it works out."
Gebhard said payroll concerns influenced the decision. The Rockies had re-signed shortstop Walt Weiss and were pursuing free-agent second baseman Craig Biggio. They could not afford to keep Girardi.
"I did not want to lose Joe, and Don did not want to lose Joe," Gebhard said. "He was vital to our success. But it was a dollars-and-cents decision."
A great story of one door closing and another one opening.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:27 AM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2008
What's The Best Way To Peel Baseball?
Ken Rosenthal threw down an interesting glove in his column today predicting who will win it all in 2008. Here is what he said:
Bloggers, it's your lucky day.
Not that you ever need prompting to rip apart the latest ill-informed splattering from the mainstream media, but here's an invitation on a gold-engraved, all-but-autographed platter:
Embarrassing as it is to admit, my annual column predicting which team will win the World Series often defies sabermetric orthodoxy, not to mention conventional logic. Sort of like baseball itself.
Statistical analysis is an invaluable tool; that discussion is over. But we've gotten to the point where everyone from the casual fantasy player to the shrewdest GM wants to know the end of the story before Chapter One is written.
Mercifully, that's not how the game works.
Phil Allard, for one, is already on Rosenthal for this statement.
It's an interesting debate. When it comes to making declarations like these, do you go with your head or your heart? Or, do you combine the two and use the "Part Art, Part Science" approach?
I have to confess, for me, it's the combination thing. But, it's not a 50-50 deal. Actually, most times, I'll go with my feelings and then see if the numbers back it up.
Truly, there were many things that I intended on publishing here, at one time or another - but, once I looked at the numbers behind what I felt, and realized that I was wrong, I ditched them.
Sure, that makes it sound like I live and die by the stats. But, it's not true. I don't let the stats drive me towards my thoughts - I only use them to prove them out (after my gut gets me there).
Well, at least, that's most times. There are still some things out there where I cannot turn my back on what my sixth-sense tells me. So, I somewhat understand Rosenthal here in that, at times, you have to let the force be your guide...
Speaking of space, there's a line from the very first episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine entitled "Emissary" where the character Benjamin Sisko uses the game of baseball to explain the concept of linear time and essentially how humans experience life:
"The rules aren't important. . . .what's important is - it's linear. Every time I throw this ball a hundred different things can happen in a game. . . . He might swing and miss, he might hit it. . . .The point is you never know. . . . You try to anticipate, set a strategy for all the possibilities as best you can. . . . but in the end it come down to throwing one pitch after another. . . . and seeing what happens. With each new consequence, the game begins to take shape. . . ."
It's that "you never know" thing that made me fall in love with baseball. And, since "you never know," why not follow your gut once in a while instead of letting the math dictate your moves?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:24 PM | Comments (2)
THT: Five Questions: New York Yankees
Click here to check out SG's Five Questions: New York Yankees feature at The Hardball Times. It's extremely well done and recommended reading. Here's his summary:
The Yankees project to have the top offense in baseball again in 2008, even with the expected declines by Rodriguez and Posada. I've got them projected to score around 930 runs this season.
Their defense won't be particularly great with Jeter and Giambi out there, but Damon replacing Matsui should help a bit. I figure them to be about 15 runs below average defensively in total.
On the pitching side, Pettitte and Wang should be good for 400 innings of 4.00-4.25 ERA, so the Yankees will sink or swim on the backs of their young pitching. If they get an overall average performance out of them and an average performance out of the bullpen, they are probably a 95-win team. If they get a 5.00 ERA out of the non-Wang/Pettitte part of the pitching staff, they would be closer to an 88-win team.
This all makes sense, if you ask me.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:22 PM | Comments (5)
Steinbrothers: Yanks Not For Sale
Via Mark Feinsand:
Despite rumors to the contrary, Hal Steinbrenner reiterated his stance that he and his brother, Hank, won't be looking to sell the Yankees any time soon.
"That's the plan," Hal Steinbrenner said. "There are no plans to sell, though I know there's been speculation. This has been in our family a long time - longer than we've been in Tampa, even. That's not going to change."
This reminds me of a scene from "Heaven Can Wait" -
Former owner: He got my team. The son of a bitch got my team.
Advisor to former owner: What kind of pressure did he use, Milt?
Former owner: All I asked was sixty-seven million, and he said "O.K."
Advisor to former owner: Ruthless bastard.
Let's hope someone like Donald Trump doesn't make the Steinbrothers an offer that they can't refuse.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:18 AM | Comments (5)
March 27, 2008
2008 Yankees Win Total Prediction
Always best to make a prediction before the season starts, right? O.K., here goes...
I've looked at many of the various "scientific" projection models performed to date for this season. And, I've done some 'back of the envelope' calculations on my own. Between what I've seen and how I feel...
[insert drum roll]
I'm predicting that the Yankees will win 92 games this season.
Of course, they could win a few more than that - if some things break their way. But, even if things are just close to "normal" for them, in terms of reasonable expectations, they should win at least 92 games (in 2008).
Now, I expect 37% of those wins to be credited to the pitching records of Andy Pettitte and Worm Killer Wang. So, if something should happen to one or both of them, well, then all bets are off.
If one of the two goes down for half the season, then the Yankees only win about 87 games this season. (If they both miss about 7 starts each, then the team probably wins about 87 games this season too.)
If one of the two goes down for most of the season, then the Yankees only win about 83 to 85 games this season. (And, if they both miss half of the season, then the team wins about 83 to 85 games too.)
If both Pettitte and Wang miss most of the season, then it gets real ugly in Yankeeland. In that case, I could see the team struggling to finish at .500 in 2008.
But, for now, I'm assuming that Pettitte and Wang can make 60 starts combined and the Yankees (as a team) will win around 92 games this season.
Will 92 wins be enough to get into the post-season? Man, that's a close call. There are probably a half-dozen teams in the A.L. this season capable of winning 90 games (including New York). And, 92 is so close to 90...
I feel pretty comfortable predicting the Yankees to win 92 games in 2008. But, I don't feel comfortable at all predicting them to reach the post-season this year - because 92 wins just may not be enough.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:01 PM | Comments (6)
YankeeZzzzzzzzz Baseball?
The Yankees had 5 hits in their exhibition game today. And, yesterday, they only had 4 hits in their game. Both contests were losses.
In fact, the Yankees have now lost 4 of their last 5 spring training games.
Whatever happened to turning up the intensity a notch during the last week of spring training?
Posted by WW Staff at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)
BA's Callis: Yanks Funding Other Team's Farms
Baseball America Executive Editor Jim Callis just made Hank Stein's day.
Via Forbes.com:
While seven-figure bonuses have become the norm for top baseball picks, the league has actually done a pretty good job of taming the inflation that was so rampant in the 1990s, according to Baseball America Executive Editor Jim Callis.
During that decade, bonuses increased by double-digit percentages in every year but one, including three jumps of 40% or more.
The catalyst was infamous Yankee prospect Brien Taylor, who shattered the bonus record after he signed for $1.55 million as the top pick out of high school in 1991. Taylor eventually flopped, never making it to Yankee Stadium. By the end of the decade, owners had figured out a way to curtail the upward spiral of signing bonuses.
In 2000, the commissioner's office recommended a slotting system for the owners to follow, which set limits on the bonus of a top-five pick. While you'd think the players union would be up in arms about such price fixing, it isn't.
Why?
An agent who thinks a certain player can get more than a slotted amount for a high draft pick simply makes it known his client won't sign with a team poised to take him in the top five. The result: The player slips down to a large-market team that's willing to meet his demands.
"It plays right into the hand[s] of the big market teams," Callis says, adding that's how the Yankees were able to draft top pitching prospects Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy.
So maybe it's no surprise that many of the top picks fizzle; they're chosen as much for economics as they are for ability.
Not that small-market teams mind such an arrangement--not when it comes complete with a generous revenue-sharing arrangement. With the draft costing the league's 30 teams some $150 million annually, the likes of Pittsburgh and Milwaukee are happy to make the trade-off.
"Most teams don't have a problem with the Yankees and Red Sox going over the slots," Callis says. "Those two teams effectively pay for their draft."
Posted by WW Staff at 01:05 PM | Comments (0)
TSN's Pinto: Rays Pitching Better Than Yanks Staff
The Sporting News' David Pinto just did not make Hank Stein's day.
Via TSN:
With the American League East pitching rotations coming into focus, the division looks to produce four competitive starting staffs. The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays have a mix of outstanding veterans and talented young pitchers.
Which starting rotation is best? The projections might be surprising.
The wide range of possibilities for each team shows the difficulty in choosing the best rotation. Most teams will experience a mix of good and bad performances and probably end up near their mid point.
Tampa Bay, however, stands a good chance of becoming the class of the AL East. The Rays show strength in eqERA and innings pitched at every level. With only three-tenths of a run separating the top from the bottom, these four teams should produce great pitching matchups as they face each other 108 times during the 2008 season.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:58 PM | Comments (3)
SNY's Boorstein: Picking A 'Pen
Tom Boorstein of SNY.tv takes a look at the Yankees bullpen and thinks there are people there who can contribute this season. Let's hope he's right.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)
It's A MAD World For Some Yankees Alumni
Thanks to Austin Trunick of Warner Brothers Entertainment Group for sharing a preview of the cover for MAD Magazine #489 (which goes on sale next month).
Click on the thumbnail below to enlarge the image:
Back in the early 1970's, I used to read MAD Magazine all the time. (That probably explains a lot.) Seeing this funny cover brought back a lot of cool memories. Thanks Austin.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:14 PM | Comments (1)
Igawa Can Pitch His Way On To Team Today
Via Mark Feinsand -
Kei Igawa will start Thursday against the Pirates, making his final pitch for the long-relief spot in the bullpen. Although Jeff Karstens and Darrell Rasner were considered the two top candidates, Igawa has moved into the race, with one Yankees official saying he would be considered the front-runner with a strong effort today.
Is someone in the Yankees front office reading WasWatching.com?
Posted by WW Staff at 09:16 AM | Comments (1)
March 26, 2008
Verducci: Restocking A Rivalry
Tom Verducci has an excellent feature up today at SI.com on how the Yankees and Red Sox have been using the draft lately to their benefit. Click here to read it. Some highlights:
The Yankees' future, meanwhile, looked even more dire in 2005. After New York blew a three-games-to-none lead to Boston in the 2004 ALCS, G.M. Brian Cashman tried to fortify his pitching by acquiring Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright. None would be as good as advertised. "We had a chance to really go into an abyss," Cashman said earlier this year.
Cashman, who often clashed with owner George Steinbrenner's Tampa-based brain trust, persuaded the Boss to give him more control of baseball operations, a change he would get in writing in his new contract after the season. He promoted prospects Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano to the majors in May and gave responsibility for the draft to scouting director Damon Oppenheimer.
"[Cashman] knew my passion was on the amateur side," Oppenheimer says. "He gave us a little more specific thinking on the draft, and we started looking for high-impact talent, premier players at premier positions."
Since 2005 the Yankees and the Red Sox have continued to sink more money into scouting and the draft. Says one rival AL G.M., "They've become what the U.S. and Russia were during the cold war: There is them, and there's everybody else. My goodness, the Yankees took a guy in the first round [Andrew Brackman in 2007] who needed Tommy John surgery, and they gave him a four-year major league contract. Nobody else can do that."
In terms of the Yankees - and Cashman giving Oppenheimer "more specific thinking on the draft" - well, better late than never, right?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:22 PM | Comments (8)
Jeter Family Down With OCP
...as in Omni Consumer Products. (See the "RoboCop" mention below.) And, yeah, this WePlay.com thing could be a cash cow for Derek too. Should we start calling him "Captain Digital" instead of "Captain Clutch"?
Via the Herald Tribune:
Late last year, Pamela Firestone, the mother of Tony Parker, the San Antonio Spurs point guard, went rooting through her home in Paris and dug up a VHS tape of a 9-year-old Tony on a Parisian basketball court with his two brothers.
“O.K., let’s start,” the future N.B.A. star says in French. “It’s going to be the Chicago Bulls versus the San Antonio Spurs.”
In most families such artifacts are merely heirlooms, their value measured in memories. For the Hollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency and the hedge fund Pequot Capital, these are assets to be exploited.
Photos and videos showing blue-chip athletes like Mr. Parker, LeBron James, Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning will be part of a new venture that C.A.A. and Pequot along with the Internet arm of Major League Baseball are expected to announce today.
The venture, WePlay.com, a social networking site for youth sports — something like Facebook for young athletes — is expected to start in mid-April. The site caters to youth athletes, parents and coaches — a vast audience. About 52 million children a year participate in organized sports leagues, according to the National Council of Youth Sports.
Young athletes will be able to set up a profile, post pictures, communicate with friends and share videos of games. Parents will be able to get practice schedules, coordinate car pools and find out which equipment to purchase. Coaches will be able to communicate with their players and parents, as well as learn about strategy and other skills.
Other athletes involved in WePlay.com have been looking for their own relics of early stardom. In a spare bedroom at her home in New Orleans, Olivia Manning collected relics from her son Peyton’s days as a child quarterback to be copied and digitized by an employee from Major League Baseball Advanced Media.
Mr. James’s mother rustled up old photos and videos of her son from a storage area in her garage. And in New Jersey, Mr. Jeter’s mother found a video of her son playing Little League — a treasure whose value was diminished 10 minutes into the film because someone in the Jeter family taped over it with the movie “RoboCop.”
So for players like Mr. Jeter, who will make about $20 million this year playing shortstop for the Yankees, being a hired promotional gun is not enough. Mr. Jeter, who in addition to receiving equity in WePlay in exchange for his involvement also invested some of his own money (he will not say how much), began filming clips for the site in mid-December. Having equity, Mr. Jeter said in a telephone interview, is “very important, because you can really feel good about something if you help build it.”
The focus of the business also fits with Mr. Jeter’s own philanthropy. “What it boils down to is, it’s a really outstanding idea,” he said. “I have my own foundation, and we are trying to get kids to be active and play sports. Kids today spend too much time playing video games, and there’s a huge obesity problem in this country.”
Posted by WW Staff at 10:06 AM | Comments (1)
March 25, 2008
Allard: Who Is Joe Girardi’s “Man” At 3rd?
Phil Allard takes an interesting look at the Yankees third base coach this season, Bobby Meacham, with some fun memories mixed in. Click here to read it.
My funny (?) story on Meacham: I saw an interview with Bobby's wife on TV once, around 1990ish. Meacham was with the Royals' Triple-A team trying to get back to the bigs, if I remember right. I think the interview with her was to get the wife's take on life in the bushes. Anyway, in the interview, she offered this gem: "Before I met Bobby, I dated Mark Langston. I guess I married the wrong ball player?"
Ouch.
And, Mrs. Meacham has a tie to Joe Girardi too. Back in 1997, she wrote a feature on Joe coming to New York for a site called TheGoal.com - which is connected to TheGoal.org. If you follow this link, you'll find stories about many Yankees on TheGoal.com.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:56 PM | Comments (1)
A-Rod On Canseco Book News: "No Comment"
Via Ken Davidoff and Kat O'Brien -
When first told Tuesday morning that Canseco had leveled accusations against him, Rodriguez asked what more Canseco had said than in previous accusations. Told that Canseco had written about introducing him to a known supplier of steroids, Rodriguez said, "I really have absolutely no reaction."
Lavin, who posted his findings on his blog, joelavin.com, also reported that Canseco accused A-Rod of pursuing Canseco's wife, the reason for Canseco's clear animosity toward the Yankees' third baseman.
When Rodriguez was told about that, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "He said that in his book?", then said, "I have absolutely no comment."
Maybe the media should go ask Hank for a reaction - I'd bet that he'd have some reaction or comments that could be interesting.
Posted by WW Staff at 01:18 PM | Comments (2)
Alex, Hank, Hal, & Cash - Years From Now
From John Harper today –
Alex Rodriguez looking back at his decision to leave the Mariners and go play with the Rangers:
"I went for the contract when my true desire was to go play for the Mets," Rodriguez said of his decision to ink his $252 million deal with Texas eight years ago.
And, how the past impacted his call to come back to the Yankees after 2007:
"So to make the right decision just feels really good," Rodriguez said, "versus being taken down a road where I'm like, 'Oh, my God, where am I? Oh, $400 million to play in some place I hate? Great, I'll blow my --- head off.'
"I wanted to remain a Yankee and for once I put my money where my mouth was. It felt good to make a decision on my own and execute it - to deal with Hank and Hal (Steinbrenner) on a one-on-one basis and get a deal done.
"If people want to question why I did it, I don't care because it made me happy. If I had gone to Team X, Y or Z, it wouldn't have made me happy. It would have been because Scott wanted me to go - it would have been for the most money. And then I'm always going to be known as a guy who always wanted the most money."
…It felt good to make a decision on my own and execute it - to deal with Hank and Hal (Steinbrenner) on a one-on-one basis and get a deal done…
Whether you love A-Rod or you hate him, or, if you love him now and come to hate him later, or, if you hate him now and grow to love him in time, I think it’s important that all Yankees fans remember that A-Rod is a member of the New York Yankees because the Steinbrothers elected to allow him to come back to the team, and elected to pay him extremely well, after Brian Cashman went on record with the stance of “If he opts out, he’s out.” It’s not the first time that a Steinbrenner went around his G.M. – and, it probably will not be the last. But, I could see where the Rodriguez contract becomes something, with time, that gets lost with regard to who made the call to bring Alex back to New York. If, at the end of the day, it’s a dream come true, then thank the Steinbrothers. But, say, if it’s six years from now and A-Rod’s contract is starting to look like an albatross in pinstripes, don’t blame Brian Cashman – because he had nothing to do with this deal.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2008
Phil Hughes' 5th Start Of The Spring
Here's a scoop! We have a sneak preview of Phil Hughes' next blog entry - to be posted soon after his pitching effort against the Phillies this evening. Here it is:
Hi gang! Phil here. I threw too many pitches tonight. My writing coach, Pete Abe, told me that I threw 86 pitches over 5 innings. When I was pulled from the game after five, Carl Pavano told me that I had the "Wright" stuff. That was cool. But, then he called me "Jaret." So, I think he might have been talking in his sleep. With the start tonight, I lowered my spring ERA on 7.02. To mark this achievement, I'll be signing 7,002 baseballs tomorrow with Steiner Sports. I can't wait to tell Ian about it when I'm done. P.S. - I'm going to do another contest tomorrow. The first person to name my favorite Teletubbies episode will get a PFP-used Joba Chamberlain sanitary sock. TTNF. LOL. Your pal, Phil.
O.K., seriously, after back-to-back waxings by the Red and the Pirates, Hughes was better this evening. Not great, but, better. If this was a regular season game, I think maybe Girardi would have let him start the sixth inning. And, if Hughes was able to work through a scoreless sixth, in a game like this one, then it's a pretty good start for him. But, we'll never know - because Hughes was lifted after five because of his pitch-count.
It will be interesting to see how Phil does in April. Will it be like tonight's game? Or, will it be like the two before it? Or, will it be like both, at times?
And, what happens, if, come May 1st, Hughes has an ERA that's close to the one he posted this spring (meaning way over six)? I guess a lot of that depends on how the team is doing as a whole and how guys like Alan Horne are doing down in Triple-A.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:31 PM | Comments (20)
RLYW Diamond Mind Projections '08
SG at Replacement Level Yankees Weblog does his annual stats version of Pamplona and his numbers tell us that the Yankees should win about 95 games this season - give or take 2 or 3 wins either way.
That's a number that's possible, for sure. But, as stated here, before, in this blog...it will all come down to the number of quality starts the Yankees get out of Mussina, Hughes and Kennedy.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
Study Backs Up General Joe's Pen Wishes
Steve Wang is a Swarthmore College statistician. I just this nugget from from a study of his:
A manager who prefers to stay with his starters might be best suited for a team with veteran starting pitching, whereas a team with fragile young arms might do best with a manager who uses his bullpen aggressively.
A hat tip to Alan Boyle for his blog entry "The science of baseball stats" which led me to Wang's study.
...a team with fragile young arms might do best with a manager who uses his bullpen aggressively...
Makes sense, no? And, it probably explains why Girardi wants a bullpen that's deep and flexible this season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 03:23 PM | Comments (1)
The Abreu Trade, In Retrospect
John Beamer at The Hardball Times takes an interesting look back at the Yankees trade for Bobby Abreu. His finding:
This analysis is relatively straightforward. Right now the players the Yankees sent to the Phillies have close to no value. The question is have the Yankees had fair value from Lidle and Abreu. To ask the question another way, how much have the Yankees spent per win compared to what they could acquire on the free agent market?
Using the OPS wins shortcuts: WAA = 0.025x(1.7 OBP + SLG - 1) and converting to replacement level weighting by playing time (using 650 at-bats as a season) Abreu ends up being 4.75 WAR for the one and a bit season he played in pinstripes.
During his time at Yankee Stadium, Abreu has received about $19.5 million. Doing the math that is about $4.1 million per win, which isn't too different to the Yankees signing Abreu as a free agent. In the end the Yankees were right not to give up too much to the Phillies.
Of course, this does not factor in the season to be played (this year). Abreu's performance in 2008 could make this analysis break in another direction, albeit good or bad.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:52 PM | Comments (5)
Meanwhile, In Korea...
Chilling with Jose Lima in Korea, heh, Karim?
Did you know that Alfonso Soriano was the last Yankee to get a hit in a World Series game? And, did you know that the last Yankee before Soriano to get a hit in World Series game was Jorge Posada? And, did you know that the last Yankee before Posada to get a hit in World Series game was Karim Garcia?
Yup, it happened in Game 6 of the 2003 World Series - in the 5th inning - when Garcia led off the bottom of the 5th inning of that game with a single.
You've come a long way Karim.
Posted by WW Staff at 11:58 AM | Comments (2)
Ohlendorf, Bruney, Britton & Patterson
From the four choices below, which one should make the Yankees bullpen this season?
Ross Ohlendorf?
Brian Bruney?
Chris Britton?
Scott Patterson?
If you follow the links on each name, you'll see that the choice of this blog is Ohlendorf. But, what do other Yankees fans think? Let us know in the comments section below.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:06 AM | Comments (3)
March 23, 2008
Gardner Expects Himself To Be Yanks Future CF
Via Jack Curry -
Brett Gardner envisions himself as the center fielder of the future for the Yankees. About a millisecond after Gardner was asked if he could see himself starting in center for a team that has a crowded, mostly well-paid outfield, he said, “Absolutely.”
“It’s not a knock against Melky Cabrera or Johnny Damon or whoever happens to be out there,” Gardner said. “Obviously, that’s their job now. But I know if it were my job, someone else would be behind me wanting my job, too. Ever since I got drafted, that’s been my goal.”
At some point in 2009, or, for sure in 2010, I would love to see a Yankees outfield of Austin Jackson in left, Brett Gardner in center, and Melky Cabrera in right. Not a drop of rain would fall between those three.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:50 PM | Comments (8)
Yankees Bloggers Predict 2008's Big Story
Five days ago, I reached out to about a dozen or so select Yankees bloggers and asked them for a prediction on what will be the biggest story in Yankeeland this season.
When I did this last year, the response was pretty good - and the common theme, at that time, was A-Rod.
This year, the reponse was different from last season, to say the least.
One blogger said they couldn't respond because they were swamped with work. I can understand that. Another said that they would pass on this one because they "don’t feel terribly strong about anything" at this point. And, I can appreciate that for being an honest answer. But, the majority of bloggers asked didn't get back to me at all. So, either they don't like me - and, we know that can't be true! - or, perhaps most feel that it's too difficult to make a prediction about what will be the Yankees biggest story this season? In any event, here's some feedback from those who were up to the call:
Via Greg Cohen of Sliding Into Home:
The biggest story in Yankeeland this season will be new Yankees manager Joe Girardi. No doubt about it. Just like 1996, which turned out to be the year of Joe Torre, 2007, for better (hopefully better) or worse, will be the year of the other Joe.
For evidence of this all you need to do is look at Spring Training, the Yankees running, the Yankees showing up to camp in shape, Duncan's slide, Pettitte's inside pitch to Ortiz, no matter what happens, it's somehow related to Joe Girardi, even when it has nothing to do with him. And that's how this upcoming season will be, everything will be about Joe Girardi.Then there are these questions that will be asked throughout the season: How is Girardi handling the New York media, especially in times of adversity? How will he handle the young pitchers? Will he get along with Hank Steinbrenner, or will we have another Jeffrey Loria situation on our hands? And don't forget the ghost of Joe Torre; you know he's going to be around for a long time.
No matter what happens this year it's all going to be about Joe Girardi.
Via "YF" of YFSF:
The Yankees cannot be contained by a single storyline. Girardi's first season. The ascendance of the Brothers Steinbrenner. The Agony of Alex Rodriguez. The hagiography of Derek Jeter. The Clemens legacy. The Big Three. The All-Star Game. The quest for the pennant. The battle with the Sox. Cashman's future. Circumstance will dictate which of these capture the day's headlines. But the single story that will serve as the season through-line; that would have to be the story of Yankee Stadium's last year.
Via "Jeteupthemiddle" of Almost Perfect:
I believe that the biggest story this season will be the development of the Yankees' young pitchers. No matter what results Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy give this season, there will be dozens of articles about it. "Can the Yankees make the playoffs with this young rotation?" "The young guns saving the team!" "These players weren't worth Santana?" "Cashman saved the farm, should Cashman's job be saved?"
What about me? Personally, I think the above three responses are all on point. Coming into this, I felt that the biggest story of the Yankees 2008 season would either be Joe Girardi - and the "edge" that he provides to the Yanks this year - or, it would be about the Yankees' call to go with young pitching on, at least, one-third of their staff and whether or not that was the right thing to do - with no back-up plan.
But, just to be different, and despite the fact that I still feel that Girardi and the kid pitchers are major storylines this season for New York, I'm going to suggest that the biggest story in Yankeeland this season will be...drum roll...Hideki Matsui having a MVP type season with the bat. Then again, I said that last year too - so, what do I know?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:15 PM | Comments (7)
Quick Chat With HighFarGone.com
I recently did a quick Q&A regarding some Yankees issues with "HighFarGone.com." If you'd like to see it, click here. And, since HighFarGone.com is somewhat new, you may want to add it to the list of Yankees-blogs that you like to check out.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:02 PM | Comments (0)
No Man Is As Island, But, Eiland Sounds Like A Man's Man
Ed Price has a must read feature on Dave Eiland today. Click here to read it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:52 AM | Comments (3)
Getting To Know Hank's Little Brother
If there's a Steinbrenner out there, Kat O'Brien can get them to talk! Via Newsday today -
Both Hank, 51, and Hal, 39, are general partners of the Yankees and the sons of principal owner George Steinbrenner. Despite wielding the same ability as Hal to make decisions on all things Yankees, Hank has effectively served as the lone public voice for the entire family (including their sisters, Jenny Swindal Steinbrenner and Jessica Lopez). Hank has dealt with late-night phone calls from the media and held impromptu news conferences, winding up on the back page with some regularity.
Hal, on the other hand, has steered clear of the public eye as much as possible.
...Hal is no recluse. He is a pilot, is an NFL fan (he has multiple Vikings jerseys in his office) and likes classic rock music and the original Star Trek. In person, he is engaging with a dry sense of humor and careful opinions.
Every major decision must be agreed on by the two brothers, Hal said.
And if they can't agree?
"I think we've just decided we won't do it," Hal said. "If it's raising more debt, if it's making a capital expenditure, if it's raising ticket prices, if it's having a $100-million contract on the baseball side, I think the family agrees that we both need to be on board. And it worked really well in the offseason."
The one thing Hal was famously against was trading for Twins ace Johan Santana, who wound up going to the Mets. The Twins were asking for centerfielder Melky Cabrera, righthander Phil Hughes and righthander Ian Kennedy, and a hefty contract extension for Santana also would have been necessary.
"I was against it, there's no doubt about it," Hal said. "Personally, for me, it was an easy decision to say no to. Economically and financially, there were reasons I'm not going to get into. But even from a baseball standpoint ... I'm no expert on baseball matters, believe me, but I didn't want to get rid of the centerfielder, and I didn't want to get rid of Hughes."
There's a part of this that still scares the bejesus out of me. You can only have one quarterback in the huddle. Eventually, I could see this becoming an Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe type battle. And, that will not be good for the Yankees.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:30 AM | Comments (4)
A-Rod On A-Rod & Some Other Players
Via Nick Cafardo:
Yankee fans were all over the guy in '06. Yeah, he had a horrible season (note sarcasm): .290 with 35 homers and 121 RBIs with a .392 on-base percentage. But A-Rod was perceived as a guy who couldn't get the job done in the clutch, and it gnawed at him.
"I always knew I was a great player," he said. "Some years are better than others. I'm sure you go through it, too. [Not really, Alex].
"2005 was an MVP year. '06 was a bit of a down year, and '07 was a pretty good year again. It's kind of like the stock market. Up and down.
"You wish you could have an MVP year every year - 20 years of great years - but it's not realistic. Sometimes, like in '06, I think you wind up learning the very most about yourself. You get a chance to look in the mirror and be honest with yourself and just figure out what you need to do to get back on top again."
"I love New York," said Rodriguez. "I was born there. Look, New York is not an easy place, and it hasn't been easy for me. I've had my best times and my worst times. But I think at the end of the day - like Boston - it's a place that makes you look in the mirror and be honest with yourself and to be accountable for some of the stupid crap you do.
"And at the same time, when you do well, you can match up against some of the greatest in history. Whether it's a Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle or the numerous Hall of Fame players that have put on this uniform.
"To be in this Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is a gift. I think anyone who played in New York or Boston and then goes somewhere else, at least for me, it would be quite a drop-off."
[A-Rod] spoke about his affection for Manny Ramírez and responded to a story that he had advised Ramírez to hire Boras.
"I talk a lot with Manny, but I really don't want to talk about any promotion for anyone," he said. "Definitely don't want to promote that.
"When all is said and done, Manny will be the greatest righthanded hitter ever. I'm very biased because he's one of my best friends. I just love Manny.
"I love your center fielder [Jacoby Ellsbury]," he said. "I like his attitude. I like his energy. He looks to be a bright, bright star. I like that kid that went from Detroit to Florida [Cameron Maybin]. I think the kid in Detroit [Curtis Granderson] is about to take off. He's an MVP-type player.
"I'll also say I've never seen a guy do what Big Papi did. That I haven't seen. He went from platoon player to great player. And he did it in his mid-20s. To be an average-to-good player, platoon player, to be an absolute All-World. Granderson has that chance."
It's interesting that Alex gave such a long interview to someone with the Boston Globe. He's been short with the New York media lately. Granted, Nick Cafardo is a very good writer. But, still, I have to wonder if, privately, some of the local media in Yankeeland are thinking "Sure, he talks to an out of town guy....." Then again, you can't blame Alex for shutting them out...considering the treatment he got from most of them the past few years.
Speaking of media, it will be interesting to see how the local boys handle Alex this season, if he has, say, "just" 17 homers and as many as 12 errors by the All-Star break. Will the MVPs of 2005 and 2007 buy him some slack? Or, will it be 2006 all over again?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:10 AM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2008
Tino Provides Input On Yanks Roster Decisions
Via Jim Baumbach -
GM Brian Cashman, Girardi, the coaching staff and special assistant to the GM Tino Martinez met behind closed doors in Girardi's office before the game for about a half-hour. Several roster decisions are looming.
So, does this mean Tino is the new Stick Michael?
This is good news to me. From what I've read, Martinez was a huge part of what was working well back when he was on the team - and I'm talking about things other than his batting and fielding. This is very good news, indeed.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:33 AM | Comments (2)
Yanks Interest In Darvish Rumors Continue
Via the Boston Herald -
Unfortunately for Major League Baseball fans, unless Nippon Ham deems [Yu] Darvish more valuable by posting him to teams in the United States (as the Seibu Lions did with Matsuzaka), the phenom won’t be eligible to play for a big league team for years.
But with rumors floating around that the Yankees would be willing to dwarf the Red Sox’ posting price of $51 million for Matsuzaka, that timetable could quicken.
“There’s no sign that he’s interested (in playing in the major leagues), so we as Japanese are thinking maybe Darvish isn’t interested in MLB,” Kojima said. “But the truth is that only Darvish knows.”
This news picks up from the rumors I shared three months ago. Well, the Yankees will have a lot of money coming off the payroll next year...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2008
Patterson's Perfect?
Is this true?
I was just looking at Scott Patterson's spring training game log, to date, this season.
It says he's pitched in 6 games, thrown 6 innings, and, get this, in those 6 innings he's thrown 28 pitches - all for strikes.
That can't be right, can it? He hasn't thrown a "ball" yet this spring? Really? Even some of those pitch counts look funky. Five out on six pitches, all strikes, during his last outing? Actually, in total, it seems too far out - 18 outs on 28 pitches, all strikes? Com'on, not even Sidd Finch was that good.
Update 3/21, 11:14 pm ET: It's comfirmed. This is just a mlb.com reporting error. Too bad. It made for a great story. File this one under: It's not true, but, it's accurate.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:37 PM | Comments (2)
The Case For Ross Ohlendorf
Here are the results of Ross Ohlendorf's seven outings, this spring, to date, with totals on the last line:
IP H R ER HR BB SO
1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0
0.6 1 0 0 0 0 2
1.0 3 2 1 1 0 0
1.0 0 0 0 0 0 1
1.0 3 2 0 1 0 0
1.0 1 0 0 0 1 1
1.0 0 0 0 0 0 2
6.6 9 4 1 2 1 6
For those scoring at home, that's an ERA of 1.36 - but, more importantly, so far in games, Ross has thrown 80% of his pitches for strikes.
It's starting to look like Ohlendorf may have won a spot on this team. By the way, is it just me, or, does Ross sort of look like a certain former Yankee whose name also starts with an "O"?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:18 PM | Comments (3)
Stottlemyre: M's Rotation Better Than He Ever Had With Yanks
Via Bob Nightengale the other day in USA Today -
The Mariners, with the acquisitions of Erik Bedard and Carlos Silva, have put together one of the scariest rotations in baseball. They have an imposing 1-2 punch with Bedard and Felix Hernandez, who combined for a 27-12 record last season with 386 strikeouts. Silva, Jarrod Washburn and Batista each pitched at least 193 innings last season, making at least 31 starts each of the last two seasons.
It may be the finest rotation, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre says, that he may have been part of during his 22-year major league coaching career, including a 10-year stint from 1996 to 2005 with the New York Yankees.
"The '86 Mets were probably the closest thing to a similar situation I've had," Stottlemyre says, recalling the staff of Dwight Gooden (17-6), Sid Fernandez (16-6), Bobby Ojeda (18-5) and Ron Darling (15-6). "We've got five starters here that all have a chance to win at least 15 games."
The Mariners' biggest acquisition, the starters say, may have been Stottlemyre, who was lured out of retirement. Stottlemyre addressed the pitching staff the first day of camp, Batista says, and told them there was only one reason he came to Seattle.
"I want everybody to be watching us in October," Stottlemyre said, according to Batista.
I believe that Mel was with the Mets from 1982 to 1991, the Astros from 1992 to 1993, and the Yankees from 1996 to 2005. Just for the fun of it, I looked at the 100 best team totals in RSAA from 1982 to 2005 - to see if any of Stottlemyre's teams made the cut.
Just one did: The 1998 Yankees, with a rotation of Pettitte, Cone, Wells, El Duque/Mendoza, and Irabu. And, they were tied for 44th on the list.
So, maybe it's true that Mel Stottlemyre never had a "monster" pitching staff before - despite what our memories may want to suggest?
I've never been a huge fan of M's G.M. Bill Bavasi. However, you could claim that he laid the groundwork for that Angels team that won in 2002 (with great pitching) and now he's built a potentially great staff in Seattle. And, you have to love a G.M. who's able to build a great pitching staff.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:48 PM | Comments (6)
All Right Is Alright?
Via Mark Feinsand -
While 20 of the 25 slots are pretty much set, the final three jobs in the bullpen remain an open competition, as do the last two places on the bench.
"We'll be busy in Florida," Girardi said, referring to the March 29-30 exhibition games against the Marlins. "The roster will shape out from here fairly quickly, but we're just trying to give everyone a fair look and make an evaluation of what this team needs the most."
Jeff Karstens figures to be the long reliever, while Billy Traber appears to have the inside track on the lefty job. That's assuming Girardi takes a lefty, something he hasn't committed to.
"We would like to have a lefthander," Girardi said. "But it's not vital because I believe our righthanders have the ability to get lefties out." Among the righties looking to win a spot are Chris Britton, Brian Bruney, Ross Ohlendorf, Scott Patterson, Jose Veras and Jonathan Albaladejo.
Last season, from the 7th inning on, in games, left-handed batters had an OPS of .788 against the Yankees (in 936 PA). But, a fair portion of that was Mariano Rivera doing a good job.
Last season, in the 7th inning alone, left-handed batters had an OPS of .903 against the Yankees (in 306 PA). And, last season, in the 8th inning alone, left-handed batters had an OPS of .833 against the Yankees (in 324 PA).
Let's hope the Yankees' pen does a better job against lefties this season - no matter how Joe wants to attack it.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:28 AM | Comments (2)
March 20, 2008
Ensberg Rebuilt By Long
Via Ken Rosenthal:
Morgan Ensberg, trying to stick with the Yankees, could be another option for the Dodgers; he can ask for his release if the Yankees do not add him to their 40-man roster on Friday.
The Yankees, by placing Ensberg on their 40-man list, would guarantee his $1.75 million contract, increasing his chances of making the club.
Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, who helped revitalize Alex Rodriguez last season, also is making a difference for Ensberg, who is batting .313 with five doubles in 32 at-bats this spring.
"It's shocking," Ensberg says. "Everything he does is so simple. He gets rid of all of your excess motions, gets you down to a good foundation.
"I used to be a guy with eight different stances and eight different hand positions. Now I'm down to one. And it took only one session, one 15-minute deal in the batting cage."
And, that, folks is why Mr. Long is getting paid close to $1 million over the next three years. Thank you Bucky Dent for bringing Long to the Yankees.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:59 PM | Comments (6)
Ensberg's Close Call Back In 2000
Ed Condran of amNewYork shares a story of terror that happened to Morgan Ensberg - eight years ago.
Something like that would provide some decent perspective about what's really bad or not. Sounds like Ensberg is taking that negative and getting something positive out of it. That's nice to see.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:05 PM | Comments (0)
Doing It Down In Dunedin
Ian Kennedy pitched for the Yankees today, in their exhibition game against the Blue Jays, and he did just fine. In fact, here are the results for the four contests this spring where Ian has pitched, with totals on the last line:
IP H R ER HR BB SO 2.0 2 1 1 1 0 0 4.0 2 0 0 0 1 2 3.0 3 2 2 2 2 5 4.3 6 1 1 0 0 4 11.3 13 4 4 3 3 11
You really can't ask for anything more than that, can you?
And, some people want to know why I'm such a Kennedy fanboy...
And, in the same game, Joba Chamberlain did what he's supposed to do with the likes of Ryan Patterson, Sean Shofit and Anthony Hatch. Set 'em up and sit 'em down.
Back to Kennedy...at this point, he's got to be the #4 man in the rotation, no? Heck, if it were up to me, I'd make him #3 in the rotation - ahead of both Mussina and Hughes.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 04:19 PM | Comments (2)
BP's Goldstein Looks At Yanks Bushers
Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus offers a "State of the Systems, AL East" today. An interesting item therein is Jeff Marquez. As Kevin writes:
Despite the fact that he won 15 games last year at Double-A, right-hander Jeff Marquez is a bit of a one-trick pony who gets a ton of groundballs with his plus sinker, but his below-average secondary stuff limits his ability to miss bats.
Tommy John does not agree. Via Screwballs two days ago:
SCREWBALLS: Any guys that you managed with the Staten Island Yankees that we should look out for?
TOMMY JOHN: Jeff Marquez. He throws hard...in the mid-ninties. He just has to find out what he has to do be successful. There's power and there is pitching. Throw hard but only as hard as you effectively can.
Me? I still see no reason why Marquez cannot be a Ramiro Mendoza 2.0...in theory, at the least.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:55 PM | Comments (2)
Jeter's Value
Shaun Payne of Dugout Central attempts to answer the question "How Valuable Has Jeter Really Been to the Yankees?" (Hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org on this one.)
Fragile Freddy also looked into this question, two months ago.
After Freddy, and before Payne, this blog looked into the matter - as did Sky Kalkman as well.
It's an interesting debate. There's no question that Derek Jeter adds value to the Yankees. Perhaps the bigger question is: How much longer will Derek Jeter add value to the Yankees?
After all, Derek will be 34 this season. And, last year, he hit more like a Carney Lansford type batter than an MVP. Then, of course, there's the range issue at short.
Does Derek Jeter have five (or so) more years left in him where he can provide value to the Yankees? It's a very interesting question, indeed.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:49 AM | Comments (16)
Cashman's '08 Yanks Hope To Be One Of Five To Work Trick Since 1973
So, now, we know that the Yankees will have Joba Chamberlain in their bullpen (to start their season) this year – and Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy will be in New York’s starting rotation. This got me wondering as to how many times, since 1973, has a team had someone as young as Chamberlain featured in their pen – while having two guys as young as Hughes and Kennedy, along with a guy as old as Mussina, in their rotation as well.
Well, I think most people will remember the last team to do this: The 2006 Detroit Tigers. They had old-timer Kenny Rogers in the rotation with two kids, Jeremy Bonderman and Justin Verlander, joining him. And, they had Joel Zumaya in their pen. Since that team won the A.L. pennant, it’s safe to say that this all worked out for them.
The team before the 2006 Tigers was the 1991 Chicago White Sox – who had old-timer Charlie Hough in the rotation with Alex Fernandez, a kid, and two other “kids” sharing a spot in the rotation, Ramon Garcia and Wilson Alvarez. And, they had Scott Radinsky in their bullpen. That ’91 Sox team won 87 games and finished 8 games out of first.
The team before the 1991 Chisox was the 1987 Texas Rangers - who, like the ’91 Sox, had old-timer Charlie Hough in the rotation with two kids, Bobby Witt and Ed Correa, joining him. And, they had Mitch Williams in their pen. That ’87 Rangers team finished last in their division – 10 games out of first.
The team before the 1987 Rangers was the 1982 Seattle Mariners - who had old-timer Gaylord Perry in the rotation with Mike Moore, a kid, and two other “kids” sharing a spot in the rotation, Edwin Nunez and Gene Nelson. And, they had Ed Vande Berg in their bullpen. That ’82 M’s team only won 76 games and finished 17 games back of first.
As far as I can tell, that’s it, since 1973 – just four teams in all of baseball to run the “Really Old Guy with Two Really Young Guys in the Rotation with Really Young Guy in the Pen As Well” trick.
It did not translate into success for the 1982 Mariners, 1987 Rangers, or 1991 White Sox. But, again, the 2006 Tigers made it to the World Series with this plan. Maybe the 2008 Yankees will make it to the Fall Classic as well, with this plan?
Of course, there’s the question of “offense” here too – as the 2008 Yankees will have a great offensive team.
For what it’s worth, the 1982 Mariners were a terrible offensive team, the 1987 Rangers were a bad offensive team, the 2006 Tigers were not a good offensive team, and the 1991 White Sox were an O.K. offensive team. So, none of these four teams had anything near the fire power of the 2008 Yankees.
In the end, the key may be how the four pitchers in question do – as Bonderman, Verlander, Zumaya and Rogers were all very, very, good for the Tigers in 2006. And, in the end, just how well Hughes, Kennedy, Chamberlain and Mussina do for the Yankees may determine what kind of season New York has this year.
"Hughes, Kennedy, Chamberlain and Mussina" - these are the four biggest eggs in Brian Cashman's basket this season. As Yankees fans, let's hope that none of them break before they successfully hatch.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:45 AM | Comments (1)
Charleston RiverDogs
Is it just me, or, are the Charleston RiverDogs the one team in the Yankees chain that Yankees fans never seem to want to talk about? Why is that?
Posted by WW Staff at 09:16 AM | Comments (6)
March 19, 2008
SNY's Boorstein: Traber To The Rescue?
Tom Boorstein of SNY.tv takes a look at the Yankees lefty-pen-man revolving door since 2002 and this season’s early hope to solve that problem.
Hey, in 1999, Mike Remlinger came out of the blue, for the Braves, and became an effective lefty out of the pen, for Atlanta, for the next four seasons. Maybe Traber can do that now with the Yankees? At the worst, can Traber be any worse than Sean Henn was last year? Now, that would be a trick.
Posted by WW Staff at 04:34 PM | Comments (2)
Not-So-Breaking News! Joba To The Pen
Via Dan Graziano -
Yes, Joe Girardi just informed us that Joba will be working out of the bullpen, starting tomorrow in Dunedin and also when the season starts. All five of the other starting pitchers are healthy, and none of them has ever spent two months as the best setup man in the American League, so it falls to Chamberlain to go to the bullpen and work the late innings (along with LaTroy Hawkins and -- gulp -- Kyle Farnsworth) in front of Mariano Rivera.
"I think it's going to be debated for a long time -- should he start or should he relieve," Chamberlain said. "But at the end of the day, it's about what's best for this team. It's not about Joba Chamberlain."
Asked if he thought this move was the best thing for the team, Chamberlain said, "Absolutely. No question about it."
Do you know the best seasons by a member of the Yankees bullpen, all-time, by someone 22-years old, or younger?
Hal "Porky" Reniff in 1961 and Joba last year. That's the only two seasons where someone that young pitched well for the Yankees, in a season, out of the pen.
Ron Davis in 1979 and Brian Fisher in 1985 were good as well. But, they were 23-years old then - and not 22, like Joba will be this year.
If Joba Chamberlain excels for the Yankees out of the pen this season, it would be a special thing in Yankees history, for sure.
Posted by WW Staff at 03:24 PM | Comments (0)
SNY's Salfino: Projecting Yanks Pitchers
Michael Salfino of SNY.tv takes a stab at "Projecting the Yanks' pitching staff" this season.
It's a nice examination of Bill James, PECOTA, and ZiPS projections on some key Yankees pitchers.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)
J.B. Cox Sighting
Via Chad Jennings -
Promising relief prospect J.B. Cox pitched in a game for the first time in more than a year, sending the side down in order in the eighth.
Coming back from elbow surgery, 23-year-old Cox got a fly out, a groundout and a pop-up. He said he had previously thrown four bullpen sessions to batters, but always with a screen in front of himself. He threw fastballs and sliders and said his arm felt fine.
Drafted out of the University of Texas, Cox was shutdown last spring to have the surgery. He will likely start the season in Tampa, but said he’s been told that he could join Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as soon as the weather warms up.
In 2006 he had a 1.71 ERA in Double-A Trenton.
Three years ago, many were high on Cox. He's had his issues since the Yankees signed him.
Cox could still be a sleeper to join the Yankees some time this season if he does well in the minors and there's a need in the Bronx.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:35 AM | Comments (0)
Yanks Interested In Rich Harden?
Via the San-Fran Chronicle:
Rich Harden will start at Phoenix today, and Joe Blanton at Mesa, splitting the scouting hordes that have been watching the two all spring. Both are potential candidates to be traded, and the Yankees apparently have expressed interest in Harden, according to one source.
The A's, however, won't provide any real discount for Harden, even though he has been hurt much of the past three years. They probably would ask for right-hander Ian Kennedy, for starters, and perhaps pitchers Alan Horne and Jeff Marquez as well.
Rich Harden makes Carl Pavano look like Cal Ripken Jr.
I wouldn't trade this Kennedy for him - much less Ian Kennedy. Pass.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:23 AM | Comments (3)
March 18, 2008
Yup, The Season Is Just Around The Corner...
Just about the same time as last year too. It's always a good day when these show up.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:33 PM | Comments (2)
The Virginia Tech Game
From Ed Weathers, via the Virginia Tech Collegiate Times Online Edition:
Today, I am as proud as any Yankee fan on the planet.
I teach in the English Department here at Virginia Tech, and I was about 250 yards from the shootings when they happened. One of those killed was a student of mine, Ross Alameddine, a sophomore in one of my writing classes.
For the Yankees to be on campus today honoring Ross and the other shooting victims is special for me, for I am one of those millions of original New Yorkers who have been Yankee fans all their lives, and the Yankees have been part of my family forever.
My mother, however, is a Yankee fan of a higher order. Mom once slid off the sofa trying to help Yankee leftfielder Irv Noren stretch a single into a double. Out of sheer nervousness while watching Don Larson's perfect World Series game in 1956, she ironed (according to family legend) every curtain in the house. Today, at the age of 92 and now living in Blacksburg, she listens to every Yankee game on satellite radio. In winter, Mom lives for the start of spring training.
Last season, one month after the shootings at Tech, the Yankees owner gave the university $1 million for the victims' fund. No other team responded like that -- only my Yankees. Derek Jeter handed over the check.
Today the Yankees will play some baseball at Virginia Tech. My mother and I won't go to the game; it would be a bit too much for her, and I think students should get the few seats available.
Nevertheless, mom and I are mighty puffed-up Yankee fans today, and the game will be proof, one more time, that baseball -- any sport, really -- can still be common ground, and a playing field a place of comfort in times of trouble.
If someone, albeit a fan or a member of the media, has recently got under your skin, as a Yankees fan, with comments about the Yankees "lowering themselves" because of Shelley Duncan's slide or Billy Crystal's At Bat, reaach out to them today and ask them for some thoughts on what the Yankees did last year, and are doing today, for Virginia Tech.
And, thumbs up to MLB.TV for showing the game for free today on the internet.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:17 AM | Comments (2)
March 17, 2008
Men’s Vogue Feature On A-Rod
Seth Mnookin has done a feature on A-Rod for Men’s Vogue. (Hat tip to Peter Abraham.)
There's nothing in there that you haven't heard before. Further, neither A-Rod or anyone else close to him or the team contributed much to the feature.
In fact, the best part about the whole thing is a link that can be found on the same page - showing some great old baseball photos from the sixties and seventies. And, that's the only reason why I point the whole thing out now.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:11 PM | Comments (1)
Hashing Out The Opening Day Roster
Barring injury or a total meltdown over the next two weeks, you know that these 21 players will make the Yankees Opening Day roster this year:
2 Derek Jeter
13 Alex Rodriguez
14 Wilson Betemit
17 Shelley Duncan
18 Johnny Damon
20 Jorge Posada
22 LaTroy Hawkins
24 Robinson Cano
25 Jason Giambi
26 Jose Molina
28 Melky Cabrera
31 Ian Kennedy
34 Phil Hughes
35 Mike Mussina
40 Chien-Ming Wang
42 Mariano Rivera
46 Andy Pettitte
48 Kyle Farnsworth
53 Bobby Abreu
55 Hideki Matsui
62 Joba Chamberlain
But, what about the other four spots on the roster? Here are the players hoping to make those last remaining openings:
11 Chris Woodward
12 Nick Green
19 Jason Lane
21 Morgan Ensberg
29 Kei Igawa
30 Sean Henn
33 Brian Bruney
36 Edwar Ramirez
38 Chris Britton
39 Ross Ohlendorf
41 Jose Veras
43 Scott Strickland
47 Darrell Rasner
58 Jeff Karstens
61 Billy Traber
63 Jonathan Albaladejo
70 Scott Patterson
79 Heath Phillips
91 Brett Gardner
Will the final four spots be broken down into 3 pitchers and one bench player? Or, will it be 2 for the bench and 2 for the pen?
Many feel that Billy Traber and Morgan Ensberg have made the team already. So, could leave it down to two spots - and the question of whether it will be two for the pen or one for the pen and one for the bench.
Chris Woodward, Jason Lane, and Brett Gardner are hoping that the Yankees go with 11 pitchers and then one of them can make this team.
Kei Igawa, Brian Bruney, Chris Britton, Ross Ohlendorf, Jose Veras, Darrell Rasner, Jeff Karstens, and Scott Patterson are hoping that the last two spots go to pitchers - so that they have better odds of making the final cut.
The guess here, at this junction, assuming that Ensberg and Traber make the team, is that the last two spots come down to Chris Woodward, Jason Lane, Brian Bruney, Chris Britton, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens, and Scott Patterson.
And, knowing that Girardi likes depth and flexibility on his bench and pen, I would suggest that Woodward and Karstens get the last two spots.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:23 PM | Comments (9)
Clock Starts Now For Phil, Ian & Joba
This morning, listening to Mark Patrick and Buck Martinez, on X-M Radio MLB Home Plate, I heard the two discussing what to watch and what not to watch with respect to a starting pitcher’s performance in spring training – and what the experts say on this topic. In summary, the consensus was:
Forget a pitcher’s first time out – as his arm strength is at a max and he could appear move overpowering than he really is, or, he could be overthrowing. Forget a pitcher’s second time out – as his arm will be sore from the effort put forth on his first outing, following the off-season layoff. And, forget a pitcher’s third time out – as this is when pitchers experience that “dead arm” period that happens every spring. To get a real feel on a starting pitcher in spring training, you want to see how he does on his fourth and fifth time out (during exhibition games).
Seems to make sense, no?
So, for the [insert the catchy name that you like to use for the group of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Joba Chamberlain], the clock/watch starts now. Forget what we’ve seen from Hughes so far this spring. And, forget what we’ve seen from Kennedy and Chamberlain. Let’s see what they do over the next two weeks. It could just be what we should also expect to see from them this season.
Posted by WW Staff at 11:39 AM | Comments (2)
March 16, 2008
Scott Patterson's Making A Case
Some Scott Patterson news from the Allegheny Times two days ago:
However, people might start paying attention to West Allegheny High School graduate Scott Patterson very soon. He is developing into one of the top stories of the Yankees’ camp.
Patterson has made five relief appearances and pitched 4 1/3 in the exhibition season and not allowed a run. Furthermore, he has allowed only one hit and no walks while striking out four for a microscopic opponents’ batting average of .071.
“They keep putting me out there and I keep getting people out,” Patterson said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more than that for my first time in a major-league camp.”
Patterson is one of the more improbable Yankees. He spent 4 ½ seasons in the independent Frontier and Atlantic leagues after graduating from West Virginia State in 2002 before the Yankees purchased his contract two years ago.
Following a phenomenal season at Class AA Trenton last season in which he posted an outstanding 1.09 ERA in 43 games and was voted by the Thunder fans as their favorite player, Patterson finds himself increasing his once long odds of making the Yankees’ bullpen with each spring outing.
“He’s been great,” first-year Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We’ve brought him in during the middle of some innings and he’s gotten us out of three or four really tough spots. He’s done everything you could ask to rookie to do. He’s impressed me.”
With that in mind, Patterson believes he at least has a chance of going north with the major-league club.
“If Joe Torre were still the manager, my chances wouldn’t be very good,” Patterson said. “It’s different with Joe Girardi in charge. He seems very willing to go with the best players, regardless of the experience. I don’t know if I’m going to make it but I think I will at least be considered. That’s all I can ask for.”
Ah, Scott, you got a little brown on your nose there, dude. In any event, since this report, Patterson, today, threw another one and two-thirds scoreless innings.
In June of last year, I shared this report on Patterson:
"You start looking at him and think it's just unbelievable," a NL scout said. "You don't want to like him, but you come away liking him because of the stuff and the intimidation factor. He throws that fastball overhand that makes it look like it's coming out of the sky and then it sinks down . . . very heavy sink. The other stuff is just OK. He throws at 91-92 (mph), but that's like a 6-foot-3, 6-foot-4 guy throwing 93-94. He's very aggressive and attacks the zone. He's not an elite guy, but he's interesting."
Scott Patterson's delivery is disturbing as it resembles Cosmo Kramer trying to give Manute Bol a high-five. But, you cannot argue with the results last season and this spring. Regardless of whether or not anyone likes it, Patterson is on the Yankees radar and for good reason.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:04 PM | Comments (0)
Feinsand On Farnsworth
Mark Feinsand offers an inside look at Kyle Farnsworth -
"I always saw Kyle as a guy who went out there and threw hard, worked out - and of course, I'd seen the highlights of him body-slamming guys," says Johnny Damon, whose wife, Michelle, is a friend of Pert's. "When we started hanging out a lot, I saw how different he is. Seeing how great he is with his kids, how laid back he is, he's an awesome guy. It's amazing how a reputation can follow you."
"He's got such an image in the public," [Scott] Proctor says. "I didn't know what to expect from him, but once I got through that hard shell, I found out what a quality guy he really is."
Reading this, maybe, from now on, we should call him Kyle "Loves Daisies & Puppies" Farnsworth?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:31 AM | Comments (1)
Bud Busts Reggie
Via George King -
Major League Baseball has ordered Reggie Jackson out of uniform for the remainder of spring training games after the Hall of Famer was on the field during this past Wednesday's altercation.
Jackson, who was on the field dressed in gray baseball pants, windbreaker and Yankees hat, was fined $250 by MLB. Jackson, a special advisor during the season, also doubles as a spring training instructor.
"I am going to call Bud (Selig) today," said Jackson, who explained he was on the field in the role of a peacemaker. "I called him (Saturday) and left a message. I was trying to make peace. I didn't have my number (44) on but I had the windbreaker that a lot of guys wear. (Don) Zimmer was on the field. He walked out; I jogged."
What a joke. Check the video, below. There are a ton of Rays on the field in windbreakers as well. Do we know who they all are? Do they have a right to be on the field? What, Reggie gets singled out because he has a famous face? Com'on Bud. Really.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:36 AM | Comments (1)
March 15, 2008
Cano & Strawberry
This evening, I was watching a replay of Robinson Cano's two-run double that came in the second inning today off Justin Verlander, and, it made me think back to something that I once read about Cano and former Yankee Darryl Strawberry. Tyler Kepner wrote about it back in 2005:
When Cano signed with the Yankees in 2001 for a $150,000 bonus, it was a dream come true. Cano had spent his first three years of high school in Newark, and the Yankees were his favorite team. He went to one game at Yankee Stadium, sitting in the upper deck behind home plate.
Darryl Strawberry hit two home runs that day, Cano remembered, but his favorite player was Bernie Williams.
I'm guessing that game for Cano was July 24, 1998.
In any event, I've always felt that there was something about Cano's swing that reminded me of Darryl Strawberry's swing. I once mentioned this to a friend and he said "Yeah, I can see that. But, it's not on the Straw big homer buggy-whip swing. It's Strawberry's hitting a hard single swing. Yeah, on that swing I can see where Cano's swing would remind you of Darryl."
Has anyone else ever thought this too? Or, am I the only one who sees some Darryl Strawberry when Robinson Cano swings the bat?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:11 PM | Comments (2)
Today's Results Of Yanks '06 1st & 2nd Round Draft Picks
Including today, here are Joba Chamberlain's spring training stats to date for each time out:
IP H R ER HR BB SO NP-S 2.0 2 2 2 1 1 1 36-20 2.1 2 0 0 0 0 1 14-12 3.0 4 3 3 1 3 2 29-17
And, also including today, here are Ian Kennedy's spring training stats to date for each mound appearance:
IP H R ER HR BB SO NP-S 2.0 2 1 1 1 0 0 33-18 4.0 2 0 0 0 1 2 23-18 3.0 3 2 2 2 2 5 39-25
On average, both have been using about 11 pitches per inning this spring - Ian at 10.6 and Joba at 10.8 (per inning). That's really impressive. And, Kennedy has thrown 64% of his pitches for strikes whereas Chamberlain has thrown 62% of his pitches for strikes.
The biggest problems for Ian and Joba this spring, to date, have been the long balls that they've allowed. But, that's going to happen when you're around the plate so much. The key is, of course, not having many runners on base when you allow those homers.
So far, this spring, all things considered, Chamberlain and Kennedy have done pretty much what you would hope for...from two guys who were just drafted 21 months ago.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:20 PM | Comments (0)
It's Time For "Havok" Gardner To Shine?
Via Kat O'Brien:
Brett Gardner (batting .368 this spring) was 1-for-2 with a walk, two steals, a run scored and an RBI [in yesterday's game]. “He’s an exciting player,” Girardi said. “He creates havoc.”
Can we start calling Brett Gardner "Havok" now?
As the hardcore readers of this blog know, I've been tracking Gardner since June of 2005. And, I thought he had a chance to help the Yankees last season.
Brett's coming off a good Winter Arizona Fall League effort. He's not short on confidence and Brian Cashman likes him.
This all makes me wonder: Should the Yankees be working the phones with the Cubs (who need a center fielder) and the Giants (who need outfielders, period), or, perhaps with a team like the Padres (who may be interested in picking up an outfielder), and pitching Johnny Damon (in a trade) to make room for Gardner, now? Or, do you just wait for Damon to break down this season and then slide in Gardner at that point? The latter probably makes more sense.
Maybe it's the fanboy in me, but, I can see Brett Gardner helping the Yankees this season the way Robinson Cano helped in 2005, Melky Cabrera did in 2006, and Shelley Duncan did in 2007. He just needs a chance to play.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:22 AM | Comments (5)
March 14, 2008
Daddy Duncan Not Pleased - With Maddon
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, flush with the excitement of having a new million-dollar arm in camp, still has something to be furious about. The slow-burn coach, the longest serving pitching coach in baseball history, was irate with how son, Yankees first baseman Shelley Duncan, has been described after a slide that erupted the rivalry between Tampa Bay and the Yanks this past week.
“Borderline criminal” was how one baseball official put it.
And Duncan was simmering before his kid’s suspension was announced Friday.
“I don’t like the comments being made,” Papa Duncan told the media Thursday before discussing the pending arrival of Kyle Lohse. “He plays the game hard. He plays to win. He plays the way you want everybody to play.”
Dave Duncan said his son slid late, sure, but it was far from “dirty,” and the pitching coach fumed that a manager would dare to call another player “borderline criminal.” Duncan said there’s no place in the profession for public comments like that. He then went on to say that his boys — Shelley and Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan – learned to play the game to win. And that meant “slide for the glove and hope you knock the ball out.”
Chris Duncan stayed away from the topic when reporters asked — he has his own concerns, starting with a batting average that came in at .050 today and has since dropped with an 0-for-3. And, other Cardinals players told one report to take the controversy back to Tampa. Family ties won’t bring an AL East spat into the Cardinals’ clubhouse, nor into any game.
Still, comments aren’t forgotten. Especially not Maddon’s. The media will ask.
The Rays do visit St. Louis this summer.
Man, you don't want to mess with the Duncan Family!
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)
Phil Hughes Seeing Red Today
Phil Hughes was roughed up today by the Reds. Hughes faced 17 batters, only retired 8 of them, and allowed 4 runs in 2.2 innings pitched.
Just as I wasn’t ready to give Hughes the 2008 A.L. Cy Young Award based on his starts earlier this spring, I’m not ready to bury him on this game. It’s March 14th. There’s a very good chance this just may be a tired arm situation for Phil – that many pitchers endure in spring training.
I’m more interested in seeing Hughes’ next start and the one that follows. We’re probably looking at March 19th and March 24th as Hughes’ next two turns. These could be his last two spring starts before the regular season. Most baseball people in the know say that it’s only the last two weeks in spring training that you should count in terms of watching someone’s performance.
Let’s see how Phil Hughes does in those two starts. If they’re both like today, then it’s something to talk about. But, if he does fine in those games, well, then, today is just a blip on the radar and it means nothing.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 03:34 PM | Comments (4)
Scouts Love A-Rod, Cano, Mo & Joba
Click here to read the story. Click here to see who the scouts thought are baseball's best.
No love on this list for Derek Jeter, huh?
Posted by WW Staff at 12:28 PM | Comments (3)
March 13, 2008
Today's Billy-Crystal-Ball Special
There's no joy in Crystalville today. The Mighty Billy struck out.
And, Jeff Karstens didn't exactly have the best of days today, either.
However, Mike Mussina posted some good numbers in today's game. Granted, he was facing the shell of one of the worst teams in the National League. And, I think that's how it's going to roll for Moose this year. Put him up against the Red Sox or Tigers and he will get hit. But, against weaker teams he'll be able to spin it enough to get you a decent start - like today.
Posted by WW Staff at 04:23 PM | Comments (4)
Thunder A 16th Seed?
Darren Rovell is running his annual Minor League Baseball Logo Contest at CNBC.com. Being seeded at 16, it's going to be an uphill battle for the Trenton Thunder. So, what do you say Yankees fans? Can we help them out?
Posted by WW Staff at 03:54 PM | Comments (0)
Redesigned On-Field Premier Yankees Jacket
I was curious as to what Yankees fans thought about the new jackets that the team will be wearing on the field this season.
Click here to see a photo of the new style.
While I love my current Yankees jacket, it is about 8 or 9 years old now. And, I think I like the new one - and I might have to go out and get one.
Anyone else sort of getting into the new style for this year?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:46 PM | Comments (0)
Mientkiewicz Mid-May Return?
I just read where Doug Mientkiewicz is trying to play some outfield and third base for the Pirates this spring - in addition to his usual position.
It was not too long ago where I heard Michael Kay (on the The Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio - 1050 AM in NYC) tell a story where, supposedly, Mientkiewicz came to Brian Cashman this off-season, with his hat in hand, looking for a job. As Kay told it, Cash told Mientkiewicz that he was looking in another direction – to which Mientkiewicz, reportedly, told Cashman 'Just watch, you’re going to miss me; and, I’ll be back on your team by May 15th.’
Again, this was all per Kay, so, who knows? But, assuming it is true, it will be interesting to see if Mientkiewicz was right or not, once May 15th comes up on the calendar.
Posted by WW Staff at 11:56 AM | Comments (2)
It's The Yankees, On Line One...
I just got a message that "the Yankees" called me and wanted to get some feedback from me on my experience attending games last season. "Oh, boy, this is great!," I thought to myself as I dialed back the call back number that was left as part of the message.
Guess what?
It was the Staten Island Yankees who had called me, as I learned when I returned the call, and not the New York Yankees.
Still, it's a nice touch for them to reach out to their fans and see what works and what doesn't, in terms of the fan's experience at the park.
File this under: Something that the big league team can learn from their minor league team.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:15 AM | Comments (1)
March 12, 2008
Rays Not Happy With Duncan
Marc Lancaster of the Rays Report has all the juicy quotes from the Tampa players on Shelley's Slide.
Posted by WW Staff at 03:46 PM | Comments (17)
The Brawl Game In St. Pete Today
Via Mark Feinsand:
Heath Phillips, starting in place of an injured Andy Pettitte, was ejected with two outs in the first after brushing Rays third baseman Evan Longoria across the chest with a pitch.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi argued the ejection, but home plate umpire Chad Fairchild stood by his decision.
Shelley Duncan led off the top of the second with a base hit to left field, which he tried to stretch into a double. With the throw beating him easily to second, Duncan came sliding hard into second baseman Akinori Iwamura, leading with his spikes.
Second-base ump Charlie Reliford immediately ejected Duncan, who had made some thinly veiled comments a few days ago about ratcheting up the intensity of the spring games against the Rays after watching Tampa Bay infielder Elliot Johnson bowl over Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli last weekend, fracturing Cervelli’s wrist.
With Duncan still on the ground following his hard slide, Rays right fielder Jonny Gomes sprinted in and jumped on Duncan, prompting both benches to clear. The two teams tangled around second base for a few minutes, though it didn’t appear any punches were thrown.
Duncan and Gomes were ejected, as were Yankees third-base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Kevin Long.
Remember Rico Bergman? I think we need to start calling Shelley Duncan "Kong Hustle" going forward - because he's built like Dave "Kong" Kingman and plays like Pete "Charlie Hustle" Rose.
You don't want to mess with one of Kong Hustle's homies, because, if you do, you will answer to Kong Hustle, it appears.
Posted by WW Staff at 02:25 PM | Comments (8)
Allard On-Air Tomorrow With Camp Talk
Phil Allard of WCBS Newsradio 880 will be doing a (mid-March) update about the Yankees Spring Training camp, tomorrow, at 7 pm ET, as part of his bi-monthly show on Gotham Baseball Live. Click here for more details.
Posted by WW Staff at 02:10 PM | Comments (0)
Alex Rios
Ever watch someone who plays for another team and get that feeling that says "Someday, this guy is going to be on the Yankees"?
Sometimes, guys end up playing for the Yankees and it's someone that you never expected would play for them. Players like John Montefusco, Lee Mazzilli, Mike Easler, Jack Clark, Gaylord Perry, Ken Holtzman, John Olerud, Mark Whiten, Tim Foli, John Mayberry, Darryl Strawberry, Phil Niekro, Tom Brookens, Jesse Barfield, Spike Owen, Aurelio Rodriguez, Rondell White, Tony Fernandez, Rafael Santana, Omar Moreno, Claudell Washington and Steve Sax come to mind. And, such a list can go a lot longer.
But, for me, everyone once in a while, I see someone and think "I don't know how, or when, but, it just feels like this guy is going to end up in the Bronx someday playing for the Yankees."
It doesn't always work out. I used to feel that way about Harold Baines - and it never happened.
Yet, whenever I see Alex Rios, I think he's going to end up with the Yanks at some point in the future. I know that Rios is not eligible for free agency until after the 2010 season - and that's three long years from now. And, it's not like the Yankees and Blue Jays are best trading buddies. So, the "how" part here is a tough nut.
But, who knows? Maybe Rios has a huge 2008 and the Jays decide that dealing with him in salary arbitration is too much and the Yankees, needing a right-fielder after Abreu, make Toronto an offer that they cannot refuse? Stranger things have happened.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:50 AM | Comments (5)
What's In A Name?
Moshe Mandel over at the Bronx Block is having a "Name The Three Kids Contest" and is offering a Yankees DVD set and Yankees tickets for the best suggestion.
If anyone goes with "Leiter, Arnsberg and Fulton," I want to split the prize with you if you win.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)
Cashman On Brackman
Via John Harper -
"You saw what David Price did, right?" Cashman was saying Tuesday. "Well, up until April of last year, the question in the industry was who was going to be the No.1 pick, Price or Brackman.
"So as much as the talk was about Price that day, I was thinking, 'I can't wait until our guy has a chance to get out there and feature the stuff he has.' Because he was neck-and-neck with Price until he hurt his arm, and I believe we'll see that same kind of talent when he comes back."
"It will just take a little more of what we've been asking for around here," Cashman said. "And that's patience."
"He wasn't even on our radar until the injury because he was going to go so high," Cashman said. "That allowed us to have a chance, and we knew he'd probably need Tommy John surgery, but we've had a history of success with guys who had it done, and there's a 92% success rate with it throughout baseball, so we decided to go ahead and take him.
"My feeling is we're the Yankees and we should be very aggressive in going after the best amateur talent, even if it comes with some risk."
This is an interesting concept. I don't know where Cash gets his "92% success rate" on TJ surgery cases - so, I cannot confirm it or contest it.
I found a very recent feature that says "Today, the success rate for Tommy John surgery is about 85 percent, with pitchers following a rehabilitation timeline not all that different from the one John used during 1975."
In any event, I would like to see that broken down to "success rate" on proven major league pitchers and "success rate" on amateur pitchers - which Brackman really is, at this point, since he's yet to throw a real pitch in a professional game.
This is just a gut feel thing - but, I would bet that the "success rate" is higher on guys with professional track records over guys who had it in High School or College. Again, this is not based on fact. It just seems that, if someone's ulnar collateral ligament is ready to blow at such a young age, without all the pressure of the innings logged as a professional, it's a sign that we're not dealing with the greatest wing in the world here.
Without the benefit of any study and/or data, this is all just words in the wind...and I admit that, freely. Perhaps someone has already studied this? It would be a nice report to see...and apply it to Brackman's case.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:54 AM | Comments (2)
March 11, 2008
Verducci: 5 Breakout Pitchers For '08
Tom Verducci, today, lists "5 pitchers who could make a big jump in 2008" and none of them are named Wang, Hughes, Chamberlain or Kennedy.
Oh, what a house of pain....
("Jump" around...get it?)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:07 PM | Comments (7)
Rocks: Zero Chance On Fuentes
Via the Denver Post -
Reliever Brian Fuentes also is attracting interest, with the Yankees keeping an eye on him. They had a scout at Monday's game as Fuentes threw a scoreless fifth inning.
Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd confirmed Monday there is "zero chance" he would trade the setup man right now.
This is a shame, for the Yankees, if true. Fuentes is a pretty good pitcher. And, he's good against both lefties and righties. He would be a solid pick-up for the Yankees bullpen.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:05 PM | Comments (0)
All In A Day's Wang
Today, down in Tampa, Worm Killer Wang started an exhibition contest for the Yankees, against the Blue Jays, and faced 13 batters - going 3.2 innings. Eight of the 11 outs he recorded were retired via ground balls (including a DP). The other two outs were a strikeout and flyball. (He also have up two hits and two walks.)
Fear not for the Wanger at this moment. All looks good in Worm-Killer-Land today.
Posted by WW Staff at 02:49 PM | Comments (2)
SNY's Salfino: Projecting Yanks
Michael Salfino of SNY.tv takes a stab at "Projecting the Yanks' lineup" this season.
It's a nice examination of Bill James, PECOTA, and ZiPS projections on some key Yankees.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:25 PM | Comments (4)
Filling Out The Yankees Roster
Pete Caldera on the Yankees roster:
At the start of business Monday morning, there were 16 legitimate reliever candidates inside the Yankees' clubhouse at Legends Field.
Opening day is in less than three weeks, and manager Joe Girardi believes that the battles among relievers and extra men could be waged until the final hours.
Shelley Duncan entered Monday with a .500 batting average (8-for-16), with nine RBI and was leading the Grapefruit League in slugging percentage. Next door to Ensberg's locker, old friend and former Astro Jason Lane was batting .312 (5-for-16), with a double, triple and home run.
If Girardi carries only Wilson Betemit as a backup middle infielder, there would be room for Ensberg, a career third baseman who is now making the transition to first base.
But the Yankees also like Lane, 31, another non-roster veteran slugger who is looked at mostly as an outfielder.
Duncan's spot is secure, though how he'll be used -- with a healthy Jason Giambi starting the bulk of games at first base -- is something of a mystery.
If Betemit is the lone extra middle infielder, it would cancel the candidacies of non-roster infielders Nick Green, Cody Ransom, Bernie Castro and Chris Woodward, who entered Monday with a .529 batting average (9-for-17), but had two errors in seven games.
With the relievers, Girardi said he hasn't seen much separation from his power right-handers. But he really won't be looking that deeply until the final 7-10 days of camp.
Sean Henn, who is out of options, is being pushed to the limit by Billy Traber, the non-roster lefty who could stick as a specialist.
There might be two spots to fill among Jonathan Albaladejo, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens, Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras and Bruney.
If Duncan has made the team, then you don't need Lane. And, you probably could then also consider Woodward over Ensberg - but, I would like to see the Yankees keep two righty bats, like Duncan and Ensberg, so that they can sit both Abreu and Giambi against tough lefties.
Traber or Henn? That's easy - if Traber is healthy, you have to give him the nod, even if it means losing Henn.
I think Karstens gets a bullpen spot - since Girardi has said he likes having a long man in the pen. As far as the last spot in the rotation, between Albaladejo, Ohlendorf, Ramirez, Veras and Bruney, man, that's a tough call. I don't think anyone can make a prediction there at this stage of the spring.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:51 AM | Comments (2)
March 10, 2008
Yanks Checking Out Blanton?
Via the San Francisco Chronicle:
A Yankees scout was at Sunday's game tracking Joe Blanton, a subject of trade rumors. "Until any trade happens, I can't worry about it," Blanton said.
Man, I dunno. When you look at the last two seasons, it seems like 2005 was a fluke for Blanton. Granted, he'll get you 30+ starts and 200 innings - and, that's awesome. But, at what price - in terms of what you have to give up to get him? Making a one-year offer to Kyle Lohse seems to make more sense than giving up prospects for Joe Blanton.
Via The Bill James Gold Mine 2008:
"The overall team winning percentage for pitchers making less than 20 starts is .439; for pitchers making less than ten starts it's .411 (data covers 2005-1007). The great value in a Livan Hernandez is that he minimizes the games you have to give to those spot starters who are generally going to get you a loss."
Kyle Lohse and Joe Blanton fit the Livan Hernandex profile too. But, again, if you have to give up prospects to get Blanton, then just sign Lohse.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:49 PM | Comments (1)
A-Rod: Jeter & I On The Honeymoon Again
Is that Ed Norton I hear on the piano, getting loose with Swanee River? A-Rod, on WFAN yesterday, via Kat O'Brien on his relationship with Jeter:
As for his relationship with Derek Jeter, [Alex] said: "I'll give it an A, A+. We're on the honeymoon again ... Things have been really good. It reminds me a little bit of our old days, back when we were kids."
This backs-up a George King report from February 23rd.
I asked Seth Maxwell if he thought the concept of Alex and Derek being on their honeymoon was gross and he said "That's not gross! [Bleep], gross is when you go to kiss your grandpa good night and he sticks his tongue down your throat. That's gross!"
Who am I to argue with that? Party on Alex and Derek.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)
The Doings Down In Tampa This Evening
Nice effort by Ian Kennedy in the game this evening against the Reds. You really can't ask for more than that - at this stage of the spring.
And, Joba Chamberlain in this game? Simple: Too many pitches per batter. He was supposed to go three or four innings tonight and only made it through two and a third. Not that it's a huge cause for concern - now. But, you want to see better from him during his next appearance. If not, then you can start to get concerned - but, just a little bit, and, not a lot (yet).
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:46 PM | Comments (2)
Inside Access Derek Jeter DVD
ESPN Inside Access--Derek Jeter (DVD) will be released on April 15, 2008. The skinny:
ESPN Inside Access grants fans an unprecedented look into the lives of sports living legends. Witness Mr. November's greatness first-hand in this in-depth and unique profile of Yankees All-Star Derek Jeter. Lauded for his signature moments, including The Flip and The Dive, and cheered for his stats and on-field heroics (career batting average of .317, three Gold Gloves, two Silver Slugger Awards), Derek Sanderson Jeter has risen to MLB superstardom. Since making his big league debut in 1995, Jeter has led the Yankees with his bat, his glove and a champion's will. The only player in MLB history to win MVP of both the All-Star Game and the World Series in the same year (2000), the All-Star shortstop has guided his team to four World Series titles in five appearances and has been in the playoffs every year of his career. Filled with rare footage of Jeter's minor league stint with the Columbus Clippers, interviews with family, teammates and broadcasters, exciting MLB footage, and funny off-the-field appearances on such shows as Saturday Night Live, witness the Yankees captain as you never have before. Go beyond the diamond to understand why Derek Jeter, in the tradition of such legends as Mantle, DiMaggio and Ruth, is the Yankees next great legacy.
Betcha all those "Past-a-diving Jeter" clips got left on the cutting room floor.
Posted by WW Staff at 04:37 PM | Comments (1)
Should I Stop Hoping?
Mets Geek has an interesting interview posted with Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch. (Hat tip to MetsBlog on that one.)
It's funny, Hoch grew up a big Mets fan, and is covering the Yankees. Meanwhile, Peter Abraham grew up following the Red Sox and he also covers the Yankees. Maybe there's no hope for a Yankees fan to cover the Yankees in the media someday?
Posted by WW Staff at 02:28 PM | Comments (1)
Duncan Sends Message To Rays
Is Shelley Duncan turning into our own little Kevin Millar circa '04? Via Mark Feinsand -
"What it does is it opens another chapter of intensity in the spring training ballgames," Duncan said Sunday about the incident in Saturday's game between the Yankees and Rays. "They showed what is acceptable to them and how they're going to play the game, so we're going to go out there to match their intensity - or even exceed it."
"There's going to be no malicious evil intent in terms of carryover, but it just adds a different type of fire to your gut when you play that team because you understand how they're playing the game and what their mind-set is," Duncan said.
Good for Duncan to lay this out on the line. Last season, the Yankees went 10-8 against the Rays. Considering how much Tampa Bay is improved now, it won't hurt the Yankees to turn up the intensity dial when they face the Rays this season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:36 AM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2008
Hughes Remains Scoreless This Spring
Another good outing today for Phil Hughes. So far, this spring, Hughes has not allowed a hit or run in five innings worth of work. And, related, fans of Phil are elated. Then again, also with his work today, Kei Igawa remains perfect on the spring - not allowing a hit or run in four innings of work.
Spring training stats are tricky. Last spring, Igawa fashioned an ERA of 2.65 in 17 innings worth of work - and we all know how his regular season went down.
The true test for Hughes, and Igawa as well, begins now. Phil's next three starts will be closer to regular season action - as opposed to the line-ups that he's faced to date and the conditioning of their batters.
Personally, I'll be rooting for Hughes to keep up the great work - because that would be great news for the Yankees. Over the next three weeks, we'll see if my hopes come true or not.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:58 PM | Comments (6)
Yanks Scoping Out Damaso Marte?
Kevin from Queens asked recently, via e-mail:
What's the latest with the Yankees and southpaw Damaso Marte? I read rumors about a potential trade with the Pirates during Winter Meetings but have not heard much since. He seems like an ideal arm to add to the bullpen and would make Joba's transition from reliever to starter much smoother. Any chance this could still happen or am I just dreaming? What do you think the Pirates would demand in return?
According to Nick Cafardo this morning, "The Yankees are looking far and wide for a lefthanded reliever. According to scouts, they have their eyes on Pittsburgh's Damaso Marte and Colorado's Brian Fuentes."
So, it appears that Marte is still on the Yankees radar - as he was last December and the December before that.
My guess is that the Yankees want to see Marte throw some more this spring while also figuring out if Billy Traber has some value, before making a move on the Pirates' lefty.
And, the cost? Marte is signed for this season and the Pirates have an option on him for 2009 as well. So, this would not be a situation where the Pirates have to trade him or risk losing him for nothing at the end of the season. That said, I don't think it would take a "blue chip" pitching prospect to get him - like Alan Horne. But, it would not shock me to see the Pirates ask for someone like Dan McCutchen, Jeffrey Marquez, or George Kontos in combination with a position propsect like Damon Sublett, Josue Calzado or Jose Pirela.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:01 AM | Comments (3)
March 08, 2008
Rays Elliot Johnson Injures Yanks Francisco Cervelli
Elliot Johnson signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2002 - out of high school. In his six seasons in the minors, to date, he's fashioned a lifetime batting average of .250 with an OPS of .702 (in 2,205 AB). He's played second base during most of his minor league career. He'll be 24-years old, tomorrow.
During the top of the ninth inning of today's exhibition game between the Rays and the Yankees, Johnson attempted to barrel over Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli as he tried to score a Willy Aybar double. Johnson lowered his right shoulder into Cervelli and the impact resulted in a fractured right wrist for the Yankees catching prospect.
Johnson's reaction on the play, via mlb.com -
"I'm not trying to hurt anybody, especially in a Spring Training game," Johnson said. "I hope he doesn't lose his job. But I'm trying to show these guys what I can do. I'm just trying to score the run. Looking back on it, I'd have to say I'd probably do the same thing."
"With the time that I had there, the instinct was to slide and be out, or hit him and see if I could pop the ball loose," Johnson said.
You don't have to be a genius to figure out what this is all about on this play. In summary, you have a player who is an absolute non-prospect trying to make an impression that his team will notice. And, it seemed to work. Note Rays manager Joe Maddon from the same mlb.com report:
"I loved the hardball," Maddon said. "We're playing it hard, we're playing it right. It was a bang-bang play at the plate. I couldn't tell exactly where the catcher was in regard to the plate. He was trying to score a run right there, and that was part of the game."
General Joe is not happy about it. Via Ed Price:
Yankees manager Joe Girardi: "I think it's uncalled for. I'm all for playing hard, but I don't think it's the time (of year) when you run over a catcher. ... He's got to go get X-rays, from a spring-training game. I don't understand it. During the season, I'm all for it. It happens in the season. I understand that. As a (former) catcher, I understand that. Spring training -- I don't believe in it."
Was it just good ol' fashioned "hardball"? Or, was it a "bush league play"? I'm sure the Rays are convinced of the former and many Yankees think it's the latter.
This will be an interesting test for Joe Girardi. If this had happened in Yankeeland, under Joe Torre in the post-Zimmer era, Torre would have been upset, voiced his opinion, and then settled down over a nice warm cup of green tea. And, that would have been the end of it.
Will Joe Girardi elect to turn the other cheek and allow this to quell down and fade to black ala' Torre? Or, should the Rays batters be on their toes the next time the Yankees face them?
The Yankees will visit the Rays in their spring training camp next Wednesday - and I believe that Andy Pettitte will start that game for the Yankees. If I had to make a guess at this point, I would offer that, at some point in this game, a Rays batter gets a fastball in the thigh.
Just a message to Joe Maddon and the Rays as to what "hardball" is really all about.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:08 PM | Comments (24)
March 07, 2008
Billy Traber Tales
Tyler Kepner and Peter Abraham feature stories on Billy Traber this evening. (For the record, Ken Davidoff wrote about Traber 11 days ago.)
Back on February 24, 2008, I suggested that Traber had a shot to make the Yankees pen this season.
The last time the Yankees had a highly effective lefty in their pen was 2001 (Mike Stanton). Granted, last season, Ron Villone and Mike Myers were not terrible for New York - but, it's not like they were stellar. (You could also say that Chris Hammond was good for the Yankees in 2003 - but, he was not like Mike Stanton was in 2001.)
To be candid, it's been a long time since the Yankees had a lefty in their pen who posted a season like Hideki Okajima (in Boston) or Rafael Perez (in Cleveland) did last year. You'd probably have to go back to Dave Righetti in 1986. But, considering we've been seeing guys like Sean Henn, Gabe White, and Felix Heredia fail in Yankeeland (as lefty relievers) over the past few seasons, if Traber can be better than Villone and Myers (last season) - even if not as good as Hideki Okajima and Rafael Perez (also last season) - I think the Yankees will consider him to be a "find."
From 2001 through 2003, Billy Traber kept an on-line journal at "At The Yard." In that respect, Traber was sort of the Phil Hughes of his time. (How freaky will it be if, in March of 2012, we find ourselves talking about Phil Hughes' chances to win a job in some team's bullpen and reflecting on him having a blog back in 2008?)
In any event, Traber has the Yankees attention at this time - without question. If he keeps doing what he's doing, he should be on the team come March 31st.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:06 PM | Comments (1)
Tony Roth Update
Via Our Sports Central -
The Southern Illinois Miners have acquired infielder Tony Roth from the Evansville Otters in exchange for first baseman Scott Simon and a player to be named later.
Roth hit .378 with a .439 on base percentage in 10 games with the Otters in 2007. The former Yankees prospect spent the majority of the 2007 season with the Texas Rangers organization where he advanced as high as Triple-A.
"Tony is the definition of a 'gamer'," Miners Manager Mike Pinto said. "He can play excellent defense at multiple positions on the infield, and he plays the game all-out all the time. His ability to hit to all fields and his strike zone discipline gives us a lot of options. We really liked what we saw in him on the field against us at the end of last season. He is a great addition to the Miners lineup and I believe he has the skills to be an all-star caliber player for us."
Tony Roth never really had much of a chance in the Yankees system. He was a 2B at Creighton and was signed as a non-drafted free agent (NDFA) by New York in 2005. Maybe the "tools" are not there - but, he seems like a true "ballplayer." I hope he does well in the Indy league and gets another chance in an affiliated chain somewhere.
Posted by WW Staff at 01:10 PM | Comments (2)
And You Think Girardi Is Tough?
From the K.C. Star -
It didn’t matter Thursday that Ryan Shealy had just hit a game-ending homer for a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Surprise Stadium. Or that the Royals had just won their fourth game in a row. Or even that it’s just spring training.
Hillman had seen too many base-running mistakes earlier in the game.
His solution was to gather the entire team at the plate for what amounted to a 15-minute lecture in full view of the Diamondbacks and the departing crowd of 5,539. Hillman then spent another 10 minutes in discussion with veteran second baseman Mark Grudzielanek near third base before initiating his postgame news conference at the dugout.
“I was just talking about running the bases,” Hillman told reporters. “We had a couple of mistakes today. I’m not displeased. We won the ballgame.
“We’ve got to run the bases the right way all of the time. And today, we had a couple of mistakes. We could have been in a better position.”
Hillman declined to elaborate and soon ended discussion of the matter by replying, “Done,” to a follow-up question.
I wonder if this will come up on the next weekly Cashman-Hillman call?
Posted by WW Staff at 09:55 AM | Comments (0)
Gennaro: Joba's ROI Higher In Rotation
Via Vince Gennaro through Yahoo! Sports -
By placing Chamberlain in the starting rotation versus the bullpen, the Yankees stand to gain more than $24 million in value over the next six years before he is eligible for free agency.
The value could be even greater when we consider that a commitment to a No. 3 starter via free-agency would come in the form of a multi-year contract, which is fraught with injury risk. Chamberlain could be retained on a series of one-year contracts, minimizing the Yankees’ exposure to risk of a catastrophic injury. Should he perform at the level of a No. 2 starter, he would be worth about $50 million versus a setup role.
In a study like this, rather than use the factor of how much money the Yankees will save with Joba in the rotation over a high-priced vet, I would like to see something that factors in the value of the relief pitcher with respect to his contribution towards wins - perhaps factoring in Leverage Index - and then put a dollar sign on what wins mean to the team, in the bottom line.
Is there value, outside of salary saved, for the Yankees to have Chamberlain make 20 beautiful starts in a season and then have half of those gems turned into losses because the team lacked quality arms in the pen (such as his)?
For me, it always comes down to that golden rule in baseball: Every season, with the exception of maybe the 1962 Mets or 1998 Yankees, every team in baseball is going to win 60 games, no matter what, and every team in baseball is going to lose 60 games, no matter what - and, it's what you do in those remaining 40 games that will make or break your season.
A team needs to do whatever it takes to win as many of those 40 games as possible. And, if that means applying your resources in a manner that's best aligned for success, regardless of the salary savings or lack thereof, then that's what a team should do, no?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:42 AM | Comments (4)
March 06, 2008
Midgeball Unraveled
Kenneth Chang of the Times uses mathematics to explain mysterious midge behavior. I'm still a little causality loopy from reading it. But, I'm guessing, now, after learning more about midges, that Joba Chamberlain must taste like one great big sweet diatom.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:42 PM | Comments (0)
Heyman: Lohse Moose Insurance?
From Jon Heyman today -
Mike Mussina said his recent spring pasting is no cause for alarm. But scouts aren't so sure. They saw a fastball in name only, down from the high 80s to the mid or even low 80s and a continuing belief that he's nearing the end.
The Yankees would be better off keeping Joba Chamberlain in the pen, which would keep their fantastic late-game combo intact. But to do that, they'll need not only youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to come through, but also Mussina to remain viable. Or they'll need to look into the free-agent market, which is a lot better then one might suspect at this point. They could sign Kyle Lohse, who's still available. Or if they don't mind waiting, they could try for Freddy Garcia, a past ace who's hoping to be back from shoulder trouble by midsummer.
Kyle Lohse? Man, that rings a bell. Did you know that the Phillies went 9-2 in the 11 games that Lohse started for them last year from August 2nd through September 26th? Granted, his ERA was 4.84 in those 11 starts - but, at least he kept his team in those important games.
But, who needs a Loshe in the wings when you've got Kei Igawa ready to step into the rotation when needed? (Yes, my tongue is firmly placed in my cheek when I say this.)
Posted by WW Staff at 03:45 PM | Comments (15)
Why We Do What We Do
Steven Kotler of Psychology Today Blogs tells us that Luis Tiant was not lying back in 1979 when he said, as he took a bite from his Yankees Frank, "It's great to be with a weiner!"
But, then again, this doesn't explain all those people who became Yankees fans from the mid-60's to the mid-70's, does it?
Posted by WW Staff at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)
Cashman Talks About How The Yanks Roll These Days
Via the Pioneer Press:
And the irony of Cashman's position — that the Yankees, who could have afforded Santana's enormous contract, were better off keeping prospects Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes and Melky Cabrera — is that he was following the example of another organization that tries to grow its own future stars.
The Twins.
"Absolutely. We've tried to learn a lot from the way the Twins operate; they've done an exceptional job for years," Cashman said. "They've kicked our (butt) in the amateur (scouting) department for a decade or more."
Adding Santana to the Yankees' roster would've made a great deal of sense, Cashman admitted. He just wishes they had done it eight years ago.
"My philosophy is, we should have been as smart as Minnesota and drafted him as a Rule 5 guy (in 2000)," said Cashman, the Yankees' general manager since 1998. "See, that's where we need to be better. That's the time we should have gotten him. Not now, not when the price is over $100 million and some of our best prospects."
The Twins under Andy MacPhail, Terry Ryan and now Smith always have done business like that. In their case, emphasizing scouting and development is an economic decision as much as a philosophical one, but Cashman says he has a new Twins-like appreciation for the value of drafting well. Cheap young talent is the most valuable commodity in the game, and it doesn't make sense not to pursue it, he said.
"There are a lot of things going on in New York that can make us lose sight of that. There's always the next big-ticket free agent coming on the market," said Cashman, who signed Alex Rodriguez to a contract worth $275 million in December. "For too long, we were using only one tool — writing a big check. We're going to be a lot better off in the long run if we are more successful on the front end — the draft, international players, the amateurs. And Minnesota is excellent at the front end, by necessity."
But Cashman cites several successes over the past few seasons — turning over second base to Robinson Cano, promoting Cabrera when Hideki Matsui was injured rather than making a trade, and passing up Eric Gagne at the trade deadline last season in favor of trying untested Joba Chamberlain — that strengthened his resolve to hang on to the team's top youngsters, and its draft picks.
"Everyone said, this guy (Cabrera) can't play defense. And now we have an everyday center fielder that our fan base has fallen in love with," Cashman said. "People said (of Chamberlain), 'What a joke. They're going to try this kid nobody's ever heard of. They don't know what they're doing.' And now Joba is a big name.
"It seems like Minnesota is forced to build from within like this, and you know what? Some guys really step up."
Terry Ryan, in his time with the Twins, set the gold-standard for what a baseball G.M. should be...in terms of success. Someone should write a book about what was going on in Minnesota from 2001 through 2006 (and what led up to that). If Cashman wants to model his game after another G.M., he couldn't have made a better choice than Ryan.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:48 AM | Comments (3)
March 05, 2008
Juggernaut Duncan Gaining Momentum
General Joe on Shelley Duncan, via Kat O'Brien -
"Very impressive," manager Joe Girardi said. "[Duncan's] been patient at the plate. He's gotten good pitches to hit. He's done everything that you can ask a man to do. He's trying to earn playing time."
"He's taking advantage, and he's a ball of energy," Girardi said. "He's ready to play all the time, no matter what time of day it is."
Repeating what I wrote last July - what's not to like about Shelley Duncan's approach and attitude?
When you consider the way Abreu and Giambi have issues with left-handed pitching, of late, there's got to be a way to get Duncan on the Opening Day roster and see if he can help the team this season.
It's been a while since the Yankees have had someone on the roster with the kamikaze-play-style like Shelley. If the Diamondback's Eric Byrnes can be called Captain America, maybe we can start calling Shelley Duncan "The Juggernaut?"
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:37 PM | Comments (1)
Twins Defeat Yanks Today
Oh, well, there goes the undefeated spring training record for this year.
Posted by WW Staff at 04:37 PM | Comments (0)
The Battle For Yanks Super Utility Player
Ed Price has a feature today in the Star Ledger on the battle between Nick Green, Cody Ransom and Chris Woodward to be the Yankees super-utility player this season.
Since all three of these players can play anywhere on the diamond north of the pitcher's mound, the man with the best bat should get the nod.
However, when it comes to players that rarely play, it's not fair to judge them by their batting average - as it's tough to fashion a good average when you do not consistently appear in games.
In this case, something like Secondary Average - which is the stat that measures those offensive components that are not measured in batting average - might be a better tool to compare these players. The formula for this is [(TB-H+BB+SB)/AB]. The suggestion here is that a good Secondary Average might be an indicator that the player is capable of a big hit, walk, or steal in a spot - and that's exciting out of a bench player.
Here are the career Secondary Average marks for the three:
Chris Woodward: .217 in 1,774 PA
Nick Green: .193 in 799 PA
Cody Ransom: .264 in 163 PA
That's a very small sample size on Ransom - and you have to wonder if the .264 mark is a real number for him. So, for me, I think the true battle here is between Woodward and Green.
The Yankees have issued Woodward #11 this spring - and Green was given #12. This suggests that the brass may consider them both as having a legit shot at making the team. (For the record, Cody Ransom was issued #60.)
Nick Green has shown a better ability to hit left-handed pitching - compared to Woodward. But, like the numbers on Ransom, it's over a small sample size. Chris Woodward has a huge edge over Green in terms of big league experience.
It would not shock me to see Woodward get the nod over Green (because of the experience factor) - with the latter then going down to Triple-A to start the season there.
Then again, if guys like Morgan Ensberg and Shelley Duncan both make the Yankees team this year, there will be no room for guys like Woodward or Green.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:08 PM | Comments (8)
March 04, 2008
The Old Soft Shoe Dances No More In The Bronx
Via an ESPN.com feature by Bob Klapisch:
Mike Mussina seemed to be speaking for the entire team when he said, "We loved Joe [Torre], but we all knew things had to be different. Especially the guys who've been here a while and haven't won, we were very disappointed at the way things had been going."
No one says so in quite so many words, but the Yankees had become comfortable with Torre, perhaps too much so. It didn't help that the Yankees hardly ran at all last spring -- "We learned you have to do more than take grounders and BP and then hit the showers," Mussina said -- which left the team unprepared by Opening Day.
Looking back now, Torre says, "I think change was probably best for both parties." But how was Girardi going to win over Torre's captain, Derek Jeter, rebels Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi, and a clubhouse intellectual like Mussina?
Girardi has done it by mingling with players, which Torre did less and less in his later years, choosing to leave the policing to Jeter. Damon says, "Joe [Girardi] walks in here and he asks for your opinion, he asks how you're feeling, he gives you the feeling that what you think matters."
...No one says so in quite so many words, but the Yankees had become comfortable with Torre, perhaps too much so...
I cannot say that I disagree with that. After the 2006 ALDS, I wrote:
Joe Torre had never been to the mountain top prior to 1996. Then, he lived on top of the mountain for several years to follow. In 2001, Torre fell off the mountain. And, while Joe has tried to re-climb the mountain several times now - over the last 5 years - it's just not happening for him and his camp. As the Times author wrote "the magic he once wielded" has "disappeared."
It's time for new blood in Yankeeland. The old blood is tired.
If Brian Cashman and the Yankees felt the same way after 2006, and Torre was let go, I wonder if 2007 would have been different for the Yankees - and maybe the Red Sox too.
In any event, it's clear that General Joe is not short on hunger and energy - and, hopefully, that will rub off on the players this season as well.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:17 PM | Comments (3)
Two Angles On The Same Game Today
Both the Journal News and the Toronto Star are live blogging the "big" game in Dunedin today.
It's interesting to note the difference in angles and styles here. Compare the top of the second inning:
From Peter Abraham of the Journal:
Jorge Posada grounded to second. Shelley (5 for 8 in spring training) doubled to left. The Melkman followd with a ground single into left. Shelley was steaming around third and had Gregg Zaun lined up. Fortunately for Zaun and his ribs, left fielder Shannon Stewart kicked the ball around and there was no play at the plate. 1-0 Yankees.
Now it’s starting to rain harder.
Castro grounded into a force. Damon then lined to left. Vernon Wells made a nice sliding catch.
From Cathal Kelly of the Star:
1:23 - After frightening the beejeezus out of a Knology security guard with a hard-hit foul, Jorge Posada grounds out 4-3.
1:25 - Shelley Duncan rips one into left-field just beyond Shannon Stewart. Duncan runs the bases like he's being chased.
1:26 - Cabrera rips one foul in the general direction of where my car is parked. Pray for me, people. I took the damage deductible.
1:27 - From now on, all bat work will be referred to as ripping. I should add that Duncan was in with a double.
1:28 - Cabrera knocks a grounder into left-field. Stewart bobbles it. Duncan scores. 1-0 Yanks. Cabrera on first. One out.
"Crowds are getting heavier now," Fidlin says. The Doppler said that would happen. Oh wait, here it comes. Spike Lee attempted to weather the storm for "about 10 seconds", Sandler says. The game continues while the crowd flees.
Baseball's come a long way, huh? Back in 1989, you'd be happy to get week-old regular season stats when The Sporting News showed up in your mailbox. Today, we have media members offering live play-by-play text from Spring Training games. My, how times have changed.
Update, 1:46 pm EST: Well, so much for that - the game was called due to rain after one and a half. Looks like neither Peter or Cathal will be getting carpal tunnel over this one today.
Update, 3:32 pm EST: Spoke too soon on that one! Looks like they started up again with this game around 2:35 pm ET. And, they played for another hour, thereabouts, before finally pulling the plug.
Hey, it turns out that Kei Igawa is a mudder! [Insert your Abbott & Costello "The Noose Hangs High" joke here.]
Posted by WW Staff at 01:31 PM | Comments (6)
Doing It In Dunedin
Whether you call it hopes, dreams, aspirations or fancies, for Yankees fans, you’ll see both extremes of “it” on the mound today during New York’s exhibition game with the Blue Jays – as both Phil Hughes and Kei Igawa are slated to pitch for the Yankees.
Hughes will start and go 2 or 3 innings – depending on his pitch count – and Igawa will follow. If Hughes goes three, it could help Igawa as some of the Jays’ regulars may be leaving the game by the time Kei is getting his work in today.
It will be interesting to see how both these pitchers throw today – even if it’s just an exhibition game, and, a very early game in the spring training season, at that.
Either they’ll both pitch well, or not. Or, one will pitch well and the other will not.
If both pitch well, Yankees fans will be happy. If Hughes shines and Igawa does not, most in Yankeeland will still be happy with that. If both struggle, Yankees fans will probably just write it off. But, what happens if Hughes gets cuffed around today and Igawa is lights-out?
In the end, that latter scenario probably means nothing – because it is very early in the spring. But, it would set the stage for an interesting next appearance for the two – to see if Hughes struggles in back-to-back games and if Igawa can post good outings two times in a row. And, if both of those things happen, then appearance after the next one gets even more interesting.
But, that’s getting way ahead of things here. In all likelihood, Hughes will be fine today and Igawa, well, let’s just say the ball boys in Dunedin better be ready to give the umps plenty of new balls in case some of them start leaving the park when Kei is throwing.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:25 AM | Comments (6)
Mister Rivera
Bill James noted this in the "The Bill James Gold Mine 2008" -
Were Mo Rivera and Henry Fonda separated at birth?
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the image:
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:40 AM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2008
Moose In Spring Time
Mike Mussina got banged around a bit in his spring training game today. It’s hard to tell when it comes to Moose and his spring stats. See the following:
Season S.T. ERA ST. IP Reg. RSAA 2002 5.57 21.0 7 2003 2.37 19.0 23 2004 9.00 8.0 -3 2005 3.81 26.0 1 2006 7.32 19.7 18 2007 3.79 19.0 -8
In 2002, he was hit hard during exhibitions and had an O.K. year.
In 2003, he was great both in the spring and regular season.
In 2004, he had a rough spring and regular season.
In 2005, he had a good spring and an average season.
In 2006, he was hit hard during exhibitions and had a very good year.
In 2007, he had a good spring and rough season.
So, in the last 6 years, he’s had three good springs that only led to one good season. And, he’s had three rough springs but two times they led to good seasons. Basically, when it comes to Mussina, you have to throw the spring stats out the window – unless his ERA is way below three or way above eight, I suppose.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 02:59 PM | Comments (2)
What Winning Rosters Are Made Of...
Joe Posnanski, of the K.C. Star, offers the following over at his blog yesterday:
But it seems to me that if you are going to try and create a blue print for how to design a pennant winner, well, to repeat:
1. One player (or more) should have an MVP type season.
2. Four or five players need to have All-Star Type season.
3. Ten or eleven players need to have good seasons.
This got me thinking back to something that I came up with in December of 2005 regarding what a team needs to win, and which I haven't thought about in a while. Here's my theory (back then):
...a World Championship roster should have:
1. Great table-setters at the top of the line-up, and
2. At least one SP who is not afraid of the post-season - a guy who wants the ball in the big game, and
3. A good/solid LHP in the pen, and
4. A good/solid LHP in the rotation, and
5. A back-up INF with good hands, and
6. A 4th OF who can hit, and
7. An effective guy in the pen who can start or relieve (in any inning), and
8. A shut-the-door closer, and
9. A catcher who is not an auto-out, and
10. Two guys in the middle of the line-up who make contact as well as drive the ball.
Numbers 2, 3, and 7 need to emerge this season for the 2008 Yankees, still, in my opinion. It's possible they're on the roster, somewhere. But, we just don't know who they are yet.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:13 AM | Comments (5)
March 02, 2008
Yanks Bring In Phillies Scout To Help Hitters?
Via Tricities Sports -
So how respected is [Tim] Nolan?
He will be in Kingsport this weekend and then in Tampa, Fla., next week teaching what he knows to the likes of Alex Rodriguez and the other New York Yankees.
"I am heading from here to Spring Training in Florida,'' said Nolan in an interview at the complex Saturday morning. "I'll work with the Yankees, as well as Tampa Bay and the Philadelphia Phillies. I will be there approximately three weeks and then go to Arizona and work with the Royals, Rangers, Brewers and Padres.''
Nolan, who also serves as an associate scout for the Phillies, works with both baseball and softball players to improve their swings. He works on fundamentals with an eye on improving speed, strength and power.
The training is designed to make hitters quicker, faster and stronger with the bat through use of proper techniques.
"We are doing weight training with baseball and softball players,'' said Nolan. "We are teaching them fundamentals of the swing. We teach them what traditional players have done and are doing.''
I have to think this is more of a marketing meeting/sales pitch thing with (batting coach) Kevin Long for Nolan's system rather than Nolan coming into the Yankees camp to teach "what he knows to the likes of Alex Rodriguez and the other New York Yankees." The latter just sounds too bizarre to be true.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:49 AM | Comments (0)
Reggie Likes Austin Jackson
Via the Daily News:
Austin Jackson, a 21-year-old outfielder, made a terrific running catch of a low line drive, prompting Reggie Jackson to call him the best athlete in the organization and offer comparisons to, among others, Devon White, Gary Pettis and Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Reggie predicted the youngster would be in the majors in 2010.
Jackson, who batted .304 in 128 games in the minors last year, mostly at Class A, grinned when told of the Hall of Famer's comparisons. "It feels good, coming from one of the best players in the game," Jackson said.
It doesn't get any better with the leather in center than Devon White and Gary Pettis. That's some company. Still, I've also seen reports that Austin has lost some speed since High School and that he still needs some polish in the outfield. So, we have to remember the source, Reggie, on this one and not get too giddy on this report.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:38 AM | Comments (2)
March 01, 2008
Raissman On Murcer
Bob Raissman has a touching feature on Bobby Murcer today. Click here to read it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:26 AM | Comments (0)
Cashman On Gardner & Yankees "Old Farts"
Via Peter Abraham:
"Melky has to fight for what he has,'' Cashman said. "I can't stand here and tell you he's going to be our center fielder moving forward. That's up to him.''
It wouldn't be wise to get comfortable. In 24-year-old Brett Gardner and 21-year-old Austin Jackson, the Yankees have one player on the verge of being ready for the majors and another who is moving quickly in that direction.
Gardner is an unusual Yankees outfield prospect in that he's small of stature (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) and short on power (six home runs in 1,115 minor league at-bats). But that's the point, Cashman said.
"Brett Gardner is not your typical Yankee-profile type of player,'' he said.
"We're trying to break that profile to some degree because there's more to this game than hitting for power.
"We think he could be a Juan Pierre who takes a walk. Here's a guy who can steal bases; he can get on base; he plays the short game. We need athleticism like that, especially when you have a bunch of these old farts filling the roster out. Those young burst-of-energy, athletic guys really stand out on a team like ours.''
We need athleticism like that, especially when you have a bunch of these old farts filling the roster out. Those young burst-of-energy, athletic guys really stand out on a team like ours.
Great plan by Cash, truly - no kidding. However, as I wrote on February 22, 2008:
To me, then, in order to keep the youth pipeline pumping, the Yankees must keep spots clear for guys like Austin Jackson, Jose Tabata, and Brett Gardner in the outfield and for guys like Juan Miranda, Jesus Montero, and Bradley Suttle at first base.
This means you let Giambi, Damon, Abreu and Matsui go when their contracts are up. And, you pass on potential free agents like Mark Teixeira. I feel good about the Yankees doing the former - but I'm not sure they would do the latter.
It will be interesting to see how this plan worked, or not, this time next year.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:03 AM | Comments (6)
February 29, 2008
Olney: Yanks Will Be A Surprise Team & Overachieve
Click here to see the video.
If I'm doing my math right, Buster is saying that the Yankees could win around 108 games this season.
For the record, PECOTA does not agree with Olney.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:21 AM | Comments (7)
February 28, 2008
Mahler: Oedipus Bronx
Jonathan Mahler has a very good feature in the Times on the Brothers Stein. Click here to read it. An interesting snip with the bad and good news:
The biggest issue the Yankees face is potential sibling rivalries, particularly between the two brothers, and Hank’s outspokenness has inevitably triggered speculation about the possibility of resentment. “Observing some of the things Hank has been saying, he has a disconcerting tendency to speak in the first-person singular,” one of the limited partners told me. “When George does that, that’s one thing, but when you’re in a situation where there’s a family transition going on, for one of four siblings to speak like that can produce issues.”
The interests of the brothers’ informal fiefdoms — business and baseball — will inevitably collide. Indeed, they already have in the case of Johan Santana, whom Hank seemed desperate to land.
The Yankees organization clearly recognizes the precariousness of this power-sharing arrangement. After I interviewed Randy Levine, he called Rubenstein to express concern that my story was going to focus too much on Hank. And without any prompting, Jennifer told me how well her two brothers were working together: “They’re complementing each other perfectly. Together they’re just clicking.”
However things play out among the Steinbrenner siblings, however tempting it may be for Yankee haters to indulge in dark, King Lear-like fantasies of family discord tearing apart the Yankee kingdom, it’s worth remembering that the franchise has almost always been a model of dysfunction under the Steinbrenners.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:24 PM | Comments (0)
The Hughes Health Question
In 2004, Phil Hughes missed playing time due to both a stubbed/broken toe and some elbow soreness. In 2005, Hughes missed playing time due to shoulder tendonitis and a “tired arm.” And, last season (2007) Hughes missed playing time due to both a severe hamstring pull and ankle sprain. That’s three out of four seasons where an injury took Hughes out of action. Reviewing this, it’s encouraging to hear that Hughes has stepped up his conditioning efforts.
So, what do you think Yankees fans? Do you think Hughes will be less burdened by injuries now – and going forward in his career? Or, is Hughes going to be one of those pitchers who will always have his ups-and-downs in terms of being healthy enough to pitch?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:28 PM | Comments (21)
February 27, 2008
A-Rod & Abreu: Thunder & Lightning
Copies of "The Hardball Times Season Preview 2008" and "The Bill James Gold Mine 2008" arrived at WasWatching.com HQ today. Sweet.
Reviews on both are to follow soon. In the interim, here's a fun Yankees fact from The Bill James Gold Mine 2008:
101 of Alex Rodriguez' 156 RBI in 2007 came from his homeruns. Bobby Abreu had more RBI singles, more RBI doubles, more RBI triples and more miscellaneous RBI from things like walks and groundouts than did A-Rod.
A-Rod, last year, drove in Abreu 33 times, Jeter 32 times, and himself 54 times. That's 119 of his 156 RBI (in 2007) right there.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:52 PM | Comments (1)
Forbes: High Priced Imports Don't Help In Baseball
Some interesting thoughts from Tom Van Riper of Forbes -
Recent history shows that in each winter since 1998, the highest-salaried major league player to switch teams has never had a notable effect on the win total of the club that got him. In fact, six of 10 teams won fewer games than in the previous year, while none enjoyed a longer advance through the post season.
The $20 million that Santana will earn in 2008 makes him this year's highest-paid acquisition, just ahead of Torii Hunter, his ex-teammate from the Twins who jumped to the Los Angeles Angels for a five-year, $90 million deal.
Last winter's highest paid acquisition, pitcher Jason Schmidt, got $15.7 million to move down the West Coast from the San Francisco Giants to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But a shoulder injury, always a risk with pitchers, limited him to just 26 innings and a 1-4 record. The Dodgers won six fewer games than they did in their playoff season of 2006, finishing fourth.
The Giants tried to replace Schmidt by lavishing $126 million over seven years on lefty Barry Zito (he got $10 million in the first year), who struggled to an 11-13 record while his team finished last. And the man who was technically last year's highest-paid newbie, the Yankees' Roger Clemens (his signing came in mid-season, leaving Schmidt standing as the top winter acquisition), had no real effect on his club despite an $18 million contract. With Clemens going 6-6, the Yankees won three fewer games than they did in 2006, bowing out in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight time.
The trend is no better for offensive saviors over the past decade. Since 1998, the highest-salaried players to jump teams have included Sammy Sosa in 2005 (Chicago Cubs to Baltimore Orioles) and Mo Vaughn in 2002 (Angels to Mets), both of whom saw their new clubs fall back in the standings the year they got there.
Consider the Atlanta Braves' 2003 acquisition of Mike Hampton, a $13 million-a-year pitcher, to beef up their already strong starting rotation. Hampton was a solid but unspectacular 14-8 that year, while the Braves duplicated their 2002 season of 101 wins and a first-round playoff exit.
Slugger Alex Rodriguez, who jumped from the Seattle Mariners to the Texas Rangers in 2001 for over $22 million a year and then took that contract to the Yankees three years later, failed to push either team to greater heights. The 2001 Rangers, with the league's worst pitching staff, finished fourth for the second year in a row. And the 2004 Yankees went from 101 wins and a World Series loss the year before to 101 wins and a League Championship Series loss to the Red Sox. Even a human stat machine like A-Rod won't improve a team if his salary makes it difficult for a club to invest in other needs.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the player being an import, or, if it's just "The 15 Percent Rule" coming into play?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:28 PM | Comments (6)
Birnbaum: Bill James Website & "Cursed" Teams
Today, Phil Birnbaum writes about Bill James' new method of determining a team's chances to win the World Series. (Hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org.) Click here to see what Phil has to say on this.
I wonder how this theory ties into the Nate Silver and Dayn Perry theory? Now, that would be an interesting study as well.
Posted by WW Staff at 02:40 PM | Comments (5)
Beware The Sounds Of Spring
Before we get too amped up over any quotes that come out of the Yankees camp today as a result of their intersquad game, let’s remember this diddy from Jason Giambi (this time last year):
In the early part of camp [Matt] DeSalvo, 26, opened eyes in the bullpen and in batting practice. "I was shocked, that's how filthy he was," Jason Giambi said.
Damon Oppenheimer can rest easy as Jason Giambi is no threat in terms of taking his job.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:32 AM | Comments (2)
Rangers' Wilson Blog Comments Backfire
From the Dallas Morning News with a hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org:
The exhibition season hasn't yet started, and already Texas Rangers closer C.J. Wilson has found himself in a jam.
In his own clubhouse.
Wilson recently made comments about his teammates' lack of political education in an ESPN.com article and then made subsequent posts on a Rangers-related blog that referred to the average major leaguer by an obscene remark. On Tuesday, teammates confronted him about the comments.
I guess this would qualify as a "bad incident." Given the recent news about Yankees players having blogs, I wonder if this situation will give cause for the Yankees to take a preemptive strike, using the Rangers as an example, and start to tell players that cyberspace is a no-go?
Posted by WW Staff at 09:20 AM | Comments (3)
February 26, 2008
The Breakfast Of [Hopefully] A Champion
Want to know what makes General Joe go? From Ken Davidoff:
Joe Girardi eats the same breakfast, at the same time, each day.
"Egg whites, a little ham and a little dry wheat toast," the Yankees' new manager said Monday. "Usually about 6:30 every morning."
He is "regimented," Girardi admitted with a smile, yet "I have some flexibility always built into my schedule."
Smart dude, that Joe. Egg whites contain a ton of protein with almost no fat or cholesterol. And, the ham, well, that's a high density protein too. Protein keeps your blood sugar stable and reduces cortisol production. (Excess cortisol stimulates glucose production. This excess glucose then typically is converted into fat, ending up as stored fat.) The dry wheat toast is a nice low glycaemic index carbohydrate that helps ensures his brain has a constant supply of fuel.
A much better way to start the day than a bowl of Froot Loops and a Jelly Filled Donut.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:02 PM | Comments (4)
Dan McCutchen Mislabled As PED User
Peter Abraham confirms what Sarah shared back in 2006 - Dan McCutchen got a bum rap and was not busted for using PEDs.
Some more on this prospect from Peter's report:
Counting the Eastern League playoffs, McCutchen was 16-4 with a 2.59 ERA last season for Class A Tampa and Class AA Trenton.
"They call him 'Danimal' because he's so aggressive on the mound,'' Trenton pitching coach Scott Aldred said. "He's a competitor who likes to play the game. He's high energy, sort of like Joba.''
Said McCutchen: "I have a split personality when I get on the mound. I probably need to rein that in a little.''
General manager Brian Cashman said McCutchen didn't lose any stature within the organization because of the suspension. McCutchen was even invited to spend a week in New York near the end of last season so he could get acclimated to Yankee Stadium.
"There's a game plan for everybody, but some guys move themselves, and he's one of those,'' Cashman said. "He's a starter for now but we believe he does have the ability to relieve. Once we get more performance indicators, we'll see where he fits. But we like him.''
We could be seeing McCutchen in the Bronx some time this season. Considering the road he's had to travel, it will be easy to root for him.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)
Long On Giambi
Via Tyler Kepner -
“He’s not as good at D.H.,” Long said. “His numbers just aren’t there. I think it’s very important to us as a club and him as an individual if he’s out in the field.”
Giambi said he did not lose much weight over the winter, but distributed it better throughout his body. Long said that has strengthened Giambi’s core muscles, which could speed up a bat that has one more chance to help the Yankees win it all.
“I know it’s not the games yet, but it all starts with how he’s going about his business and the mechanics of his swing,” Long said. “I’m telling you right now, I’ve seen Jason for three years and this is the best I’ve ever seen his swing. That’s exciting.”
At best, I see Giambi hitting 23 homers this season with 70 RBI - at the best. And, it will probably be lower than that. If he does better than my prediction, I'll post a picture (in this blog) of myself, this October, holding up a sign that reads "I refused to get excited about what Kevin Long said about Jason Giambi back in February and now I hang my head in shame."
File this one under: "At the least, I don't steal forks from restaurants."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:26 PM | Comments (3)
BA Top 100 Prospects
Baseball America has issued its Top 100 Prospects List for 2008. Yankees who made the cut:
Joba Chamberlain #3
Jose Tabata #37
Austin Jackson #41
Ian Kennedy #45
This should come as no shock - since most feel that Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Austin Jackson, Jose Tabata, and Alan Horne are the Yankees top five prospects.
It was interesting to see that Baseball America felt that Alan Horne should not be in the Top 100. It will also be interesting to see how many Yankees make the Top 100 next year.
Posted by WW Staff at 02:22 PM | Comments (2)
Yanks Consider Banning Player Blogs
Via Lisa Kennelly:
In a rapidly evolving culture where anyone with internet access can share the details of their lives and anyone with a cell phone can post a picture online, the Yankees have to take precautions with the privacy of their players, particularly the younger set.
Currently, there are no regulations for Yankee players regarding blogging, MySpace, or Facebook use. But the Yankees media relations staff has included specific internet training in its players' seminars for two years now, cautioning players about the consequences of an active online habit.
Last season rookie pitcher Tyler Clippard learned that the hard way, when his MySpace page drew thousands of hits after he made his major-league debut. Yankees media relations staff had a quiet word with him, and his page was soon set to private.
"We warn them about putting their private lives in the public arena," GM Brian Cashman said, "because it comes back to haunt you, depending on what you put out there."
And it's entirely possible, said Yankees director of media relations Jason Zillo, that in the very near future blogs could be banned for Yankee players. All it takes is one bad incident.
"It's a way to relate to your fans," Zillo said, "but you need to be hyper sensitive to the type of information you're putting out there and understand there can be ramifications."
I wonder what the Yankees consider a "bad incident" to be in a case like this? And, does it just pertain to the player's blog content, or, to that of those leaving comments on his site as well? For example, if someone leaves a link in a comment that leads to a site that's not kid friendly, and some kid ends up there, and then his parent complains to the media, would that register as a "bad incident"? Or, would it just have to be a situation where the player posts something that is an embarrassment to him, the team, or the game?
And, what about the concept of "free speech"? Of course, the Yankees probably have some wording in their player's contracts that cover their right to limit things like blogging, etc.
This is an interesting item developing off the news that Phil Hughes has a blog. And, one worth tracking - to see where it goes.
Posted by WW Staff at 11:14 AM | Comments (6)
Betemit & Ensberg
No, it's not the law firm representing Brian McNamee. It's the answer that some have offered up to YankeeBlography, when asked the question "Who should play 1B?"
Do you agree?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:23 AM | Comments (2)
February 25, 2008
Cashman: Like Any Season, (2008) Can Go Either Way
Via Ken Davidoff:
There's an anecdote from "Feeding the Monster," the best-selling book on the Red Sox by Seth Mnookin, focusing on an October 2005 organizational meeting. Red Sox GM Theo Epstein asked a group of his co-workers: "What if we win 85 games [in 2006]? We're bringing up some young players that are going to be better in '07 than they will be next year. And they'll probably be even better than that in '08."
Epstein proved prophetic, as the '06 Bosox won 86 games, missing the playoffs, before winning it all last year.
Cashman nodded when asked if he read the book and recalled that tidbit, and whether he sees similarities between that moment with the Red Sox and this moment with the Yankees.
"I think we have a lot of talent in that clubhouse," he said. "A lot of good things can happen. But just like any season, they could go both ways.
Wow. The last time the Yankees won less than 87 games in a full season was 1992. That season was the last time the Yankees did not finish in first or second - and it was the last bad Yankees team.
If the Yankees only win 85 games this season, Kat O'Brien is going to need a cell phone dedicated for just calls from Hank Steinbrenner.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)
Kepner On Hughes Weblog
Tyler Kepner takes a look at Phil Hughes Weblog for the Times:
As a homegrown Yankee with talent, Hughes was bound to be popular. But his blog has forged an uncommon connection. A young medium has further endeared a young player to the fans.
“I think his blog is a success because it makes Hughes more than a number or a grouping of statistics, it makes him not only human, but approachable,” Alex Belth, who has run the blog Bronx Banter since 2002, wrote in an e-mail message. “It makes him seem not so very different from his readers, no small deal in an era when fans feel the distance between themselves and the players more than ever.”
General Manager Brian Cashman said he had concerns about players maintaining Web sites that could embarrass the team. Cashman added that he would rather not have players breaking news; Curt Schilling of the Red Sox has done that on his blog, 38pitches.com.
“Fans get enough baseball information from you guys; that’s your job,” Hughes said, referring to the news media. “I don’t try to do any of that. I want them to feel they have a connection with me. That’s kind of the main idea.
“To me, baseball players always seemed so larger than life. I guess one of the points I’m trying to make is that it’s not really that way. You can idolize players, but you realize they’re just guys. That’s kind of what I want to get across. I’m not any better than anybody else. I just happen to have this ability that not many other people have.”
I’m not any better than anybody else. I just happen to have this ability that not many other people have.
I think we've found our new Yogi.
About six weeks ago, I voiced my displeasure over Hughes having a blog - at this stage of his career. Seeing this report, I decided to reconsider my position - with the hope that perhaps I might be able to find a way to change my mind.
To that end, I went back to the last entry that I offered regarding the vibe that I get from Hughes - the one that will not allow me to jump on the "Phil Franchise" bandwagon just yet. To find it, I did a search (of this blog) using "Keanu" - and, in doing that, I found something else that (I think) helps me understand what it is about Hughes that makes me feel uneasy.
Two weeks ago, I explained the "Keanu Hughes" factor (for me). But, in doing the aforementioned search, I found that I also once hung the "Keanu" label on someone else: Our ol' pal, and deep-thinker, Bernie Williams. As I wrote back in January of 2006:
...I decided to throw out some nominations now for nicknames to use this season, with the hope that some of them stick....
Bernie "Keanu" Williams
If Telemundo ever does a TV-version of Bill & Ted, Bernie's gotta get the part as Ted Logan.
The minute I saw Bernie's name, I thought about what Brian Cashman said (on Bernie) last month:
On Bernie Williams' final years in pinstripes, Cashman's assessment was the former center fielder, "Got into music, and I thought it took a lot away from his play."
Bingo. That's the beef for me with Hughes' blog - that it's a potential distraction - for someone who has yet to prove himself at the big league level.
Right about now, I expect those Yankees fans who worship Phil Hughes to start hollering "Didn't you see what Hughes did, at such a young age, in the majors last year? Did you forget about that game in Texas?"
Hey, I did see what Hughes accomplished last season. And, via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, I can come up with some right-handed pitchers, since 1973, who have done the same thing - or darn close to it - at age 21 (which was Hughes' age last season). Here's the list:
YEAR RSAA GS IP RSAA
T1 Alan Wirth 1978 4 14 81.1 4
T1 Brandon Lyon 2001 4 11 63 4
T3 Brandon McCarthy 2005 3 10 67 3
T3 Gil Meche 1999 3 15 85.2 3
T5 Alex Fernandez 1990 2 13 87.2 2
T5 Phil Hughes 2007 2 13 72.2 2
T7 Tommy Boggs 1976 1 13 90.1 1
T7 Dan Petry 1979 1 15 98 1
T9 Dan Larson 1976 0 13 92.1 0
T9 Joel Davis 1985 0 11 71.1 0
T9 Ramon Martinez 1989 0 15 98.2 0
T9 Andy Benes 1989 0 10 66.2 0
13 Tom Carroll 1974 -1 13 78 -1
14 Rich Harden 2003 -2 13 74.2 -2
15 Steve Baker 1978 -3 10 63.1 -3
16 Brett Myers 2002 -4 12 72 -4
17 Kyle Davies 2005 -5 14 87.2 -5
See Andy Benes up there? Well, that brings back a flashback from a year ago, huh?
Of all those guys on this list, Brandon McCarthy and Brett Myers still have a chance to have some All-Star seasons. And, as I wrote a year ago, "...if Hughes' career does end up the same as the back of Andy Benes’ bubblegum card, that would be a win for him – in my opinion. It’s not as if Andy Benes had a career like Ben McDonald.." But, for the most part, almost all of these youngsters had their career derail somewhere for some reason.
And, the same can happen to Phil Hughes. I'm not saying that it will happen - I'm just saying that it could happen. Further, until, for fact, it doesn't happen, it's my personal preference that Hughes waits for his "ability that not many other people have" to mature into reality before he starts going out of his way to attract attention to himself (above the attention that already comes his way as a result of his prospect status).
For the record, my reaction to this would be the same if it was Joba Chamberlain or Ian Kennedy (instead of Hughes) doing a blog.
In the end, as much as I try to come over to the side of glee, with respect to Hughes having a blog, I still can't do it (now).
Thinking about it as I write this, I know what it will take to get me there. It's one of two scenarios:
1. Phil becomes a huge star and he continues to blog away, just as he is now, despite his star status. Or,
2. Phil struggles, and finds himself back in the minors - even if it's a Doc Halladay type situation and just a step back for a bit - and he continues to blog away, just as he is now, despite things not going as planned.
Now, that (either scenario) would impress me. It would show me that Hughes really wants to blog because he wants to show that he's "not any better than anybody else." But, I'll have to wait and see on this, won't I?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:29 PM | Comments (8)
Getting To Know Billy Traber
From Ken Davidoff -
[Traber has] missed two full major-league seasons, 2004 and 2005, while recovering from Tommy John surgery and spent parts of the last two years with the Nationals as a spot starter-reliever.
Here with the Yankees, Traber is a non-roster invitee, hoping to make the team as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen. The chalk bet calls for Sean Henn to win that role out of spring training, because he is out of minor-league options, and for Traber, who is not out of options, to be placed on the Yankees' 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
"Just stay healthy and stay on the field. That's all that matters," he said. "... If you're going to be hurt, you're just going to be miserable. I'm 28 and got gray hair. Ask anyone who's ever hurt. They'll tell you they'll trade all of that time just to get back on the field healthy. Period."
In addition to the elbow problems, Traber has an atrophied muscle in his left shoulder, and his violent delivery - a fall-off-the-mound approach, reminiscent of Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams - won't ever be found in a baseball textbook. But despite lacking a fastball that hits so much as 90 miles per hour, he held lefty hitters to a .567 OPS last year, striking out 15 in 56 plate appearances. "We said, 'This is a guy we should take a look at,"' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.
[Cleveland general manager Mark] Shapiro said, "He's up there as far as the favorite guys we've had here," and Yankees manager Joe Girardi recalled a Traber start against Girardi's Marlins in 2006, when he tried to pick up a teammate who made an error.
...Ask anyone who's ever hurt. They'll tell you they'll trade all of that time just to get back on the field healthy. Period...
Traber's the anti-Pavano. I like him already.
Posted by WW Staff at 01:09 PM | Comments (1)
General Joe - Always Thinking!
Via Ed Price -
Manager Joe Girardi said the Yankees will ask all the NL teams they visit this spring if they can use the DH in their games. The Florida Marlins have already agreed to use the DH for the games March 28-29 in Miami.
Smart move.
Posted by WW Staff at 01:01 PM | Comments (0)
Looking Deeper At Chris Britton
You don’t hear Chris Britton’s name all that much – in terms of being in the mix for the Yankees bullpen this season. While this blog was once optimistic about Chris Britton, the thought here (now) is that it’s a good thing the Yanks may have cooled on Britton.
Yes, it’s true that Britton had an ERA of 2.51 and a WHIP of 1.13 in Triple-A last season. However, just because a guy pitches well at Triple-A doesn’t mean he can carry that success to the majors – see Sean Henn and Jim Brower last season as an example. While pitching for the same team as Britton (in Triple-A), Henn had a WHIP of 1.14 and Brower had an ERA of 2.27 last year.
Basically, to know about Britton, you just have to look at his big league numbers from 2006. His first half ERA was 2.20 and his second half ERA was 5.14. Brass tacks, he snuck up on some people, early, that season, and, once the league got the book on him, then it became clobbering time. Lefties especially killed Britton in 2006 – they posted an OPS of .762 against him with a BABIP of .379 (in 82 PA).
There’s a reason why the O’s gave up on Britton so quickly – and the reason is that he’s just not that good.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:44 PM | Comments (23)
Donnie's Dog Days
Jonathan Lemire has the skinny on Don Mattingly's troubles. Click here to read it. Here's hoping that it works out soon, for all, and for the best.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:09 AM | Comments (1)
The Draft Of 2006
Via Joel Sherman -
For there are many events over the past few years that accentuate the Yanks' attempted shift toward a more youthful hue, beginning with the early-season 2005 promotions of Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang. But the 2006 draft just might be the most symbolic episode because of its marriage of amended philosophy to successful execution.
That was the first draft in which GM Brian Cashman participated fully and the first in which VP of Pro Scouting Damon Oppenheimer was empowered to take whomever he wanted, regardless of cost.
If the Yanks were to get nothing else from that process besides Kennedy and Chamberlain, it would be considered an excellent draft. But the Yanks think they will get more. Oppenheimer said the Yanks "felt blessed" how the draft fell, allowing them to grab six players ranked in the top 70 on their board: Kennedy, Chamberlain, Melancon, Zach McAllister, Dellin Betances and Colin Curtis. The Yanks also believe pitchers from that draft such as George Kontos and Daniel McCutchen, particularly, but perhaps David Robertson and Tim Norton, too, have a chance as major league relievers.
One NL talent evaluator called it a "high-end draft." An AL executive, however, while terming the picks "very good" said "do not attribute it to genius" because the Yanks simply overpaid to get a high-ceiling player such as Betances to forego Vanderbilt and sign.
It could take up to five years (after the fact) to see how a draft really works out for a team. Come 2011, we'll see just how the class of 2006 panned out for the Yankees.
That, meaning 2011, could be a very fun season in the Bronx. At the least, it should be good as Kei Igawa will finally come off the payroll.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:51 AM | Comments (1)
Meet Damon Oppenheimer
Via John Harper -
Damon Oppenheimer, the man most responsible for Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy becoming Yankees, was sitting behind his desk recently, recalling the circumstances that allowed him to draft the two pitchers, when suddenly he felt compelled to issue a warning of sorts.
"I hope people realize this isn't the norm," he said, speaking of how quickly Chamberlain and Kennedy rose through the minor league system. "This isn't the way it's going to be every year. I hope everybody's not getting spoiled by this."
...the Yankees' farm system has made huge strides the last few years, rising in the annual rankings by Baseball America from 24th among the 30 organizations in 2004 to fifth going into 2008.
The turnaround coincided at least partly with GM Brian Cashman's decision to name Oppenheimer as the new scouting director in 2005. Oppenheimer, a former catcher at USC and then in the Brewers' minor-league system, had filled a handful of baseball operations positions since joining the Yankees as a scout in 1993, but amateur scouting is his passion, and he was delighted to be named scouting director.
It remains to be seen whether this gamble pays off, but there is no debating the improved state of the Yankee farm system. Oppenheimer's role as scouting director in this improvement has earned him praise from both Cashman and Hank Steinbrenner, to the point where he is viewed as a potential successor to Cashman should the current GM leave on his own or be replaced in the coming years.
Oppenheimer deflected such talk when the subject was raised.
"If that's something somebody else sees and wants to talk about, and that's the right thing to happen, it'll happen," he said. "But I'm definitely not out there seeking that job. I love doing what I'm doing now. What we've done with Cash, everybody feels like we're building something special here."
I was once not that high on Oppenheimer. But, that was a mistake. I hope he's the next Yankees G.M. - should something happen with Cashman (such as a promotion or an exit). He deserves the shot and has a leg up in that he knows the Yankees organization and what it takes to survive there.
It's interesting that Cashman is now painted as a champion of Oppenheimer. That was not always the case. Note from an October 2005 report:
One thing under discussion is more frequent and inclusive meetings, in which Cashman, manager Joe Torre and possibly scout Gene Michael, whom Cashman regards very highly, will have Steinbrenner's ear nearly as often as the Boss' Tampa-based advisers. Billy Connors, Bill Emslie, Mark Newman and Damon Oppenheimer, all of whom work at the Tampa minor league complex, are among the chefs stirring the broth, a source of irritation to Cashman and Torre in New York.
Good job by Cashman in realizing the value of Oppenheimer and for putting him on point for the draft, as he has done now.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:34 AM | Comments (2)
February 24, 2008
Rounding Out The Yankees Pen
I keep reading that General Joe wants a long reliever and a lefty in two of his three bullpen spots after Mo, Joba, Farnsworth and Hawkins.
Pete Caldera has an interesting feature today on who's fighting for what spot. After reading it, I think this is how the Yankees bullpen will shape up this spring:
Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
Kyle Farnsworth
LaTroy Hawkins
Billy Traber
Scott Strickland
Jeff Karstens or Darrell Rasner
And, Bruney, Ohlendorf, Veras, Ramirez and Albaladejo will start the year at Triple-A. It's just a hunch, but, I think Joe's going to want to start the year with the experienced guys coming out of the pen.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:05 AM | Comments (11)
Sherman Rings In On Jeter's "D" Debate
From Joel Sherman today -
You can attack methodology; you can say no perfect formula has yet been devised to encapsulate all the elements - positioning, speed of the hit ball, field conditions - into a single defensive statistic. However, these metrics keep evolving in sophistication. And Jeter keeps faring poorly in nearly every study year after year. Do you think there is a conspiracy? Do you think statisticians en masse have covertly met and made their quest to soil Jeter's glovely reputation?
"This study has been done a zillion times and the same conclusion is reached every time," an AL official said. "What do you think that means?"
For Jeter devotees, it means assailing the geeks. But as an AL executive said, "this isn't geeks vs. jocks. This is myth vs. reality." In reality, most baseball officials laugh off the three Gold Gloves Jeter won from 2004-06 in the way they do the four Bernie Williams won as having more to do with offense, fame and winning than with actual defense.
One AL official said, "You particularly notice with groundball guys like [Andy] Pettitte and [Chien-Ming] Wang how many grounders went through that shouldn't have. Pettitte must have had a culture shock going from Adam Everett in Houston, who was the best [shortstop], to Jeter, who is not in that league."
Perhaps the strongest condemnation came from Jeter, who said, "Last year, I didn't have a good year defensively."
It doesn't sound like much, especially since Jeter limited a serial inadequacy to just 2007. Except Jeter is not one to ever publicly apologize for, or criticize, his own game.
This is the elephant in the room. Will the Yanks move Jeter off of shortstop when the time comes - assuming that time is not here already - or will they be like the Orioles, who kowtowed well past Cal Ripken's expiration date at short and hurt the organization? Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi avoided that bubbling cauldron by saying they won't look beyond this season. Jeter said the same, but then cited San Francisco's Omar Vizquel, 41 in April, in suggesting he could also play his whole career at short.
"I am comfortable with the left side of the infield at this moment in time," Cashman said. "Do I have concerns in future years? Let me get to future years."
Also in the Sherman piece, Joel notes: "[Jeter has] rededicated himself in the offseason with exercises designed to improve his lateral quickness and first-step explosiveness. One Yankee official saw this version of Jeter and said, 'He set the clock back five years.'"
To me, infield defense has always been about three elements:
1. Eye-hand coordination.
2. Lateral quickness and first-step explosiveness.
3. Confidence.
Jeter has #1 and #3 covered. Let's hope that his off-season work now addresses #2. It would be nice to hear "Past-a-diving Jeter" less than 50 times this season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:23 AM | Comments (9)
February 23, 2008
Mark Newman On Alberto Gonzalez
Via the recent print edition of Baseball America:
"He is a legitimate defender," minor league head Mark Newman said of the 24-year-old [Alberto] Gonzalez. "He could be a quality utility player, and if he improves with the bat he could go farther."
"He started the season at Triple-A, was sent to Double-A and when he went back to Triple-A, he hit a lot better than he did the first time," Newman said. "His plate discipline improved."
The progress Gonzalez showed during the second half continued in the Venezuelan League, where he hit .341/.394/.524 in 126 at-bats. So what happened during his first exposure to Scranton?
"You don't really know. It could have been changing organizations (or) his first year starting the season at Triple-A or the cold weather. It's hard to say," Newman said.
Hey, if Orlando Cabrera can have a major league career, why not Alberto Gonzalez?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:50 PM | Comments (1)
Gardner's Not Lacking Confidence
Via Lisa Kennelly:
I was talking to some relievers in the corner of the clubhouse when outfielder Brett Gardner barreled into the conversation with a question.
"You guys think I'm faster than Adrian Peterson?" he demanded.
Peterson, the former Oklahoma star running back who had a huge rookie season for the Minnesota Vikings this year, can run a 4.4 40. Gardner, a 5-10, 180-lb. outfielder whose calling card is his speed, contended that he could beat Peterson (6-1, 217 lbs.) in a 40-yard dash.
I know many are suspect on Gardner's bat. But, speed is a wonderful thing. Otis Nixon could not hit a lick and his speed got him into 1,709 big league games. And, speed got Tom Goodwin into 1,288 major league games despite a bat that was lacking. If Gardner is as fast as he thinks he is, he's going to make it, somewhere, in the majors - eventually.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:30 PM | Comments (3)
February 22, 2008
The Matsui Matter
Via Joe (Don't Call Me Dave) LaPointe:
“My desire is to play left field,” Matsui said through an interpreter. “That’s what I’ve been preparing for. Obviously, that’s not my decision to make. That will be the manager’s decision.”
But Matsui, 33, will face competition in left from the 34-year-old Johnny Damon, who lost his job as the center fielder to Melky Cabrera.
When asked about Matsui, Girardi said: “We’ve got to make sure that he is able to do all the things that he would need to do to play a defensive position. You’ve just got to see how things iron themselves out.”
Damon suggested earlier in the week that he, too, might play some games at first. But when asked whether Damon or Matsui might also play there, Girardi answered in the negative.
“We have no plans of putting Hideki at first base in spring training,” he said. Of Damon at first base, Girardi said: “Right now I really don’t have a lot of plans to put him at first base.”
I'm fan of Matsui. As I have said before, 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.
An interesting item on Godzilla: Since coming to the states, he's always had a monster month with the bat in July. And, with the exception of last season (when he was hurt), he's always been a great September hitter too.
Both Damon and Matsui will be playing this season as 34-year olds coming off a year where they had an injury. It just seems to make sense to have them share LF and DH for the Yankees this season - to keep them both fresh.
I would start Damon in left (with Matsui as DH) at home as much as possible - because of the room in the Yankees outfield. But, on the road, especially in parks like Fenway, Camden, and Arlington, I don't think you miss much with the glove when Matsui is out there (in left).
I hope that the Yankees work this out where it's best for them and best for Matsui. If they can, I think he's going to have a fine season for the team.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:39 PM | Comments (5)
New Hughes A Pop Sensation
From Bryan Hoch of Yankees.com:
The Yankees' catching tandem was ready to hit the streets after another early afternoon at camp when Jose Molina dropped by with a tidbit for Jorge Posada.
Having just completed receiving Phil Hughes' latest bullpen session, an impressed Molina told Posada, "You know what? Phil looks like he has more pop."
Posada concurred, and the backstops aren't the only ones who have noticed.
This offseason, Hughes reported regularly to the Yankees' training facility on Himes Avenue, even while general manager Brian Cashman was fielding calls from Twins counterpart Bill Smith, dabbling with a potential deal for Johan Santana.
It helps, of course, that Hughes heeded the call for better fitness. Girardi let it be known that Spring Training '08 would not be a country club, and Hughes showed up ready to go. Spending weeks over at the Minor League complex under the supervision of pitching coach Dave Eiland have been paying dividends early.
"He's in great shape," Girardi said. "All the reports on him that I saw from when he was working down at Himes said he was different. He'd worked really hard."
All the reports on him that I saw from when he was working down at Himes said he was different. He'd worked really hard.
Just another indicator that there's some validity towards the claims that Phil Hughes had a questionable work ethic in the past.
Hopefully, this will now be a case were a leopard can permanently change his spots.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:39 AM | Comments (22)
Projecting The Back End Of The Rotation
MLB.com's Fantasy 411 is offering some composite projections for 2008. (Hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org.)
That's the good news. The bad news? See these three composite wins projections in their data: Phil Hughes, 10 wins. Mike Mussina, 11 wins. Ian Kennedy, 7 wins.
Boy, would that be a bummer, or what?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:58 AM | Comments (6)
The Young Yankees Chronicles
Via Ed Price:
Hard to imagine Thurman Munson or Paul O'Neill with pierced nipples.
The Yankees' new-found religion on keeping their young players is well-documented. And along with that comes a different tenor in the clubhouse.
When Johnny Damon left a Boston Red Sox group he dubbed the "Idiots" to join the Yankees, he was taken aback by the staid, all-business attitude.
This year's room, with its loud banter, iPhones, and barely drinking-age players, is more like it.
"I know baseball, you have to be serious about it," Damon said yesterday. "But I feel like it should be fun, though, also. And I see it. With a bunch of these young guys here, it's great."
Yesterday, rookie right-hander Andrew Brackman -- who, along with Joba Chamberlain, sports pierced nipples -- showed up with a shaved head.
"I just felt like getting a haircut," he claimed.
The Yankees have 21 players in camp (out of 69) who will be 24 or younger on Opening Day and the same number in their 30s. In 2001, when the Yankees were coming off their last World Series title, they had 27 thirty-somethings (out of 65) and 11 players younger than 25.
I have to confess, recently, watching some old games on Yankees Classics, from years like 1996 and 1998, I found myself looking at guys like Jeter, Bernie, Mo, Posada, Tino, etc., and thinking "Man, they were so young back then. Their faces were tighter, their bodies more wiry, and they just seemed more bright-eyed and hungry back in those days..."
Then, I thought about the more recent Yankees - Mussina, Giambi, Abreu, Matsui - and even Jeter, Posada, and Mo - and how far from they were from producing anything that resonated with the image of young and hungry.
So, this infusion of young talent is a breath of fresh air, at least to this Yankees fan. But, when you consider the contracts of Posada, A-Rod, and, down the road, Jeter, you have to concede that the only place for the Yankees to use younger players (outside of Cano and Melky who are already in place) is first base (assuming Posada does not end up there), the outfield (assuming they don't extend Abreu), and the pitching staff.
With Wang, Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain - and all the other young arms trying to get into the pen, the pitchers are covered - in terms of getting some young blood.
To me, then, in order to keep the youth pipeline pumping, the Yankees must keep spots clear for guys like Austin Jackson, Jose Tabata, and Brett Gardner in the outfield and for guys like Juan Miranda, Jesus Montero, and Bradley Suttle at first base.
This means you let Giambi, Damon, Abreu and Matsui go when their contracts are up. And, you pass on potential free agents like Mark Teixeira. I feel good about the Yankees doing the former - but I'm not sure they would do the latter.
If prospects like Jackson, Tabata, and Miranda have big seasons in the minors this year, I could see the Yankees passing on chases for guys like Teixeira next off-season. But, if they regress, then I think, even with the Yankees intentions of trying to get young, you're going to see some not-so-young-and-hungry mercenaries still be part of the Yankees mix.
It's something to think about - and, much easier to digest than the thought of Thurman Munson or Paul O'Neill with pierced nipples.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:12 AM | Comments (5)
Is Jeter Now Robin To A-Rod's Batman?
Via Dave Buscema:
He is the captain, the owner of four World Series rings, a serial dater of women as stunning as they are famous, and now Derek Jeter is one more thing for the Yankees.
An afterthought.
OK, that thought mostly comes after only one man, of course.
The one who suddenly has more of a guarantee of being here than Jeter, thanks to a 10-year contract and more money than Jeter will ever earn on the field. And it's also a testament to Jeter's unflappable personality as much as it is Alex Rodriguez's talent for wild numbers and wilder headlines.
Still, it's intriguing to note that, four years after Alex Rodriguez signed and George Steinbrenner told a reporter Jeter had to adjust to his role as Lou Gehrig to A-Rod's Babe Ruth, the scenario has come true.
Suddenly, Jeter isn't in as much control of his environment as he used to be.
He still will command everyone's respect because, well, he deserves it.
But look around the clubhouse and see the players who aren't necessarily seeking the captain out above all others.
At Joba Chamberlain's locker, the Yankees' hottest prospect looked crestfallen when his best buddy Jason Giambi left him hanging on a fist pound.
At the lockers of Robinson Cano or Melky Cabrera, you would find the pair lavishing praise on A-Rod before anyone else.
Of course, as always has been the case, Jeter adapts rather easily, so he's as comfortable and unthreatened as ever.
When asked about A-Rod having a longer contract than him the other day, Jeter grinned.
"He owes me money because he said he wasn't gonna play that long," Jeter said. "He owes me money, so I feel good about that."
Personally, I've been saying, since Alex signed his new contract, that A-Rod is now the face of the Yankees franchise - albeit a good or bad thing.
For Jeter, well, I guess that's what they have sidecars for, right?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:56 AM | Comments (1)
Girardi: Duncan's Versatility A Plus
Via Bill Madden:
While insisting that [Shelley] Duncan "will get every chance to win the first base job," Girardi noted that versatility may be his best asset.
"My outfield is predominantly lefthanded," he said, "and Shelley being righthanded gives me that added flexibility there."
Duncan just may turn out to be a modern day Cliff Johnson for this team - a right-handed bat off the bench who can produce well in part-time duty. After seeing guys like Craig Wilson, Andy Phillips, and Josh Phelps trying to fill a niche like this - which the Yankees have been lacking since the days of Chad Curtis, Glenallen Hill, Jim Leyritz and Shane Spencer - it would be nice to see someone be a productive, right-handed, spare part.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:17 AM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2008
"Shane! Shane! Come Back!" [Or, Not]
The comment here about the notebook is too funny.
At least, with our Shane, there's no question about his ending. The Padres announced that Spencer will be the Lake Elsinore Storm hitting coach in 2008. It's his first season as a coach and his first in the Padres organization.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:24 PM | Comments (1)
A-Rod: Jeter To Have MVP Season In 2008
At least, that's the quote from Alex today.
For what it's worth, 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
Therefore, Derek's going to have to bat over .370 this season to help Alex out on that prediction - or, find a power source for this year that's been missing for a while.
...I've been tested nine times...Pettitte can marry my daughter...Boston is the team to beat...Derek is going to be the MVP...Abreu will be a force...
If Alex is going to come out with an attention-grabbing quote everyday during this camp, it's going to be an interesting six weeks.
I can't wait until he gets to the one where he says "I think Edwar Ramirez is the next Stu Miller. And, he'll make the All-Star team this year."
Posted by WW Staff at 03:33 PM | Comments (4)
Jeter: You Can't Trust Fielding Data
Derek Jeter doesn't like Spatial Aggregate Fielding Evaluation. Via Kevin Kernan -
Derek Jeter arrived at his 16th Yankees spring training yesterday labeled the worst shortstop in the majors by some statistical braniacs over at Penn.
"Maybe it was a computer glitch," the three-time Gold Glove winner said of the report. But Jeter just didn't laugh this one off. He defended himself, saying, "Every (shortstop) doesn't stay in the same spot, everyone doesn't have the same pitching. Everyone doesn't have the same hitters running, it's impossible to do that."
The minute that I saw this, I thought of Tom Tango and his Jeter feature in THT 2008. As Dan Agonistes once wrote about THT '08:
[The book includes]...Tom Tango's excellent piece titled "With or Without Derek Jeter" ...In that article Tom uses Retrosheet data to demonstrate without a doubt (at least to me) that Jeter is among the worst fielding shortstops of his generation by showing that when Jeter is on the field, regardless of the other context which Tom does a great job of neutralizing, fewer batted balls are turned into outs. Period. And one would think that should be the bottom line when evaluating defense.
I was going to e-mail Tom on this Jeter quote, but, then I saw he was already on it.
It would be interesting to see Kevin Kernan go back to Jeter with Tom's findings and try and get a comment. Or, better yet, show it to Girardi and Cashman to see if they'd be willing to comment on it.
Posted by WW Staff at 01:10 PM | Comments (18)
Girardi: "Expect The Best"
Thoughts on General Joe via the Miami Herald today:
''He's a perfect fit here,'' Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi said. ``He played here. He coached here and he knows the Yankees. Joe is Joe. He knows players, and he knows how to handle veteran guys because he was a veteran player here, and even though he managed a young team in Florida, he'll be even better with veteran guys here. He's straight and he's to the point. There's not going to be any confusion with Joe.''
''I know Joe, and he knows how I run business from his days here,'' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. ``The one thing about Joe is he is not going to complicate things. You can dress it up with the pinstripes and what people's salaries might be; dress it up with 50,000 people in the stadium, but at the end of the day it's still the simple game of baseball. And that's a great thing Joe will bring to the table.''
Girardi is a players' manager, according to Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, who was Girardi's former battery mate.
''He was a tough, scrappy player who worked hard, and he manages the same way,'' he said. ``But he's honest and to the point. You know what you get with Joe. There's no grey area. You are going to work hard. Look at him. He's in great shape, and he's going to work us hard and expect the best.''
That's Girardi's mantra: ''Expect the best.'' He says it all the time. Girardi spoke to his team Wednesday and delivered the same message he had once before.
''I told them I expect to win the World Series,'' Girardi said. ``And I told the Marlins the same thing.''
The Yankees expect nothing less.
''He's going to manage the same way,'' Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said. ``He's still going to push guys. Just because we are older than the Marlins doesn't mean he doesn't need to push us. He's going to do the things he knows to do to push us to get the best out of us.''
...there's not going to be any confusion...
...he is not going to complicate things...
...he's honest and to the point. You know what you get with Joe...
Not that Torre didn't do this as well, meaning keeping it straight and simple...but, when you get this quality and mix it with the preparedness and tactical-edge seeking that Girardi brings to the table, which Torre lacked, it's a beautiful thing for the Yankees.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:54 AM | Comments (7)
Holy Gob Bluth Batman!
The G.M. who stole Tyler Clippard.
How long until Hank wants one of these things?
Posted by WW Staff at 09:42 AM | Comments (4)
February 20, 2008
Damon Almost Retired Last Season
Via Jon Heyman -
When Johnny Damon walked out of spring training early last year, he thought he was walking away from the game, SI.com has learned. The Yankees explained Damon's absence early last spring as "personal reasons,'' and there was a lot of wrong speculation about something or other happening with Damon's family that would necessitate the time off.
The reality is, according to Yankees clubhouse sources, Damon just wasn't sure if he wanted to keep playing and was actually seriously considering walking away from the final three years of his $52-million, four-year contract. Nobody does that, but Damon almost did.
"I was just exhausted .... Burnt out,'' Damon told SI.com Tuesday. "[Retirement] definitely crossed my mind.''
The 2000 season was the best in Damon's career. But, right behind that year, his second best season ever was 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006 – all too close to pick one over another.
It’s interesting that he would be burnt coming off back-to-back-to-back solid seasons like 2004-2006. Maybe the thought of another season in the Yankees clubhouse, like the one in 2006, had him down?
This is just a hunch, but, I think Damon bounces back this season and posts numbers close to what he did from 2004 to 2006.
Posted by WW Staff at 03:54 PM | Comments (1)
Perry: Cashman 5th Best G.M. In Baseball
Click here to see Dayn Perry's list of the best G.M.'s in the game.
Are Dayn and Jon Heyman comparing notes?
Posted by WW Staff at 03:45 PM | Comments (3)
A-Rod On Pettitte
Via the AP:
"Andy is one of the greatest human beings I've ever met," Rodriguez said. "I have two daughters -- well, I have one and one on the way. If I had a daughter, I would want 'em to marry Andy Pettitte. The age difference might be a little awkward, but in today's day and age anything is possible."
Guessing at how much money Alex’s daughter stands to inherit someday, Pettitte will probably have to get in line behind a lot of guys wanting to marry her.
And, yes, I suspect that A-Rod is kidding with the "age difference" (etc.) line - just as I am about the potential of Pettitte marrying his daughter someday.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:10 PM | Comments (3)
February 19, 2008
Overheard In Tampa Today...
Carl Pavano (right) and Humberto Sanchez talk during the Yankees workout today at Legends Field in Tampa, FL. (Photo via Reuters.)
Pavano: Hola, Dude. Hey, how many games did you pitch last year?
Sanchez: None. I was on the disabled list for the entire season.
Pavano: Oh, my, god! The whole season? Amigo, you-da-man!
Posted by WW Staff at 04:17 PM | Comments (3)
The Hal Stein GQ Interview
Blog GQ has a great interview with Hal, (yes, not Hank) Steinbrenner. Click here to read it. A highlight from the feature:
Who’s at the top of the chain of command?
What’s been determined is that this is a family business, and if we’re both gonna be involved, it has to be an equal thing, and we both need to be involved with all major decisions, whether it’s the stadium, big expenditures, or [the unconsummated trade for Johan] Santana, for instance. It’s well publicized in New York that we didn’t agree on that deal. My concerns were economical and financial, and I’m not gonna get into those, but I also had baseball concerns. I didn’t want to get rid of these kids! Boy, the last time we had three young pitchers like Philip Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy, I couldn’t even tell you.
The Super Bowl this year was unbelievable, and the one thought I took away really has a lot to do with us this year, with these three young pitchers. Eli struggled a bit his first couple years. I think New York fans might realize now that if you give a young kid time, great things can happen.
Is it true, as the media has suggested, that Brian Cashman’s job is on the line because the Yankees didn’t do the Santana deal?
No, it’s not. I don’t know where the media gets this stuff sometimes. They gotta sell papers, I understand that. You gotta sell magazines, right? The bottom line is Cashman is with us this year. In any given year for the past thirty years, you could probably say, “This year the general manager’s job’s on the line.” That’s par for the course for that job, but certainly not because of one trade, no.
The perception in the media is that Gene Michael, the architect of the great Yankee teams of the late ’90s, hasn’t wielded a great deal of influence in the organization for some years. Is that true? What will his role be going forward?
As far as I’m concerned, it’s absolutely not true. Cashman and Gene talk all the time. Gene was down here interviewing the potential manager candidates, and he’s always been close to George. The two of them sometimes are kind of like Billy Martin and George, but there was always a level of respect there, and that hasn’t changed. I mean, his take on things is as good as anybody’s. We value his input, which is why he was part of all those interviews.
Makes you wonder, if Gene Michael was up for the task, and willing to be G.M., would the brothers let Cashman walk and have "Stick" take over in 2009? I doubt it - because Michael will be 71 years old next year. The job is too demanding for someone of that age.
How about this: Bounce Randy Levine, promote Cashman to his job, and let Damon Oppenheimer be the G.M. in 2009 with Michael as an advisor? It just might be the best role for all parties involved.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:34 PM | Comments (7)
Torre: Last 3 Years Were Uncomfortable In New York
Via Paul Hagen - with a hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org:
Torre now admits that he saw the end coming for at least 3 years and added that, if the Dodgers hadn't called, he might well be sitting home today.
His situation began to sour, he reflected, after his team blew a lead of three games to none to the archrival Red Sox in the 2004 American League Championship Series.
"The last 3 years were difficult. I think it started probably with losing to the Red Sox. Because that becomes a mortal sin," he said. "And even though the Red Sox were obviously a very good team that year, we got lucky early. They didn't play well. Then we had two leads in Games 4 and 5 we couldn't hold onto.
"Since that time, it may be a little too strong to say [the Yankees] wanted to make a change. But for me it wasn't as comfortable. It could have been self-induced. I don't know. Last season was very uncomfortable, especially with the bad start we had. There were a lot of questions and stories I had to address.
"I'm sure it took its toll on me, but when you walk into the clubhouse and all of a sudden the players aren't sure what they should say, what they shouldn't say, your coaching staff, that made it doubly uncomfortable for me. I just think over the last few years it was gradually getting to the point of not being a helluva lot of fun. The baseball was still fun, but aside from that . . . "
You have to wonder who in the Yankees organization was making Joe not feel comfortable. It probably was not Big Stein. The last three seasons, George has been a figurehead. Was it Brian Cashman? I doubt that – and I doubt it was Steve Swindal. Those two always seemed in Joe’s corner. Hank and Hal were not in power for the last three years. This leaves Randy Levine. There were reports that it was Levine who sent Torre packing.
Torre was near perfect for the Yankees from 1996 through the end of the regular season in 2004. But, he did seem to lose something (Don Zimmer?) after that run. If it was, in fact, Levine who ran him out of town, it may just be the best thing that Randy’s done for the Yankees during his tenure with the team.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:36 AM | Comments (12)
Wiley E. Hankie, Super Genius!
In retrospect, Hank’s strike yesterday at the NFL was genius. It’s getting a lot of play. Mike & Mike, on ESPN Radio, were going at it, pretty good, this morning just before 7 AM. It’s a page right out of Big Stein’s playbook. Say or do something that will direct the attention towards you and away from the team or a player. Andy Pettitte is getting his share of press today. But, thanks to Hank, it’s not all on Andy.
Chip off the ol’ block. Brilliant move Hank.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:27 AM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2008
Heyman: Cashman 5th Best G.M. In Baseball
Click here to see Jon Heyman's list of the best G.M.'s in the game.
It's an interesting list. But, man, could they not find a better picture for (Heyman's #1 selection) Theo Epstein? The one that they used, well, it brings a word to mind. It's the noun form of the Japanese verb which means "to splash forcefully." But, I should probably stop there.
I would have listed Omar Minaya, Josh Byrnes, and Kevin Towers over Cashman, for sure. Maybe Dan O'Dowd as well. That would bump Cashman down to ninth place. Actually, for me, it would be a dogfight for ninth between Cashman, Ken Williams and Pat Gillick. So, in the end, I'd probably place Cashman in tenth place - out of the thirty G.M.'s in the game - with Andrew Friedman and Dayton Moore closing in, fast.
But, the only reason why Cashman would finish as high as tenth is because guys like Terry Ryan, Larry Beinfest, Bill Stoneman, John Schuerholz, and Walt Jocketty are doing other things now. If they were all still G.M.'s, that would push Cashman down to (around) 15th in baseball (out of 30). Yeah, that seems about right. Middle of the pack.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:53 PM | Comments (18)
Free Alberto Gonzalez
If I'm reading Tom Tango correctly, a slick fielding shortstop could save his team around 50 runs per season.
Someone should teach Alberto Gonzalez to say "Play me or trade me."
Or, at least, maybe "The Specials" can do a song for him.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:40 PM | Comments (4)
Where's Jason?
While A-Rod partied in Miami Saturday, Giambi did his thing as well that night. From ReviewJournal.com:
[SIGHTINGS] At LAX nightclub (Luxor) on Saturday: Actor Vince Vaughn, actress/model Stacy Kiebler, New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi, rapper Ja Rule, TV personality Giuliana Rancic of E! News and husband/former "Apprentice" winner Bill Rancic, Luxor headliner Carrot Top, illusionist Criss Angel, Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Tyron Brackenridge, WWE star Torrie Wilson, Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry and actor Mike Peña. ...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:22 AM | Comments (2)
February 17, 2008
Meeting Some Of The Kids
If you've never read the Trentonian Blogs, you may have missed these...
Josh Norris interviews Alan Horne, Austin Jackson and Colin Curtis.
Good job Josh.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:48 PM | Comments (0)
The Girardi Rules
General Joe lays down the law. Via Kat O'Brien -
Here is a partial list of rules the Yankees have for spring training:
1. Be on time. No excuse for lateness.
2. Shorts and T-shirt permitted only during spring training.
3. Curfew of 1 a.m.
4. Jewelry -- only one chain is permitted. No earrings.
5. Only neatly cut beards, mustaches, goatees. No long hair or "unshaven looks."
6. No family members in the clubhouse until after games.
7. No cell phones in the dugout.
8. Cell phones allowed in the clubhouse only until one hour before games.
9. No competing speakers in the clubhouse.
Number 3 is going sit real well with Giambi, Jeter, A-Rod and some others. I wonder what will happen if someone gets caught breaking it?
Only neatly cut beards, mustaches, goatees.
Whoa, now, that's a change. Big Stein must be 100% out of the loop now - this one clinches it.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:28 AM | Comments (3)
Cashman: Yanks Payroll High, Not Returning Bang For The Buck
Via ESPN.com -
The New York Yankees had a record payroll of $218.3 million in 2007. It's not going down this season, although GM Brian Cashman says he would like to rein it in.
"We are high," Yankees GM Brain Cashman said in an interview with ESPN 1050 New York's Andrew Marchand. "If I could get our payroll lower [I would]. It is not going to happen -- not this year. But we have, at the end of the year, a lot of numbers coming off. The combination of building our farm stystem and getting our salary lines back to where they probably need to be. That's a process, too, and that takes some time. I'm not particularly proud that we have the highest payroll in the game.
"I just don't think you are going to get the type of bang for your buck at the type of dollars that you are paying."
Tune in later today and look for Brian to explain how the sky is blue and water is wet.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2008
SAFE: A-Rod Should Play SS Over Jeter
From Popular Science -
Enter Spatial Aggregate Fielding Evaluation, or SAFE, a new yard stick for fielding developed by professor Shane Jensen and his stat-junkie colleagues at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and presented today at the AAAS Meetings in Boston. In short, Jensen examined every hit from the 2002-2005 baseball seasons and developed a formula that spit out the probability of the average player at each position recording an out on a batted ball. He then compared this to individual players' stats and determined how many runs each player's fielding performance either saved or caused.
First basemen, it turns out are relatively inconsequential when it comes to fielding balls. On average, the best first basemen will only save their team one or two runs over the course of the season; the very worst only cough up five. The distinction is much more apparent at the shortstop position, where Alex Rodriguez was the best everyday shortstop in the league, saving 10.40 runs each season for the Texas Rangers. Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees shortstop who is often hailed for his defensive prowess and has won three Gold Gloves, ranks dead last in the majors, coughing up 13.81 runs per season. Before the 2004 season, the Yankees traded for A-Rod and shifted him to third base in deferrence of Jeter, but based on these numbers, that move could be costing them 23 runs per season. Would the Yankees be better off with A-Rod at SS? Probably, but I'm a Red Sox fan, so I'll keep quiet on this one.
Looking back at the Fielding Bible, I see that A-Rod was +11 (in the Plus/Minus rankings) whereas Jeter was -14 (back in 2003 when they both were shortstops). This does synch-up with SAFE.
But, watching Alex play third, the last four years, I see a lack of range (by him) along with a weakness in fielding bunts and pop-ups. So, how in the world does he then become a good fielding shortstop?
Could it be that Alex, when at short, did a better job at positioning himself (than Jeter's been doing the last few years)? If so, is that a reflection of the player, alone, or the player and his management?
It will be interesting to see if Jeter's Plus/Minus numbers and/or SAFE grade improve this season with Joe Girardi and Rob Thomson manning the ship.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:08 PM | Comments (7)
February 15, 2008
The Dawn Of Generation Trey?
Joel Sherman "pitches" this label today for Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain. Gosh, I hope it doesn't stick.
Sounds too much like Wingo's kids, to me.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:39 AM | Comments (5)
February 14, 2008
O’Neill Surprised About Ensberg Getting 21
Via Jack Curry -
Paul O’Neill did not sound perturbed about the Yankees taking his No. 21 out of storage and giving it to Morgan Ensberg this spring, but he did sound perplexed. The Yankees had not issued No. 21 to a player since O’Neill retired in 2001.
When I reached O’Neill on Thursday, I wanted to ask him what he thought about the Yankees’ decision. I didn’t realize that I would also be breaking the news to him. It turns out I was the first one to tell O’Neill that someone else will be wearing 21 in 2008.
“How did you hear that?,” O’Neill said. “Did they make an announcement or something?”
Since O’Neill’s 21 had not been worn in seven years, he thought there was a chance that it would eventually be retired.
“A lot of people told me they might do it,” O’Neill said, referring to his number being retired. “But you don’t ever take anything like that for granted.”
Maybe this means that Kevin Long gets to keep #54 too?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:37 PM | Comments (0)
Well, That Didn't Take Long
Got this one in my e-mail inbox today. You have to laugh at this stuff, right?
Posted by WW Staff at 03:33 PM | Comments (1)
Pitchers & Catchers Report!
Was it really just 129 days ago that Jorge Posada struck out swinging to end the Yankees 2007 season?
Tempus fugit, huh?
Between the Pettitte/Clemens news of the last few days, and many players reporting down to camp early and working out at the minor league facility, this day doesn't seem as exciting as it should be...or, at least, as exciting as compared to past years.
Still, it's a good day in the sense that it's the "official" start of Spring Training for the Yankees.
Just 46 days until Opening Day now. I wonder how fast that will go by - and what will happen in Yankeeland, that we don't expect, between now and then?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:55 AM | Comments (3)
February 13, 2008
Yanks Not Interested In Long Term Deal With Wang
Via Kat O'Brien today -
Chien-Ming Wang wanted to sign a long-term contract with the Yankees this offseason, as Robinson Cano did, but the Yankees weren't interested, Wang said yesterday.
Wang said of signing a multiyear deal: "I want to."
Newsday first reported in December that Wang's camp was interested in a long-term contract, but yesterday marked Wang's first words on the matter. The Yankees didn't share the desire to sign Wang long-term, even though the righthander has won 38 games in the past two seasons. General manager Brian Cashman did not return a phone call, but told Newsday recently, "Not at this time," when asked about possibly signing Wang long-term.
Someone close to Wang said the pitcher is disappointed that the Yankees would not entertain the idea of a long-term contract. The source said that the fact that the Yankees signed second baseman Cano to a contract worth at least $30 million and up to $57 million adds to Wang's disappointment at not receiving the same type offer.
One reason the Yankees told Wang they did not want to do a long-term deal now, he said, is: "Because pitchers [can find it] hard to stay healthy."
I know where the Yankees are going with this one. They figure they can go year-to-year with Worm Killer right through 2010. And, then, when Wang is age 30 they can see if they want to give him a long-term deal. Of course, they're going to have to pay more, then, if Wang continues to pitch well for the next three seasons.
It's sort of how New York approached Rivera and Posada last Spring - meaning "We'll give you the years and the money when you have options. Until then, we want to make sure you don't break down."
You just hope that good business doesn't turn into bad blood. Because, sometimes bad blood turns into bad business. If you tick Wang off with this approach, and he's stellar between now and 2010, then he just might go somewhere else - since many would be willing to pay him in that scenario.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:25 PM | Comments (5)
Clemens Is Liar & PED User. It's Done. Next!
Anyone else out there have the Buzzcocks’ “I Believe” stuck in their head now as a result of today’s congressional hearings regarding PEDs, Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee?
O.K., after today, this is what I believe in: Roger Clemens is lying when he says that he’s never used PEDs. And, this is not because of anything that Brian McNamee had to say today (or before). I wouldn’t trust McNamee any more than I would trust Brittney Spears when she says she’s a fit mother.
But, I trust Andy Pettitte. When Andy Pettitte swears to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help him Gee-Oh-Dee, he’s going to tell you the truth. Need proof of this? Check out the disclosure today that Pettitte used PEDs in 2004. No one knew about that – except Andy, his father, and maybe a few other people in Pettitte’s life (that he may confide with on such matters). There was no need for Pettitte to cough up this information. It was a tree falling in the woods with no one there to hear it. But, Andy did confess to it – because he swore to tell the truth.
And, if Pettitte says that Clemens mentioned some time around 1999 or 2000 that he used PEDs, I believe this to be true. Further, if Pettitte says that Clemens, in 2005, then later claimed that Andy misunderstood him – and that Roger meant that it was (his wife) Debbie Clemens that used HGH, again, I believe Pettitte (that this happened).
However, as it was brought up in the hearing today, there’s a problem here. Clemens, and McNamee (for what it’s worth), have confessed that Debbie Clemens was injected with HGH in 2003. Therefore, unless Roger Clemens has some sort of temporal buddy-pass that allows him to bend the laws of time and space, there was no way possible for him to be discussing Debbie Clemens in 1999-2000 (using PEDs) since it wouldn’t happen (yet) for another three years.
In the end, this won’t change the way I look at Roger Clemens. For all we know, he’s not the only player in baseball over the last 20 years to use PEDs. And, I’m not sure that I can fault him for using PEDs – the more I think about it. Baseball players are always looking for an edge. And, while some may see PED-use as cheating – at least it’s a player cheating towards a winning outcome. I understand the issue around having a “level playing field.” Still, is there ever such a thing as a “level playing field” in baseball? Doesn’t it seems like, at any time, some player or team has an advantage over another for some reason?
In any event, in the end, I do believe that Roger Clemens is a liar when he says that he never used PEDs. I got that out of the hearings today – besides the Buzzcocks ear-worm. And, this will be a tough time for Roger now...for a while...until the next guy comes along. Just like Clemens took Bonds out of the PED center ring. And, there will be a next guy – there always is.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:30 PM | Comments (8)
Rocket: Pettitte "Misremembers"
If Clemens says this one more time about Andy Pettitte, this morning, I think Pettitte should go out and buy a "Misremembers Only" jacket and wear it everyday for the next year.
Posted by WW Staff at 11:00 AM | Comments (1)
February 12, 2008
'04 Was Lofton's Fault?
Via Jerry Beach of Scout.com, on Kenny Lofton:
Plus, who wants the most hexed player of this generation on their team come playoff time? Look at his track record: He played for the 2002 Giants (blew a 3-2 lead in the World Series), 2003 Cubs (blew a 3-1 lead in the NLCS), 2004 Yankees (blew a 3-0 lead in the ALCS) and the 2007 Indians (blew a 3-1 lead in the ALCS). The first team to blow a 4-0 lead in a best-of-seven series will have Lofton, you can take that to the bank.
Yeah, I know, there's no such thing as a lucky penny. But, maybe there is such a thing as an unlucky Kenny?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:50 PM | Comments (3)
Olney: Yanks Sweating Pettitte's Condition
A hat tip to WasWatching.com reader baileywalk for a heads-up on this one.....
From Buster Olney:
Andy Pettitte no longer has to go to Washington, and instead, he is scheduled to report to the Yankees' training camp in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday. But staff members expect that Pettitte will be behind in his preparation for the 2008 season, because of the off-field issues that have dominated his offseason.
The Yankees won't get a first-hand read of just how far Pettitte will be behind until they see him throw later this week, but the status of the team's No. 2 starter is a major concern within the organization.
But because of his past relationships with Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee, Pettitte has effectively been drawn into the vortex of a bitter dispute between the 7-time Cy Young Award and trainer. In addition, Pettitte's son Josh was injured in a football game last fall. These circumstances have apparently set back Pettitte's usual preparation for spring training.
In past years, Pettitte has worked out during the offseason -- sometimes with Clemens and McNamee -- before starting his throwing regimen in early January. The Yankees' staffers don't know exactly where Pettitte is in his training, but they will operate under the assumption that he will be behind Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Hughes and their other starters.
While I agree there's a chance that Pettitte could be behind where he usually is with respect to his off-season program, because of his thoughts about retiring, the Mitchell Report mess, and his son's accident, I think there's still plenty of time for him to get in shape for this season.
Andy has two weeks before exhibition games. And, even if Pettitte is delayed, in terms of getting into game action, until around March 10th before his first exhibition appearance, that would still be enough time for him to get in a handful of starts before the season. That's all he needs to prepare, at this stage in his career.
Here's a thought: Could this be a smoke-screen by the Yankees? Is there a chance that they want to bring in an experienced starter as insurance for Hughes and Kennedy - without doing anything to mess with the confidence of Hughes and Kennedy - and they're using the Pettitte concerns as an excuse?
Nah, that's probably not the case. The Yankees would never do something in a surreptitious manner, would they? I guess it depends on how smart, or dumb, you think the team is, right?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:35 PM | Comments (5)
Sherman: Joba Will Be In The Pen
Via Joel Sherman -
Joba Chamberlain will prepare during spring training as a starter, but will begin the season in the Yankee bullpen barring injury to any of the other five main rotation members, team officials confirmed to The Post.
The Yanks also want to use April and May as an audition for his successor. The idea would be to have a slate of young relievers work in the less pressurized sixth and seventh innings. The organizational hope is that someone from a group that could include Alan Horne, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez and Ross Ohlendorf emerges in reliability and can graduate to the eighth-inning role when Chamberlain is transitioned back to the rotation.
At some point in June, the Yanks would send Chamberlain to the minors for 3-4 weeks to stretch him out to 5-6 innings in preparation to be a full-time starter in the second half.
And Chamberlain must be physically and mentally able to handle a unique proposition in which he will be asked to throw approximately 30-40 relief innings, be shuttled to the minors and then promoted to start for about another 90 or so innings.
The one question here: Which starter gets "yanked" from the rotation in July when Joba makes the switch? It won't be Pettitte or Wang. And, if Hughes and Kennedy are doing fine, it won't be them. Mussina? Maybe, but, that won't be a pretty scene.
Plus, if the Yankees are in a dog-fight in June, would they really then take Joba out of the pen and send him to the minors for 3-to-4 weeks?
The money here says Joba starts the year in the pen and stays there all season.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:02 AM | Comments (7)
February 11, 2008
Joba Doesn't Care
For this to be fun, try singing "Joba Doesn't Care" like Matt Damon singing "Scotty Doesn't Know" in EuroTrip.
From the AP -
Joba Chamberlain doesn't worry about whether he'll wind up in the New York Yankees' rotation or the bullpen.
A starter in the minors, Chamberlain became Mariano Rivera's primary setup man during the final two months of last season. The Yankees say the 22-year-old eventually will be a starter, but that he will have an innings limit this year and could start in the bullpen.
"We've approached it in a great way. We're going to go in the beginning and understand there's an innings limit, and I know that," Chamberlain said Monday. "I'm excited to have a new challenge this year."
Chamberlain will work with the starting pitchers during the early part of spring training, even if he begins the season in the bullpen. Last year, Chamberlain worked under strict pitch and innings limits, which came to be known as Joba Rules.
"This game is definitely a marathon, not a sprint, and I understand that," Chamberlain said. "Last year, it was kind of frustrating, having the rules, but you understood what it was about. I understand the work load and what's going to go on, but this is going to be my first go around, so I've got to be patient and learn and understand that I've got to ask questions as I prepare myself for a full season in the big leagues."
Nice to see that Joba is down with whatever the plan may be for him. It's refreshing to see him have this "Put me in coach" attitude. Not every phenom would have this approach. Some may see it as a way to drive down their earning potential - working out of the pen instead of the rotation. Two thumbs up to Chamberlain for looking at the big picture.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:30 PM | Comments (6)
February 10, 2008
King: Yanks Will Struggle To Make Playoffs
Via George King -
When Alex Rodriguez opted out of his Yankee contract during the World Series, the Bombers had a chance to rebuild around the young pitching that has prompted premature adulation.
They should have let Rodriguez dance out of The Bronx, thanked Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera for wonderful careers and sent Bobby Abreu away. They will surpass 4 million in attendance this season, the final year at Yankee Stadium. Next season, the new ballpark will be filled with corporate stiffs. So, the Yankees should have taken a shot at 2010 when the pitching Hank Steinbrenner believes is the best in baseball would have had two years experience.
Instead, the Yankees took back Rodriguez and gave him a raise to $275 million, dumped $52.4 million on Posada, $45 million on Rivera and picked up a $16 million option on Abreu. With spring training starting this week, the Yankees are worse than they were that October night when the Indians ushered them out of the postseason in the first round, the third straight season the Yankees have endured such a fate.
Going into camp, there are more than a dozen issues facing a flawed and expensive Yankees team that won't make the playoffs.
...young pitching that has prompted premature adulation...
...next season, the new ballpark will be filled with corporate stiffs...
...there are more than a dozen issues facing a flawed and expensive Yankees team that won't make the playoffs...
It's nice to see that King reads WasWatching.com.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:31 AM | Comments (13)
February 09, 2008
Hello Joe!
Jack Curry has a nice piece up in The Times on General Joe. The caption under the cool picture of Girardi tells a little story too. Here it is:
General Manager Brian Cashman has called Joe Girardi, who was the bench coach in 2005, the most prepared coach he has encountered.
Great Showalter's Ghost!
I cannot wait to see Girardi doing his thing this year. It's one of the items that has me the most pumped about this upcoming season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:46 PM | Comments (1)
February 08, 2008
Keri: Projecting The '08 Yankees
Jonah Keri has a great feature up today at the YES Network site - discussing the PECOTA projections for the Yankees this season. Click here to read it. As Jonah writes:
PECOTA sees the Yankees trotting out another great offense, with Chamberlain, Hughes and Kennedy (4.22 projected ERA) taking on bigger roles in an above-average starting rotation. The biggest question mark, as it was for much of last season, is the bullpen.
Just another reason why Joba should be in the bullpen in '08.
Posted by WW Staff at 02:03 PM | Comments (9)
Borden: Hughes Ready For Big Time
In the rare chance that you missed it, Sam Borden has a nice feature on Phil Hughes today in the Journal News.
Sam is a good writer. It's nice to have him back in New York.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:33 PM | Comments (4)
A-Rod: 'S Wonderful Time In NYC
Via Mark Feinsand:
Alex Rodriguez believes Johan Santana will be a terrific addition for the Mets, but the reigning American League MVP hinted that he was happy to see the Yankees hold on to Phil Hughes and Melky Cabrera instead of dealing the youngsters to Minnesota for the two-time Cy Young winner.
While attending a Gucci event for UNICEF on Wednesday night, A-Rod told New York Magazine that the Santana trade was "a wonderful move" for the Mets, who dealt four minor-leaguers for the lefthanded ace. Even though the Yankees didn't add any new players of Santana's caliber this winter, Rodriguez believes that his crosstown rivals aren't the only ones ready for a big year.
"I love all this great energy that's happening in New York," Rodriguez said, "with the Giants winning the championship, with the best pitcher going to the Mets, and the Yankees keeping all their great, young, wonderful players. It's going to be a great year."
Watch out Tommy Tune and Marshall Crenshaw, here comes Alex!
Posted by WW Staff at 12:18 PM | Comments (1)
Yanks Pen Polar Opposite Pair
Paul White of USA Today Sports Weekly has compiled his “100 Names You Need to Know in 2008” for this baseball season. Yankees who made the list:
#2 Joba Chamberlain
#21 Ian Kennedy
#25 Shelley Duncan
#30 Edwar Ramirez
#87 Jonathan Albaladejo
This got me thinking: If those last two guys make the Yankees staff this season, should we start calling Edwar Ramirez “Laurel” and Jonathan Albaladejo “Hardy”?
Posted by WW Staff at 09:46 AM | Comments (1)
Moose & Spring
You shouldn’t pay any attention to Spring Training statistics – or, so “they” say. Experienced big leaguers are just trying to get their work in – and they don’t care about the numbers. Younger hitters are ahead of older pitchers early in the camps – and younger pitchers are ahead of the older hitters early on as well. You hear all kinds of stuff, like that.
However, I believe there are some types of numbers that you can trust in Spring Training. If you have a 20-year old shortstop who’s never played above Double-A and he bats .083 in 50 Spring Training At Bats, that’s probably a sign that he’s not ready for the big leagues, yet. And, if you have a 39-year old pitcher who posts an ERA of 8.97 in 20 innings or work, over the Spring, that’s probably a good warning sign that he’s well past his better years.
So, what happens in Yankeeland, this Spring, if Mike Mussina gets hammered in exhibition games? Should the Yankees ignore it – and allow him on the team (no matter what)? Or, should they consider cutting him before Opening Day – or try to trade him – if he’s just flat out (in the words of Frank Caliendo doing Charles Barkley) “turrrible” next month down in Tampa?
Me? I think you have to pay attention to Moose’s performance this Spring and give him no guarantees that he’s a lock for the team. Yes, I know that General Joe, among others, have said that “Mike didn’t forget how to pitch over the last year” (or something close to that). But, I would offer that, while the mind is willing, the body doesn’t always follow. Mussina may “know” what to do – but, his body may no longer be able to perform it.
What do you think? Would you have Mussina on watch this Spring – as if his place on the team depended on him having good numbers next month? Or, do you think it doesn’t matter what the results are for Moose in the exhibition games?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:45 AM | Comments (13)
February 07, 2008
Nipsey Russell, Attorney At Law, On Case For McNamee
Via the AP:
"Roger Clemens has put himself in a position where his legacy as the greatest pitcher in baseball will depend less on his ERA and more on his DNA," said one of [Brian] McNamee's lawyers, Earl Ward.
I'm guessing that Kurtis Blow is calling Clemens now - with an offer to help state his side of the case.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:49 PM | Comments (5)
Scott Strickland
During a broadcast of Yankees Hot Stove, on YES, tonight, David Cone said that (Spring Training Invitee) Scott Strickland should be considered a sleeper for the Yankees bullpen this season - since he's now "two years" post-op of Tommy John (and that he had sharp stuff before the surgery).
Actually, Cone is wrong. Strickland had Tommy John surgery in June of 2003 - which is four and a half years ago.
In 2006, Strickland came all the way back - pitching brilliantly in Triple-A for the Pirates. In October of 2006, he signed with the Padres - and he pitched, some, last season, for their Triple-A Team (the Portland Beavers).
David Cone almost had me on this one. For a second, I thought "Ooooh, a sleeper!" But, then, I checked the stats. Almost, Conie, almost.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:07 PM | Comments (2)
Jeter: No Johan, No Problem
From the Daily News -
In Johan Santana, the Mets got a pitcher who would "help out any team - he's arguably the best pitcher in the game right now," according to Derek Jeter.
"I'm sure he'll help them out a lot," Jeter added during a break Wednesday from a pre-spring training workout at the Yankees' minor-league complex. "I'm sure Willie (Randolph) is really excited about it."
Jeter said he didn't pay much attention to the Santana sweepstakes, which dominated much of the winter baseball news.
Asked if the Yankees needed to make a move like the Santana trade, Jeter said, "I wouldn't say we necessarily need to ... I'm happy that Phil (Hughes) and Melky (Cabrera) - I think they were the two main guys mentioned - are coming back and I'm sure they're happy, too."
Two days in a row, now, with something from Jeter. Think the Captain is going to be more quotable this season?
Well, in the last few days, he's had more to say than A-Rod:
[Melky] Cabrera was honored with five other athletes at last night's Thurman Munson Awards Dinner at the Marriott Marquis, including teammate Alex Rodriguez. Unlike Cabrera, A-Rod declined to speak with reporters, posing for photos with the honorees before being whisked away - voluntarily - by some public relations types.
It will be interesting to see if this trend continues this year: Jeter being chatty and Alex not having much to say.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:12 AM | Comments (2)
February 06, 2008
Yankees Softees?
For many baseball fans, one of the more irritating traits that a ballplayer can have (on their favorite team) is being “soft” – despite being very talented. By “soft” it is implied that the player lacks “drive” and/or “mental toughness.” Some may offer that former Yankee Danny Tartabull and current Yankee Carl Pavano fit this profile. They had/have talent, but, they performed “soft” while in New York.
Related, here’s two questions for you:
1. Do you agree with the notion that a talented ballplayer can also be “soft”?
2. If yes, which past and present Yankees do you consider to be “soft”?
Thanks in advance for anything that you can share.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:49 AM | Comments (14)
Cashman: Succession Planning Matters
Joel Sherman has an interesting feature in the Post today - comparing Brian Cashman to Ernie Accorsi, the football Giants former GM (and a huge baseball fan). A snip:
It is possible, and Cashman knows this, that he might be rebuilding a farm system for another man, that he will play Accorsi and hand off something ready to blossom to his successor. He insists he is fine with that prospect, recalling how fortunate he was to be gifted a championship roster from his predecessor Bob Watson, saying he owes it to that memory and to professionalism and to Yankees fans to guarantee his baton pass is as fruitful.
"You want to make sure it is sustainable for the next person," Cashman said.
As always, Cashman says the right thing. He truly is a professional, at all times.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:47 AM | Comments (8)
February 05, 2008
Pearls Of Wisdom From Johnny Damon
Via TC Palm -
The team hasn’t won a World Series since 2000, hasn’t played in one since 2003 and hasn’t gotten past the first round of the American League playoffs since 2004.
Clearly, the New York Yankees, who won four championships from 1996 to 2000 with Torre managing a stable of thoroughbreds bred and bought with Steinbrenner’s millions, are a team in transition.
But Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon doesn’t see it that way...
“I see it as we’re giving some young pitchers an opportunity, some pitchers the league doesn’t know too much about,” Damon was saying last weekend, when he visited the Treasure Coast to participate in the M.E.’s Team two-day fundraiser organized by Martin County native and former Yankees teammate Scott Proctor.
“Obviously, we’re not going to go out and change our offense and defense, because we still believe we are the best all-around team, as far as that’s concerned. First base could be an issue, because we have about four or five different guys playing there. But, all around, I think we’re very solid.
“And,” he added, “I think these young pitchers could bring in a different attitude for us.”
“We were 14 games down at one time, and I still thought we were good enough to win last year,” Damon said. “We knew when we left camp that we didn’t leave with our best team. Once guys got healthy and in better shape, the season turned around."
We knew when we left camp that we didn’t leave with our best team. Once guys got healthy and in better shape, the season turned around.
Damon batted .245/.339/.344 (BA/OBP/SLG) in the first half last season - and .296/.364/.450 in the second half. So, he should know. Between his calves and his ribs, he was damaged goods to start the season.
Hopefully, this season, Damon reports to camp, in shape, and comes flying out of the blocks for the Yanks.
There's a big difference between "plastic forks and paper napkins" and "fine silverware and linen serviettes" when it comes to setting the table.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:35 PM | Comments (5)
Jeter: PED Talk No Distraction To Team
Via the AP -
Yankees captain Derek Jeter doesn't think baseball's steroids controversy will be a major distraction when the team begins spring training next week.
"I think Andy is probably going to be facing a lot of questions,'' Jeter said Tuesday. "You know how it is in New York, there's always questions. It will probably die down after the first couple days when he talks to the media, addresses them and answers those questions. But in New York, there's always something every year. ... It might be a little different for Andy. Other than that, I don't think so.''
This, of course, assumes that no one in camp this year says something about it that will give the media something to play with for a while. If I'm General Joe, I would issue a gag order to everyone on this...from A-Rod down to Nick Green...and tell them to say as little as possible, at all times, on inquiries regarding PED usage.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 05:37 PM | Comments (2)
Better 10 Days Late, Than Never
Happy belated 1st Wedding Anniversary to Billy Eppler, Director of pro scouting for Yankees, and his wife Bree.
There, White, maybe that will bring the Yankees some luck now...
Posted by WW Staff at 04:25 PM | Comments (1)
David Robertson
John Sickels Baseball Prospect Book 2008 arrived in the mail yesterday. Fun stuff, as always.
One entry that caught my eye was on David Robertson. John likes him as a sleeper.
Robertson was selected by the Yankees in 17th Round (524th overall) of 2006 amateur draft. He's a little right-hander. He's listed at 5' 11" - and, in baseball, if they list you at five-eleven, you're probably closer to five-ten or five-nine.
David was named as a second-team Freshman All-American by Baseball America as a relief pitcher.
His pro-stats from 2007 are impressive: 84.1 IP, 45 H, 32 BB and 113 K's. He was able to have a brief stay at Double-A and fanned 9 of the 16 batters that he faced there.
David probably gets left off most prospect lists because of his height. It always happens to small righties. But, his stuff is there.
There's a chance, I suppose, that he starts the year at Double-A this season and maybe works his way up to Triple-A at some point too...and then ends up in the Bronx later this season?
Then again, he could be the next Ryan Bradley as well. In any event, it's a name that's worth keeping on the radar, just in case. And, it doesn't seem like he's on the radar for many who like to keep such lists.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 06:19 AM | Comments (4)
February 04, 2008
Kevin Mench
Via Ed Price -
The Yankees have interest in free agent Kevin Mench as a fifth outfielder, according to a person with knowledge of discussions who asked not to be named because no deal has been struck.
Mench, 30, would probably go to Yankees camp on a minor-league contract. But he give the Yankees a right-handed option in the outfield, where Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu are lefties and Melky Cabrera is a switch-hitter. Shelley Duncan is right-handed but could win the first-base job.
Back in July 2006, when it was rumored the Yanks were interested in Mench, I was for it. Since he still punishes LHP, I wouldn't mind seeing him come to camp. He's a better option than Jason Lane.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:30 PM | Comments (4)
Is There A Love Connection Between Cashman & Phillies?
Via Jim Salisbury:
While all indications point to Ruben Amaro Jr. becoming the Phillies' GM after this season, it's worth noting that Yankees GM Brian Cashman is entering the final year of his contract. Cashman admitted to having the Phillies' job on his radar screen when it went to Pat Gillick in November 2005. At that time, Cashman wasn't sure if his contract with the Yankees would be renewed.
Cashman, his wife, and their two kids live in Darien, Connecticut. But, his kids are under the age of eight. So, a move, now, would not be a huge stress on his family. And, Philly is so close to NYC that it's not like they would be far away from friends, etc.
Ruben Amaro Jr. deserves a shot at the Phillies job, next year. Still, maybe David Montgomery (their owner) likes Cashman?
There's really not going to be many G.M. jobs open after this season. Including the Yankees, should Cashman go, maybe there would be two or three openinings - when you consider all the new guys put into place in the last few years. Most of those new hires are safe.
If we hear that Cashman has an interest in the Philly post, it probably should not come as a shock.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:54 PM | Comments (1)
Newman: Nobody Talks About Kontos?
From George King via Baseball America -
Righthander George Kontos could be the best-kept secret in the Yankees system, according to farm director Mark Newman.
"He was named among the top 10 prospects in the Hawaiian league and nobody talks about him," Newman said of the 22-year-old Kontos, a fifth-round pick from Northwestern in 2006. He completed his second pro season at high Class A Tampa before heading for Honolulu.
"His stuff is really good," Newman said of Kontos, whose fastball ranges from 90-94 mph. "He also has a quality slider and an emerging curveball. A changeup makes him a four-pitch guy."
"He is a smart guy who works at it and is committed," Newman said.
The Yankees are expected to part with young arms for a proven big league starter at some point. But based on Kontos' first two seasons, they believe he's at least in the discussion with the likes of prized righthanders Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy.
Hughes, Chamberlain, Kennedy, Horne, Betances, McCutchen, Brackman, Marquez, and Kontos. How many of these guys will actually be with the Yankees in 2012? All nine? Three? None? Anyone want to guess?
You never know. How many people thought, in the summer of 2006, that Tyler Clippard would be gone from the Yankees before the 2008 season?
Posted by WW Staff at 10:22 AM | Comments (7)
February 02, 2008
Sabathia In 'Stripes? Fat Chance, I Hope
From Terry Pluto -
I never expected C.C. Sabathia to sign an extension with the Tribe. The market for the 27-year-old Cy Young Award winner is far too rich not only for Cleveland, but most teams. The Indians have talked about contracts recently given to Roy Halladay (three years, $40 million), Jake Peavy (three years, $52 million), Carlos Zambrano (five years, $91 million) and Chris Carpenter (five years, $63 million). They'd probably give any of those deals to Sabathia, or even the four-year, $80 million that Johan Santana turned down from the Twins before he was traded to the Mets.
But the market for Sabathia will be set by two contracts -- the seven-year, $126 million that Barry Zito received from San Francisco last winter and the six-year, $137.5 million deal Santana secured from the Mets. That means Sabathia will be a $100-plus million pitcher, and perhaps in line to become the highest-paid pitcher in history when he's a free agent at the end of the 2008 season with a contract that could run as long as seven years.
The general rule is the longer the contract, the more risk by the team. That's especially true for pitchers, who have a higher probability of injury. I would be stunned if the Tribe offered a seven-year deal to Sabathia -- and just as shocked if Sabathia took anything significantly less than what Santana is paid.
When you consider how much money is coming off the Yankees payroll after this season, and how few decent starting pitchers are available via trade or free agency, and the salary demands of Sabathia, how long from now do you think it will take to have stories popping up about Sabathia coming to the Bronx in 2009? Not very long at all, if you ask me.
Sabathia's effort last year was probably the 4th best season by a LH-SP in the AL since 2001. But, I just don't see him, because of his size and conditioning, as being someone who can pitch well as he gets near his 30's. If he hits the market, I hope the Yankees raise the "Not Interested" flag as soon as possible.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:47 PM | Comments (2)
Torre Only Makes Out-Bound Calls?
Via the TC Palm:
New York Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon and his wife, Michelle, made a Hollywood-esque entry into the main lobby at the Tesoro Club Friday night to help Scott Proctor, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and Martin County native collect about $200,000 in proceeds to benefit his family's charity.
The M.E.'s Team Charity Benefit Ball drew a capacity crowd of 260 to the $500-a-plate gourmet dinner and Ryan Weaver country music concert. It was Proctor's first benefit. Helping attract the large numbers were Major League players Damon, Yankees pitcher Kyle Farnsworth and Marlins pitcher Andrew Miller.
Damon and Farnsworth said their friendship with Proctor helped draw them to the event. Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who previously committed to the event, backed out Thursday.
Wow. Every time Torre called Proctor, he showed up.
Yes, I'm just kidding with this. I'm sure Joe had other important things to do.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:16 AM | Comments (2)
Sure, Now, You Play It Cool Adam
Adam Sandler is predicting that the Patriots will beat the Giants tomorrow. I wish he was this laid back in his New York fandom a few years back too. Maybe then we wouldn't have the 50 First Dates Curse to deal with?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2008
Maybe He Should Have Said "Handle It Tino!" Before Every Throw?
Here's Chuck Knoblauch, with his son Jake, as walks out of his deposition hearing today before the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee:
I know he's been retired for 5 years, and he's 38-years old now, but, I don't remember Chucky looking so beefy. Probably serves him well - I doubt many people on the street would even know who he is with this look.
If they ever do a remake of "Carter Country," maybe Knoblauch can now go up for the part of the Mayor Teddy Burnside?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 01:44 PM | Comments (8)
The A.L. East $7 Million Drafts Of 2007
From Jim Callis feature in Baseball America, last August:
The Yankees aggressively signed players in [the 2006] draft, and did so again [in 2007], spending $7,432,500 in the first 10 rounds. But the Orioles ($7,672,500) and Nationals ($7,619,300) outspent them there, and the Tigers ($7,305,000), Devil Rays ($7,172,000) and Giants ($7,027,000) came close. No club topped $7 million a year ago.
It's interesting that the Yankees, O's and Rays all spent $7 million during the first 10 rounds of the 2007 draft - as they're all in the A.L. East.
But, it will be more interesting to see, in about 3 to 5 years from now, which of the three spent their money the most wisely.
Here are the Yankees' pick-ups in the first ten rounds of 2007:
Andrew Brackman
Austin Romine
Ryan Pope
Bradley Suttle
Adam Olbrychowski
Chase Weems
Damon Sublett
Taylor Grote
Austin Krum
Carmen Angelini
And, here are the Orioles' pick-ups:
Matt Wieters
Tim Bascom
Jake Arrieta
Joe Mahoney
Matt Angle
Shane Mathews
Malcolm Crowley
Note the list is smaller because the O's lost some picks and did not sign their 10th rounder.
And, lastly, here are the Rays' pick-ups:
David Price
Will Kline
Nick Barnese
David Newmann
Dustin Biell
Emeel Salem
Reid Fronk
Matt Moore
Cody Cipriano
Greg Sexton
Anyone want to make some predictions on who is going to get the most for their seven mill?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:43 AM | Comments (6)
January 31, 2008
60 Days Notice
Yes, just 60 days from today, there will be a regular season major league baseball game to be played up at 161st Street and River Avenue up in the Bronx.
That’s one thousand, four hundred and forty hours from now – give or take. That doesn’t seem like very long away at all, does it?
Cool.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:49 AM | Comments (5)
Sherman: Cashman's Fate In Hughes' Hands
From Joel Sherman today -
Brian Cashman better be right. Phil Hughes better be special. Not good. Special.
Because if Hughes is just another pitcher, dependable but not dominant, then he might find himself spending his time in New York hearing who he is not - namely, that he is not Johan Santana.
And Cashman will soon be the ex-GM of the Yankees.Let's put it this way: If Johan Santana is 10-2 in June and Hughes is on the DL again or back at Triple-A or explaining the growing pains that have led to his 4-6 record and 4.87 ERA, then you can expect few Yankee fans to still be on the bandwagon about entrusting young pitchers.
And you can expect Hank Steinbrenner to be Bossy. You can expect Son of Slam to be channeling his father with a hailstorm of "I told you so."
Cashman won a power struggle that [2004] offseason and gained a three-year extension based on a plan to protect touted arms already in the organization, such as Hughes, and find more in the draft and internationally such as Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain.
It was absolutely the right path. But it misses a fact about the arms the Yanks had chased recently. This has been a group that has been too old (Johnson, Kevin Brown, Roger Clemens last year) or full of too much guesswork/projection (Jose Contreras, Javier Vazquez, Jeff Weaver, Pavano). Santana is a prime-age ace. He is great. No guesswork. As an executive from another club said, "If I had to gamble on one pitcher to be great the next six years, I would bet on Santana."
Cashman did not want to make that bet, not at the cost of Hughes and a contract that would swell the payroll to about $230M, tie them to a starter for seven years.
However, that three-year contract Cashman signed ends after this year. That ties his administration - his survival in the job - more to these young pitchers, Hughes in particular, than ever before. Hank Steinbrenner already is offering "make the playoffs or else" proclamations. Again, imagine Santana on a Cy Young track in Flushing, and Hughes on the Scranton shuttle from The Bronx.
Man, that's a lotta pressure to put on a 22-year old kid. But, Sherman has a point - if Santana has a Cy Young season in Queens this year and Hughes takes a step backwards, Cashman is going to hear it.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:30 AM | Comments (13)
January 30, 2008
Judging The Mets Package For Santana In Terms Of Yankees Prospects
Yesterday, within an hour of when the news broke on the Mets-Twins agreement for the trade involving Johan Santana, I wrote:
To me, this would be as if the Yankees traded Ian Kennedy, Jose Tabata, Alan Horne, and Dellin Betances for Johan Santana.
To be candid, when I wrote that, I did not spend a lot of time doing heavy analysis in coming up with that suggested Yankees package. I probably spent 30 seconds noodling it and basically was pulling names from some corner of my mind. In any event, what I wrote rankled many who made comments to that suggestion - as well as some others outside of this blog.
Yeah, I know, stupid of me to dare compare Yankees prospects (who are all wunderkind and Über-valuable) to prospects from an organization other than the Yankees (who, being non-Yankees prospects, are all therefore just minor league filler). Stupid, stupid, stoooop-id!
In any event, since it's done, I've decided to take a deeper look into who the Mets gave up (to the Twins) and compare that to my suggestion of a comparable Yankees package - using an independent source for information - just to see how wacky my off-the-cuff idea was in retrospect. To that end, I'm going to use the most recent scouting profiles from Baseball America on each player. Here goes:
Carlos Gomez - Mets: A true five-tool athlete, Gomez has game-changing speed and a well above-average arm, tools that help make him a premium defender in center field. He also has excellent bat speed that leads to projections of at least average power, if not more. Scouts said Gomez brought needed energy to the Mets. Hitting will be the last tool to develop for Gomez. He's still searching for the balance between aggressiveness and plate discipline. While he showed increased patience in 2007, it came at the expense of his power production.
Jose Tabata - Yankees: Despite his injury, Tabata was one of the high Class A Florida State League's top hitters, and he has a natural knack for making consistent hard contact. His wrist problem sapped some of his power, but scouts still project Tabata to have at least average pop, and some even see him more as a slugger than hitter. While he flashes plus speed, he projects as an average runner and right fielder with a solid average arm. Tabata's offensive future still involves some projection, and there's some concern his thickening body could lose some athleticism, rendering him more one-dimensional. Scouts outside the organization chide him for failing to give a consistent effort.
Sounds like they both have potential - but both are projection cases. Tabata, three years younger, has yet to play above A-ball - whereas Gomez has already done pretty good in Triple-A. How anyone can say, with confidence, that one of these two will be a star, for sure, in the majors, is beyond me. Therefore, since both are more promise than certainty, I would rate these two pretty close to being the same.
Deolis Guerra - Mets: Guerra has two present above-average pitches that could become well above-average. His fastball had below-average velocity for most of his first season, but now it ranges from 89-94 mph and touches 96. He features excellent arm speed on his changeup, his best offering since he signed, and it should become a big league out pitch once he commands it. While Guerra's curveball remains a below-average pitch, he has shown an ability to spin the ball and it projects as an average offering. At 18, Guerra still is learning the finer arts of pitching, such as holding runners, fielding his position and pitch sequences.
Dellin Betances - Yankees: Betances' stuff is as good as anyone's in the system. His fastball sits at 93-94 mph and touched 98 in the club's fall minicamp. He uses a low-80s power curveball as an out pitch. His changeup has made significant strides in his short pro career and grades as a future plus pitch with sinking, diving action. He's athletic and intelligent, and adapted quickly to the mechanical adjustments New York asked him to make. While he's shown some feel for his changeup, Betances needs to throw it more to master it. At his size, he'll have to work to keep his mechanics in sync and maintain balance over the rubber. At times, he rushes his delivery, making it hard for his arm to keep up with his body and costing him command. [Note, this report is a year old.]
Betances is a year older than Guerra. Both are big kids who throw hard and who need better command of their breaking pitches. Neither one has shown anything over A-Ball. Again, since both are more promise than certainty, I would rate these two pretty close to being the same.
Two down, two to go, and so far, it's looking fairly even.
Kevin Mulvey - Mets: Mulvey throws four pitches for strikes and keeps everything down. His fastball, which sits at 87-91 mph and touches 94, features good sink and run. He dominated righthanders, limiting them to a .224 average and no homers. His mid-70s curveball with 11-to-5 break and his low-80s slider both are average pitches, and at times his slider is a put-away offering. His changeup shows signs of being average. His competitiveness makes his whole greater than the sum of his parts. Mulvey has trouble against lefthanders because he can't work them inside easily. At times his changeup is too firm. He has lost 2-3 mph off his fastball from his days at Villanova, but he could gain some of that back as he gets accustomed to the pro workload.
Alan Horne - Yankees: At times, Horne shows four above-average pitches, starting with a fastball that usually sits at 92-93 mph but also can park at 94-95. He flashes a power slider and curveball, and he throws his changeup with good arm speed. Horne's arm action is long, leading to inconsistent release points and below-average command, and it likely contributed to his past elbow injury. The Yankees have shortened his delivery in other ways to compensate, but it's not a correctable flaw and limits Horne's ceiling. He doesn't field his position or hold runners particularly well.
Both of these pitchers have proven themselves in Double-A. In a perfect world, they both learn some more in Triple-A this season. Mulvey is two years younger than Horne. Both throw in the low 90's and top out at 94 MPH. Horne has some issues with command and Mulvey has some issues getting the ball inside to lefties. Both held Double-A batters to a .250 average last season. They seem like the same prospect to me.
Three down, one to go, and, it's still looking fairly even.
Philip Humber - Mets: Humber still has the best curveball in the organization, and he has learned to shorten it up a bit and throw it for quality strikes. He's learning to spot his fastball better down in the zone, where it has more life. His changeup, which he has used since junking the splitter he had in college, has developed into an average pitch. At times Humber still tries to pitch up in the strike zone, and he doesn't have that kind of velocity anymore. His fastball ranges from 87-91 mph after he used to touch 94-95 at Rice. He's still refining his command two years after his elbow reconstruction. Humber is likely ready for on-the-job training in the majors, but he'll have to earn the spot in spring training. He now projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
Ian Kennedy - Yankees: Kennedy has mound presence and moxie to go with above-average major league command, and that helps all his pitches play up. His 88-92 mph fastball, his curveball and his slider all are average pitches. His plus changeup is his best offering, featuring late fade. He repeats his compact delivery. With only one above-average pitch, Kennedy has to hit his spots, but he usually does. At times his curve is too slow, dipping to 69-72 mph, and lacks sharpness. Compared to Mike Mussina because of his similar stretch delivery, Kennedy has less pure stuff than Mussina once did. Kennedy fits a No. 3 or No. 4 starter profile and should fulfill such a role in 2008.
Kennedy is two years younger than Humber. Both of these pitchers throw in the high '80's to very low '90's and need to spot their fastballs - and spot them well. Humber's weapon is s good curveball and Kennedy's weapon is a good change. Humber "projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter" and Kennedy "fits a No. 3 or No. 4 starter profile." Gee, is it just me, or, based on these reports, do these two hurlers sort of grade out the same, too?
Do I (?) dare say: Four down, none to go, and, on the whole, it looks even between what the Mets gave up and what I quickly suggested.
But, then again, this is based on scouting reports from Baseball America - who complies their information from talking to scouts and other members of baseball front offices (and the like). And, those people don't realize the dynamic behind the principle that dictates "All Yankees prospects are future stars in the making whereas prospects from other teams are all hyped wannabes and failures in waiting."
It's too bad. If only these reports would say what many Yankees fans want to hear. It would make so many people feel better now.
In the meantime, in retrospect, and finally doing some research, I'm feeling a little better about my ability to think on the fly and pull things out of the back of my brain - at least when it comes to something Yankees-related.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:26 PM | Comments (30)
McNamee Lawyer: Pettitte To Finger Rocket
From the AP:
A lawyer for Andy Pettitte's former personal trainer said yesterday he believes the pitcher will tell Congress he discussed human growth hormone with Roger Clemens between the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
The lawyer, Earl Ward, said Pettitte talked about HGH with trainer Brian McNamee following a conversation with Clemens, who has denied he used HGH or steroids. McNamee worked with both Clemens and Pettitte.
"We're hopeful based on Andy's reputation that he will corroborate Brian's statements with regard to Roger," Ward said.
When first seeing the headline of "LAWYER: PETTITTE WILL IMPLICATE CLEMENS" on this story, I took it to mean that Pettitte's lawyer was saying this - which would be a big deal. Reading the story, and seeing that it's coming from McNamee's camp, well, we're better off believing this to be true only when we actually see it happen.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:33 AM | Comments (0)
January 29, 2008
Heyman: Yanks Out Of Santana Race
Click here to read Jon Heyman's latest.
Tom Robson, Jason Roach, and Eric Valent have all worn #57 for the Mets. Santana would automatically become the best Metsie to ever don those digits. (Then again, he would have been the best to wear them for the Yankees too.)
Posted by WW Staff at 03:33 PM | Comments (6)
Bradbury: Rocket Not Boosted
Today's recommended reading: J.C. Bradbury's conclusion that Roger Clemens pitched without the aid of steroids.
Makes you wonder if the Lidocaine and B-12 even helped too?
Posted by WW Staff at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2008
My Fanboy Crush On Ian Kennedy
I might as well get this out of the way now - because I know many will accuse me of it during this season. Yes, I confess, I've got it bad over Ian Kennedy.
Yeah, I know, he reportedly doesn't have the "stuff" of Phil Hughes and/or Joba Chamberlain. And, he's small. (Ian's listed as being 6 feet tall, but, I would question that one.)
But, from what I've seen - and others have reported this - Kennedy has polish as a pitcher. He's workman-like and mature. He's grounded. And, while this is a personal thing for me, I think Ian's personality could translate to better success, in the long run, than the "Dude, it's a Dell" nature of Hughes and the "Paul Bunyan" bravado of Chamberlain.
Don't get me wrong - this is not to imply that Hughes and Chamberlain will not go on to be very-good to great major league pitchers. And, I'm not saying that Ian Kennedy will be the next Greg Maddux - or even the next Bob Tewksbury.
It's just that there's something about Ian, to me, that just makes me want to be in the guy's corner. It's a subjective thing. But, many times, that's what happens when you're a fan, right?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:41 AM | Comments (19)
Yanks Not Out Of Santana Chase?
Man, how many times have I asked that question? Via Charley Walters -
The Twins, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees are not holding up the proposed trade of Twins pitcher Johan Santana. It's Santana, who is seeking $150 million over six years.
Santana has the right, by way of a no-trade contract clause, to veto any deal with a team that won't pay him what he wants.
A trade is expected to occur within 10 days, though.
The Mets, who dearly want Santana, have told at least one free-agent pitcher hoping to sign with them to wait until they find out whether they can acquire the two-time Cy Young Award winner. The Twins, as they should, continue to insist that slugging young outfielder Fernando Martinez, the Mets' top minor league prospect, be included in any deal.
"Martinez will show how badly the Mets want Santana," one insider said.
The Red Sox haven't moved much from their initial offer for Santana. But one minor leaguer who some would consider a throw-in by Boston - left-handed hitting outfielder Ryan Kalish - could become an important part of a deal. Francisco Liriano, remember, was considered a throw-in when the San Francisco Giants included him in the Twins' trade for Joe Nathan.
The Yankees continue to vacillate on whether to include pitcher Phil Hughes in a deal for Santana. One day he's in, another day he's out. The Twins do not consider the Yankees out of contention.
The Twins tried to get the Los Angeles Angels interested in Santana, but the Angels appear more interested in acquiring hitting than pitching.
I don't get the love over Fernando Martinez. In a recent Baseball America report, this is what I read about him:
Martinez is heavy on tools and low on present skills, particularly for a Double-A player, though that's typical for a teenager. His approach at the plate is raw, and some scouts disdain his load (too exaggerated) and spread-out stance (he's not strong enough yet). Defensively, he played a below-average center field across the board in 2007. He needs improvement in running routes, picking up cutoff men and getting his body behind his throws. He profiles better in left field, as many scouts had predicted when he signed. Martinez' baserunning skills are another area where his lack of experience holds him back. As the scout said, "He does a lot of things wrong out there."
In any event, it's interesting that the "Twins do not consider the Yankees out of contention." The next ten days could be fun.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 08:59 AM | Comments (4)
January 26, 2008
Torre Pen Management: Clueless Or Desperation?
One of the cool stats that they track in the Bill James Baseball Handbook 2008 is "Relievers Used on Consecutive Days" (RCD) by managers.
First, some background for a baseline. In 2007, for A.L. managers who served the full year, the average RCD (meaning a 162-game average) was 97 (times). In the N.L., the average was 122 - which makes sense as you're pinch-hitting for pitchers in that league and using replacement pitchers more often.
Now, here's Joe Torre's RCD marks as Yankees manager, through the years:
1996: 97
1997: 84
1998: 71
1999: 80
2000: 92
2001: 77
2002: 86
2003: 75
2004: 129
2005: 92
2006: 109
2007: 113
The numbers for 2004 and 2006 are in bold as those were the high-marks for the league those seasons. And, the high mark (for the league) in 2005 was 114; and, in 2007 it was 131 - both set by Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox. So, it's safe to say that Joe Torre, from 2004 to 2007, used relievers on consecutive days as much as anyone - and, he came within a few ticks of leading the league in RCD four years in a row.
But, note, before 2004, Torre's RCD marks (with the Yankees) were always under 100. And, based on the average mark of 2007 (97), you can pretty much say that Torre, prior to 2004, was near-to-almost-below average in terms of using relievers on consecutive days.
So, what was so different about 1996-2003 and 2004-2007 that turned Joe Torre into a reported relief pitcher abuser?
At first, I wondered if it had anything to do with Don Zimmer. After all, Zim was there from 1996 to 2003 - and, once he left, Torre's RCD numbers went crazy. Maybe Zimmer was the one making sure that "Clueless Joe" was not always calling on the same reliever?
But, then, I reminded myself of the state of Yankees pitching, both post-2003 and pre-2004.
In terms of the bullpen, when the Yankees had guys like Stanton, Nelson and Lloyd, their pen was effective - and, once those guys were gone, starting in 2004, the Yankees bullpen became a mess (in terms of effectiveness). So, it makes sense that, post-2003, Torre would keep calling on the same guys, even on consecutive days, because he had so few quality relief arms to call upon.
Actually, as a whole, pre-2004, the Yankees had strong pitching. And, that probably helped Torre control his RCD totals too - as starters went longer in games, etc., and there was less of a need to call on the bullpen. It was post-2003, that the Yankees started bringing in starting pitchers who failed - and often - placing more stress on a pen that was under-manned in terms of quality pitchers.
The numbers post-2003 and pre-2004 show us that it was not always Torre's tendency (in New York) to run up high RCD numbers. In a way, it's sort of a perfect storm effect that impacted Torre after 2003: Inferior starters, combined with a shortage of quality relievers, leading to high totals of relievers used on consecutive days. The numbers do show us, that, when Torre had good starting pitching, and a well manned bullpen, he would not call on the same guys, day-after-day, as much as he did once his pitching staff was inferior (both in quantity and quality).
Therefore, perhaps, rather than blaming Joe Torre for burning out his bullpen, based on the post-2003 and pre-2004 RCD data that we have available, the focus should shift towards what Torre was forced into doing, why he was in that position, and what other options he had (other than to call on the same few pitchers, so often). Perhaps, just maybe, the fault lies with what Torre was given to work with, and who gave it to him, and not with Joe himself?
I'm not saying this is something that we should carry, from here, as fact. One would have to really dig into the RCD data to see which pitchers were being used often, and which ones were ignored, and what the scores of the games were, and the dates of the games, and their impact on the standings, and the pitcher's pitch counts, etc., before they could make a case for something being air-tight here. But, at the least, the RCD totals, during Torre's full time in the Bronx, give good reason to wonder what or who was really to blame for Joe Torre calling on the same guys in the pen, and so often - rather than to just write it off as Joe being clueless.
Sure, "Clueless Joe" rolls off the tongue easier than "Extremis Malis Extrema Remedia Joe." But, it would be a shame to ignore the stats on this one just for the sake of hanging on to a snazzy handle.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:04 PM | Comments (11)
What Hipster Doofus Duo Had To Say
More from Gary & Wyatt's fun night out on the town, via the Post:
At times, the two were remarkably candid, from Cashman admitting Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu were not in shape last spring to Epstein saying he regretted the rash trade he made two years ago, when he sent promising reliever Cla Meredith to the Padres to reacquire backup catcher Doug Mirabelli, after Mirabelli's replacement Josh Bard had a rough game handling Tim Wakefield's knuckleball.
On Bernie Williams' final years in pinstripes, Cashman's assessment was the former center fielder, "Got into music, and I thought it took a lot away from his play."
Cashman said one of the reasons Williams wasn't back with the Yankees last year was the GM feared having to release the popular player during the season, and that wouldn't have been a proper sendoff. Cashman indicated Williams got the proper farewell two years ago, after a having a "terrible" 2005 season.
While Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Bernie Williams probably feel like they were thrown under a bus, via Cash's comments, personally, I give Brian two huge thumbs-up for being spot-on here and for having the nerve to speak the truth. Better late than never.
During a question-and-answer session, a fan asked each GM whom he would take from the other's team if given the chance. Cashman picked Jason Varitek, noting he'd like to take the catcher and "put him [on] another planet," to cripple the Red Sox.
Who would Epstein pluck from the Yankees?
"I'd take the gentleman on my left," Epstein said, motioning to Cashman, "and make him [our] scouting director."
This is not the first time that I've heard about Cashman's crush on Varitek. Cashman as the Red Sox scouting director? Man, that would be music to my ears. Putting a dollar sign on the muscle is Brian's biggest weakness as a baseball executive.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:20 AM | Comments (6)
January 25, 2008
Move Over Dave Nilsson
From the Canberra Times (with a Hat Tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org):
The latest Canberra teenager bound for the big US baseball leagues is expected to sign a seven-year deal with the New York Yankees today.
Kyle Perkins, 16, joins the world's most renowned baseball club after being spotted by a Yankees scout during last year's under-18 national championship in Western Australia.
The 16-year-old Daramalan College student was told a fortnight ago to expect an offer from the baseballing powerhouse. And today it arrives.
Perkins, who is in Year 11, will join the club roster as a catcher in 2010 after he has finished school.
Until then he is expected to follow a rigorous training regime and a strict diet and put in a lot of hard work.
Perkins has been recruited by the Yankees along with Victorian teenager Nathan Aron.
A seven-year deal? Me thinks something got lost in translation here. Either that, or, I think a dingo ate some Yankees scout's brain.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:31 PM | Comments (1)
How Much Will Hughes Provide Yanks In '08?
Last season, Phil Hughes, the favorite blogger of many Yankees fans, made 21 starts and threw 110 inings. (This includes his combined time in the minors.)
In 2006, combined, Hughes made 26 starts and threw 146 innings.
Based on the last two years, what's a reasonable expectation to have for Phil in 2008, in terms of starts and innings? Would it be a reach to say he can make 30 starts for the Yankees in 2008 and throw 165 innings?
As Archie Bunker once said to Barney Hefner, about a hypothetical situation involving Hefner's dog, Rusty: "You could be happy with that, right, Barney?"
Posted by WW Staff at 12:48 PM | Comments (5)
Yankees, Post-2001, So, What Do You Think?
Recently, elsewhere, I made the following statement:
Since 2002, the Yanks have won a lot of games each year - and, that’s great. But, the way Brian Cashman has built his teams is the following:
Spend ~$200 million on great offensive players and pitchers that are either over-hyped or past their prime. And, during the regular season, when those mega-batters are matched-up against the bad pitching teams in the AL, it covers for the weak Yankees pitching and then New York starts to pile up win totals.
But, come the post-season, when you face teams with good pitching, or you face a team in a format where they can use their best pitchers and hide their duds, your great hitters get shut down and then your weak pitchers get exposed, and you lose the series.
If the Yankees are going to return to the ring teams like the ’70’s and the ’90’s, they’re going to need to have great pitching to go with their hitting - and great pitching that can shut down another team in the post-season. Until that happens, it’s going to be just like the ’80’s and the post-2001 Yankees...lots of seasons where your hitters carry you to 90+ wins, but, teams that get bounced in the post-season.
To anyone who has been reading this blog over the last couple of years, or longer, to hear a statement like this from me should not come as a shock.
But, I thought, today, on a slow-baseball-news sort of day, it may be fun to review this concept of mine, again, and ask Yankees fans (reading this) the following questions:
1. Do you agree with this conclusion from me? And,
2. If you think it's not correct, why?
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share thoughts on this in the comments section below.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 12:20 PM | Comments (15)
Savant: Runs Scored Lead To Big Season For Yanks
In the spirit of being fair and presenting different views on a topic, it’s recommended here that you check out the Baseball Savant’s feature “YANKEES FINISHING 3RD? DON'T COUNT ON IT!" from last Tuesday. It’s an interesting read.
Posted by WW Staff at 10:43 AM | Comments (1)
Set Your Santana Countdown Clocks To 500 Hours
Eric Hz shares (from reports) that the Twins want to move Johan Santana in the next 7 to 21 days.
Still, Sid Hartman does not see the Yankees meeting Johan's demands:
The Mets and Yankees have made it clear they will not meet the demands of Johan Santana's agents and sign the Twins' star lefthander to a seven-year contract calling for upwards of $140 million if they acquired Santana in a trade.
George Steinbrenner's son, Hank, who currently has the final say in Yankees matters, told me the other day they would not give any pitcher a contract for that many years.
Expect to see more "Cat and Mouse" stuff going on between Yankeeland and Minny over the next week (or so) than you would see if the YES Network decided to replace all their scheduled airings of The White Shadow with episodes of Itchy & Scratchy.
Posted by WW Staff at 09:34 AM | Comments (1)
January 24, 2008
Private Brian
There are rumors coming out of the Bronx that Yankees G.M. Brian Cashman was quoted today as saying:
"This is my Kei Igawa. There are many like it; but, this one is mine."
We’re still attempting to verify this report.
Posted by WW Staff at 01:41 PM | Comments (7)
$218.3 million
Just think, that money could have bought 2,528,571,428 marbles. Seriously, wouldn't that have been more fun? You can do a lot of damage with 2.5 billion marbles.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:29 PM | Comments (5)
Ten Innings Pitched Pays Off For Chase
Via the Sun Journal
Now would not be a good time to warn me of the impending recession, complain about the cost of fuel within a half-mile radius of my ears, or ask me how much I'm being paid to write this.
That's because I just watched a dozen grown men and women, most of whom presumably own cars and aren't living rent-free in their parents' basement, pay $300 for a steak dinner and the privilege of peeling apart a golden wrapper to reveal six baseball cards.
The gathering was a nationwide gimmick to promote the Upper Deck trading card company's Exquisite Rookie Signatures Baseball set.
Thirty nostalgia and collectibles stores across the country were given the opportunity to peddle the autographed, limited-edition cards to their customers. For a price.
"They're gamblers," store manager Dan Cunliffe II said of his dinner party. "When we found out we were chosen, we made a list of 14 of our most loyal customers. Twelve of them signed up."
Get lucky, and you could end up with Daisuke Matsuzaka or Phil Hughes' name personally scrawled across the glossy cardboard, or even something as rare and non-sports related as a dual autograph card of Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev or Queen Elizabeth I and King George I.
So who spends $300 on a pack of baseball cards, anyway? Oh, merely your friends and neighbors.
"Somebody that likes to gamble," said Bouchard, who confessed that buying sports stock on speculation has been a lifelong habit. "I love collecting cards and selling cards. I started coming to this store back in 1987, so I was 12 years old. I used to get my allowance and spend all my money on packs of cards."
But the agony and ecstasy of being a sports memorabilia collector is that it's a poker game that lasts potentially for 20 years. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have taught us that even a player on the cusp of retirement has ample time to inflate his body and potentially deflate his card value.
Hughes and Chase Wright's cards drew hurrahs from their new owners and good-natured Yankees-flavored harassment from the peanut gallery. Rocky Cherry's picture and name merely evoked snickers.
"Sounds like an ice cream or something," said collector Duane Bonney.
Chase Wright made Upper Deck's Exquisite Rookie Signatures Baseball set? Man, that just doesn't seem "wright."
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:06 AM | Comments (3)
January 23, 2008
Kyle Lohse
Kyle Lohse will only be 29-years old this season. He's usually good for 30 starts and around 190 inning pitched. Sure, with that, he's going to allow batters to hit .280 against him. And, as a Free Agent, he's probably going to want a four-year deal, and will not come cheap. But, I keep thinking back to those "pretty sure" starts and innings, and have to wonder if the Yankees should look into picking him up (off the market) this winter? Don't get me wrong, I would only sign him if you also secured full rights to trade him - because you probably don't want him around for the full four years. It's just that I can't shake the feeling that someone who can give the Yankees 30 starts and near 200 IP, albeit less than stellar innings, could come in handy this season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:21 PM | Comments (22)
Replay Of Me On On Gotham Baseball
To hear a replay of Mike Silva's interview of me, that aired tonight on Gotham Baseball Live, click here.
The interview (with me) starts 50 minutes and 20 seconds into the clip (found on BlogTalkRadio via the link).
Speaking of Gotham Sports Media, they announced today that they have added “Live from Mickey Mantle’s,” a weekly show that will cover New York sports, to its lineup of radio shows.
Starting with its debut broadcast, February 1st at 6:00 pm ET, the two-hour show, which will broadcast from Mickey Mantle's Restaurant (at 42 Central Park South in New York City), aims to feature guests from throughout New York sports. The broadcast will be hosted by Mark Healey and Mike Silva.
Check it out, next week.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:24 PM | Comments (0)
Beware The Emerald City?
Via Paul White's ORGANIZATIONAL REPORT on the Yankees in Sports Weekly:
Two years ago, when New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman signed a three-year contract, he said, "We have three years to try to deliver a championship and try to rebuild the system."
With a year left, Cashman can claim to have succeeded on one count, but it's not the one that seemed more likely back then.
They're still the Yankees — as Cashman says, "still the Steinbrenner Yankees" — with the offense that scored 76 more runs than any other team in the major leagues in 2007. They have the game's best player in third baseman Alex Rodriguez and arguably its best leader in team captain and shortstop Derek Jeter.
They have been in the playoffs 13 consecutive seasons, but is the streak in jeopardy? Possibly, with the Boston Red Sox having ended the Yankees' run of nine division titles in a row on the way to a second World Series win in four years and an improved Detroit Tigers team combining with the Cleveland Indians for a potent 1-2 punch in the AL Central.
Those three teams will likely make winning the AL East or repeating as the wild-card team more difficult for the Yankees.
It's an interesting thought: That the teams who Yankees might have to worry about this season are the Indians and Mariners (in a fight for the Wildcard). This assumes that the Red Sox, Tigers and Angels will be as good as people say they will be in 2008.
So, what do you say Yankees fans, are the M's and Tribe no match for New York? Or, does Seattle have a leg up on this since they get to play the A's and the Rangers 38 times this season?
Posted by WW Staff at 03:19 PM | Comments (7)
Mets In The Lead For Santana?
From Jon Heyman -
Once written off as an extreme long shot in the long-running Johan Santana drama, the Mets may actually be the favorite now. At the very least, there are indications now that they are engaging in more regular dialogue with the Twins in recent days than either the Red Sox or Yankees. And Mets general manager Omar Minaya, who loves a big deal but hasn't made one since the winter before last, has told some people in the business, "We have a shot.''
Well, if true, at the least, he won't be in Boston. So, it could be worse news for Yankees fans.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:53 PM | Comments (4)
January 22, 2008
Mattingly Leaves Torre's Field Staff
From MLB.com -
Don Mattingly, named by the Dodgers as hitting coach two months ago and the presumed eventual replacement for new manager Joe Torre, stepped aside on Tuesday for family reasons and was replaced by Triple-A hitting coach Mike Easler.
Mattingly will remain in the organization as a special assignment coach, but requested the change so he could spend more time at home in Evansville, Ind. He also requested that further details of his situation not be released.
When Mattingly left the Yankees, after 1995, there was some talk about him, perhaps, going on to play for the Cardinals - but, Donnie elected to stay home. At that time, it was rumored that Mattingly wanted to be closer to home for family matters.
A friend with some access to the Yankees scene, back then, told me that the story they heard was that Don's wife, Kim, needed some support from him at that time. But, again, that's all hearsay.
Mattingly's boys are now 16, 20, and 22. And, for sure, the 16-year old is still at home. (The 22-year old could be there too.) With boys that age, under your roof, it could almost be anything that brought cause for Donnie to step down.
For the sake of his family, and their well-being, I hope it all works out quickly and well.
This would have been some spot, if the Yankees had hired Mattingly to replace Torre (and not Girardi). Imagine trying to find a new manager just three weeks before pitchers and catchers report?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:40 PM | Comments (0)
Cano Vs. Upton
Eric SanInocencio and EJ Fagan battle it out, over Robinson Cano versus BJ Upton. Check it out at Rays Anatomy.
As a 22-year old, last year, Upton had 29 RCAA and an OWP of .667 (in 548 PA). As a 22-year old, in 2005, Cano had -5 RCAA and an OWP of .471 (in 551 PA).
Clearly, Upton wins the battle of the 22-year olds here.
In fact, during 2006 and 2007, Cano failed to beat the RCAA and OWP marks that Upton posted this season. While I still want to see a couple of more seasons under Upton's belt, he's already shown that he can post a better offensive season than Cano.
Robinson needs to learn to walk more to catch up with what Upton has shown this past season.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:21 PM | Comments (6)
S.I.'s Verducci: Durable Rotation Has Edge
Tom Verducci's feature today, entitled "Starting point: Stability" is a recommended read today. A highlight:
Here the difference in rotation stability is even more apparent. Over the past four seasons the Yankees have handed the ball to second-tier starting pitchers 60 more times than did Boston. The Red Sox have done a better job identifying reliable starting pitchers and, by a combination of luck and design, keeping them healthy.
O.K., so what? How important is that? The Yankees were 23-18 in those 41 second-tier starts last season. And every team needs depth, right? After all, the average team uses 10 starting pitchers per year. But each of the past six world champions have been below that average, while the Yankees have been worse than average every year since their last World Series appearance, in 2003, when they needed only nine. (Since then New York has used 12, 14, 12 and 14 starters. It's the equivalent of a golfer having to scramble often to save par; it can be done, but with a higher degree of difficulty.)
Something to consider, for sure.
Posted by WW Staff at 04:58 PM | Comments (0)
Different Demands On Same Software
From Business Wire:
Ultimate Software (Nasdaq:ULTI), a leading provider of end-to-end strategic human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions, today announced it has received ISO/IEC 27001 certification.
Ultimate Software customers represent diverse industries and include such organizations as The Container Store, Elizabeth Arden, The Florida Marlins Baseball Team, The New York Yankees Baseball Team, Nintendo of America, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and SkyWest Airlines.
So, the company that provides end-to-end strategic human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions to the Yankees does the same for the Florida Marlins.
Funny, it seems like one would be able to keep track of the Marlins payroll on the back of an Eskimo Pie wrapper.
Posted by WW Staff at 12:42 PM | Comments (7)
January 21, 2008
Pinto: Yanks '08 Offense Looks Fine
David Pinto, at Baseball Musings, thinks the Yankees should score 900 runs again this season.
If this happens, it will be the third year in a row where the Yankees scored 900+ runs.
Since 1990, three seasons in a row of 900+ runs is a rare feat. Here are the teams to reach that mark:
1934-1937 Tigers*
1930-1933 Yankees*
1936-1939 Yankees*
1999-2001 Rockies
2003-2005 Red Sox
(* did it for 4 years in a row)
Playing around with the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, shows us that those 1930-1933 Yankees may just have been the best offensive unit in baseball history:
SEASON, MODERN (1900-), Leaders Runs/Team vs. League Average
RCAA displayed only--not a sorting criteria
RUNS YEAR DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE RCAA 1 Yankees 1931 267 1010 743 298 2 Red Sox 1950 249 979 730 93 3 Dodgers 1953 232 921 689 220 4 Yankees 1930 230 995 765 344 5 Yankees 1927 228 930 702 338 6 Reds 1976 222 840 618 273 7 Rockies 1996 205 933 728 -75 8 A's 1913 204 758 554 192 9 Yankees 1932 201 947 746 279 10 Yankees 1933 198 892 694 253
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:15 PM | Comments (3)
Media Bloggers Share Opinion On Yanks Hurlers
Two days ago, in an entry entitled "Yanks Taking Big Gamble With Pitching This Year?," I wrote:
Basically, this report tells us that the Yankees are fine offensively this season. The big areas of concern for New York are Mussina and the kids in the rotation - and the bullpen in front of Mariano Rivera.
Last time I checked, 60% of your starting rotation and 85% of your bullpen are not areas where you want to have a lot of uncertainty if you want to be a contending team.
Being curious as to how some others felt about this, I reached out to seven members of the baseball media, who also have blogs, and asked them the following question:
In your opinion, at this moment, how would you classify and/or describe the state of the Yankees pitching staff for the 2008 season?
To date, here's what those who got back to me had to say:
Tyler Kepner, from the Times, and the blog "Bats" -
I think the Yankees have serious pitching questions for 2008. The upside of Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy is huge, but they have such limited experience at the major league level that it's asking a lot for them all to succeed immediately. The bullpen looks shaky to me, especially if Chamberlain starts, because Farnsworth is your eighth-inning guy and Mo will usually pitch only the ninth. Wang and Pettitte are dependable, and Mussina will find a way to at least give them a .500 record at worst. The best thing they have going for them is the depth of their young pitching -- the number of high-ceiling, live arms is staggering. If they can find 2 or 3 gems among Ohlendorf, Veras, Sanchez, Horne, McCutchen, Melancon, etc., they'll be fine. But it's hard to count on that, just like it's hard to count on Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy all hitting it big right away. Also, I do not think they should trade for Santana, because Hughes is too valuable and Melky's defense cannot be replaced internally. Their best bet -- for the long-term, which should be most important -- is to go with what they have and nurture those young pitchers as best they can.
Kat O'Brien, from Newsday, and the blog "On The Yankees Beat" -
I would describe the Yankees' starting rotation as solid at the front, but not spectacular; and talented at the back end, but a question mark due to inexperience. I would say the bullpen is a bigger question mark than the rotation, particularly if Joba Chamberlain does spend the season in the rotation. Aside from Mariano Rivera, I think the entire bullpen is very iffy, though I believe the LaTroy Hawkins addition is a good one. Most of the relievers are unproven. Should the Yankees acquire Johan Santana, I think they would have much more reason to be confident that their pitching staff is good enough to carry them deep into the playoffs.
Lisa Kennelly, from the Star-Ledger, and the blog "Ledger on Yankees" -
In my opinion, the Yankees pitching staff has both plenty of promise and plenty of question marks. About the only reliable guy is Chien-Ming Wang (19.06 ERA in last season's playoffs notwithstanding). Ok, and probably Andy Pettitte (though he's going to be 36 this year and who knows if the Mitchell Report fallout will have an effect on him?).
But the biggest question is with the three young guys, Chamberlain, Kennedy, and Hughes. The ceiling is so high for all of them, but it's easy to forget how young they are. The biggest question, for me, is how they'll hold up over a long season. Inning limits will be an issue. Facing major league hitters regularly will be another.
I do think Hughes will be successful, judging from how he looked at the end of the season once he got his strength back after his injuries. Kennedy and Chamberlain (if he is not in the bullpen) are harder to say.
And Mussina, after what we all saw last season, doesn't look like he's going to add much to the pitching staff.
Sweeny Murti, from WFAN, and the blog "Sweeny Blog" -
The Yankees are hoping their young studs mature quickly, and while that's entirely possible it is much more likely that there will be some growing pains along the way, talking specifically here about Hughes, Chamberlain, and Kennedy. Getting double-digit wins from all 3 would be a great step forward, but unfortunately too many fans believe they can all win 15-20 apiece this year...that's asking too much right now. They haven't even started 20 games in the big leagues between them, so you can't ramp up the maturation process too much. It doesn't mean these kids won't be good, but it makes it hard to think they can lead a staff to the World Series. Especially when none of the 3 will be allowed to approach 200 innings.
That said, Wang and Pettitte will be counted on heavily again, and each is entirely capable of winning 15-20 games each. Mussina pitched better than most people think last year...a few good starts with nothing to show for it in June to even out the 3 horrible starts in a row late in the year.
The bullpen has some questions. Kyle Farnsworth is still being counted on to pitch the 8th inning and has been unreliable for the last two years. Joe Girardi is a strong believer and may be able to bring something out of him, but Farnsworth has been a physical question mark because of the sporadic back troubles. LaTroy Hawkins has a decent track record, we'll see how he adjusts to New York and the AL East. There a number of good arms that will come to spring training to try and win some other spots. For that reason, spring training will be a lot more interesting than it has been in recent years when the available open jobs were few. Let's see how it shakes out. At this stage, because of the youth in the rotation they are not as good as the Red Sox.
Notice, in everyone's feedback, the words "question" or "questions" or "question mark" come up - when referring to the state of the Yankees pitching staff for the 2008 season.
Sure sounds like a consensus here, huh?
This is why I suspect we could be seeing an end to that run of 1st or 2nd place finishes for the Yankees (since 1993).
Thirty-one years ago, Earl Weaver, perhaps one of baseball's best managers ever, was quoted as saying: "Nobody likes to hear it, because it's dull. But, the reason you win or lose is darn near the same thing......pitching."
Earl was right. And, nothing has changed since that time. If the answers to all those "questions" on the 2008 Yankees pitching staff turn out to be unfavorable for New York, it's going to be a long "last" season in the "current" Yankee Stadium.
My thanks to Tyler, Kat, Lisa and Sweeny for their feedback on this survey. If I hear back from any other Yankees media bloggers (that I reached out to), I'll add their comments to this once their feedback comes in.
Update: This just in from Mark Feinsand of the Daily News and the blog "Blogging The Bombers" -
I think the Yankees pitching staff is in better shape than most people believe. With Wang and Pettitte at the top of the rotation, they can compete with any other 1-2 in the league during the course of the 162-game season. The only question would be in October, and I think Wang's terrible postseason was the exception, not the rule. If Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain are as good as advertised. If they are, I'd move Joba back to the bullpen and go with Wang-Pettitte-Hughes-Mussina-Kennedy in the rotation. Aside from Rivera, you've got a hodge-podge in the bullpen of Hawkins, Farnsworth, Ohlendorf, Veras, etc, which is the biggest question mark. As we've learned over the years, the staff we see in February won't be the one we see down the stretch.
Thanks Mark!
Update: This just in from Pete Caldera of the The Record and the blog "Pinstripe Posts" -
I'd say it is incomplete. It's hard now to imagine Kennedy as a major figure in the rotation, though it's difficult to know what to expect from Mussina. The mysterious "innings ceiling'' on Chamberlain and Hughes could be a big X-Factor all season; who's to say that Joba won't return to that setup role by the All-Star break if this less-than-stellar looking relief crew fails to get it to Rivera? At this point, they're requiring Pettitte and Wang to have huge seasons, and for Farnsworth to suddenly become reliable. And that might be asking a lot.
Thanks Pete!
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:14 PM | Comments (12)
Gotham Baseball Live
This evening, I did a recorded interview with Mike Silva for Gotham Sports Media.
It should be airing later this week. (I'll provide a link to it once it's available.) We talked about my book, the state of the Yankees pitching this season, A-Rod, good ol' Hank and the new Yankee Stadium. It was fun.
In the meantime, I suggest checking out some of the other interviews that Mike has done in the past. Click here to access them via BlogTalkRadio. There's some good stuff there.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:36 PM | Comments (0)
2008 Yankees Schedule
The Yankees schedule this season, in terms of home games, is a bit funky.
In March/April, the Yankees only play 11 home games - compared to 18 on the road. And, in those 18 road games, they have to go to Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland (among other stops). New York better be more ready to play well, out of the gate, this season - compared to last year.
In May, the Yankees have 16 home games - compared to 12 on the road. But, in those 16 home games, they get to play the Mariners, Indians, and Mets (among other teams). Those teams will be up for their trips to the Bronx.
In June, the Yankees have 14 home games - compared to 14 on the road. This month is a mixed bag for the Yanks - as they get to play the A's, Royals, Pirates and Houston in some games - but, they also have to play the Padres, Mets, Blue Jays and Twins in some others. June could be a key month for the Yankees this season.
In July, the Yankees have 18 home games - compared to just six on the road. When you throw in the fact that the All-Star Game is at the Stadium this year, the Yankees will barely be out of the Bronx in July. Let's hope they like home-cooking. Plus, after July, it seems like the Yankees will barely be in New York this year.
In August, the Yankees have 12 home games - compared to 16 on the road. And, one of their road trips is a 10-game journey going from Texas to Oakland to Minnesota. In fact, in this month, the Yankees play the Angels six times, the Red Sox three times, and the Blue Jays six times. August is going to be the dog days for the Yanks this year, indeed.
In September, the Yankees have just 10 home games - compared to 15 games on the road. And, all those 10 home games come in a row, from September 12th through September 21st. The Yankees start this month with a road trip that's a 9-game journey from Tampa Bay to Seattle to Los Angeles. And, the Yankees close this month with three games in Toronto followed by three games in Boston. September, schedule-wise, looks even worse for New York than August.
So, in summary, the Yankees have a somewhat tough road in the first two months of the season, followed by two months that should be kind to them, and, then, they close the season with two months that appear to be all uphill.
The best bet for the Yankees this season: Be ready to play strong out of the chute during April and May, make hay in June and July, and try and survive August and September.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:47 AM | Comments (4)
Xavier Avery
Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution -
A professional baseball career continues to be a distinct possibility for Georgia-bound running back Xavier Avery of Cedar Grove.
Avery’s official visit to Georgia this weekend was cut short after he departed Athens late Saturday to be in Suwanee on Sunday for an invitation-only event at Chipper Jones’ 10th Inning Baseball Academy.
“Xavier had a good visit,” Avery’s father, Theophilus Griffin Jr. said Sunday evening. “We went to Athens on Friday and I dropped him off at [Georgia coach] Mark Richt’s house. They were having a meeting [with the recruits visiting Georgia].
“Then they went to the Arkansas basketball game on Saturday.”
Pro baseball aside, Avery may not be a lock to sign with Georgia on Feb. 6. Schools such as Oklahoma and Stanford continue to court Avery.
“[Oklahoma coach] Bob Stoops was at Xavier’s school on Friday to see his teammate, Josh Jarboe [who has committed to the Sooners],” Griffin said. “Stoops was putting some pressure on [Xavier] on Friday.
“And Stanford has indicated he could start much quicker for them because they don’t have much speed in the secondary.”
But Avery, who is scheduled to play football and baseball at Georgia if he signs with the Dogs next month, may have put on a set of shoulder pads and football helmet for the final time.
Griffin hinted that his son will be a lock to turn pro if he is a first or early second round pick in June’s major league baseball draft.
“And I kind of get the feeling that baseball is going to draft him high,” Griffin said. “Scouts from the Phillies, Padres, Pirates, Dodgers, Yankees and Royals have all come to our house.”
I'm starting to get some bad Billy Cannon Jr. flashbacks.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:38 AM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2008
Brad Wilkerson
MLBTradeRumors.com reports that the Yankees have an interest in Brad Wilkerson.
After his 2004 season, then just 27-years old, Wilkerson looked like a star in the making. On January 13, 2005, MLB and the MLBPA strengthened baseball's drug policy. In the three seasons following 2004, Wilkerson was never the same player (that he showed in '04). Draw your own conclusions.
And, by the way, check out Brad's home/away splits from 2007.
Why the Yankees have an interest in this guy is beyond me.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 11:32 PM | Comments (10)
Pettitte & Clemens Were Never Spooners?
Via Ken Davidoff -
Andy Pettitte is said by friends to be upset with Roger Clemens because of Clemens' aggressive defense to the charges leveled against him in the Mitchell Report. Most of all, Pettitte didn't care for Clemens' public airing of his taped phone call with accuser Brian McNamee, which accomplished little.
Among its many unexpected consequences, the Mitchell Report has magnified just how different Clemens and Pettitte are. And with the two men set to share a table at Capitol Hill's Rayburn Hall next month, it's as good a time as any to point out that this supposed mentor-protege's relationship has been overblown by the media -- with this space as guilty as anyone else.
"They were never as close as they were made out to be," a friend of both said on the condition of anonymity. "They just sort of went along with it in the media, because it was a good story."
Though Clemens and Pettitte enjoyed working out together, their relationship didn't extend much beyond that. Clemens is an extrovert, Pettitte an introvert. Clemens enjoyed going out after games on road trips; Pettitte almost always stayed in. Their families aren't particularly close, although both make the Houston area their full-time residences.
First A-Rod & Jeter, and, now, this? Doesn't anyone know what the last "F" in "BFF" is supposed to mean?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:33 PM | Comments (7)
January 18, 2008
Belth: “Inside Man: A Bronx Tale”
In case you’ve missed it, you might want to check out Alex Belth’s “Inside Man: A Bronx Tale” – it’s a four part series over at Bronx Banter.
The links to each part:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Posted by WW Staff at 01:08 PM | Comments (2)
Abreu & Beyond
What if Bobby Abreu has an MVP-type season in 2008? By this, I mean, what if he plays 160 games and bats .330 with 25 homers, 120 RBI, and 120 walks?
Obviously, this would be great for the Yankees. But, what does New York then do with Abreu, after the season?
Do they factor in walk-year salary drive motivation, and his age, and just allow him to become a free agent after the season? Or, do they try and re-sign him to a four or five year deal – to keep him in the Bronx for the rest of his career?
It will be an interesting situation for the Yankees – if, indeed, Bobby Abreu has a monster season in 2008.
Personally, because of his age, I think you have to let him walk after this season. Abreu will be 35-years old in 2009. No matter how good a player is in 2008, I don’t want someone 35-years old starting the first year of long-term, huge money, contract for me in 2009 (if I’m the Yankees). No matter what Abreu does for New York this season, I hope that it’s his last year in the Bronx.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 07:01 AM | Comments (16)
January 17, 2008
Stump On Steroids
Well, not using...just talking about them.
Seacoast Media Group has an interesting feature on Yankees "legend" Stump Merrill today. Click here to check it out. (Hat tip to BaseballThinkFactory.org.)
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:07 AM | Comments (1)
January 16, 2008
Sid Hartman: Big Stein Still Keeping Tabs
Sid Hartmanof the Star Tribune had a long talk with Hank Steinbrenner regarding Johan Santana. At the end of his story on this, Sid wrote:
I also had a nice talk with George following my conversation with Hank. He seemed to know what is going on, despite rumors to the contrary.
It will be interesting to see how much time Big Stein spends in camp this Spring Training - and if the media will be allowed near him, at all.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:55 PM | Comments (0)
January 15, 2008
B.A. Experts Ring In On Santana Chase
Via the Boston Herald -
“The Twins need an offensive middle infielder,” said John Manuel, co-editor in chief of Baseball America.
Manuel prefers the Red Sox’ offer topped by lefty Jon Lester and center fielder Coco Crisp because he thinks Lester can be a middle-of-the-rotation starter and that the other offer features the Sox selling “high” with outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Each offer includes infielder Jed Lowrie and right-hander Justin Masterson.
“If they thought Jed Lowrie (.393 combined on-base percentage in Double A and Triple A last year) could be a major league shortstop, the Twins have to make that deal,” Manuel said. “The Twins are holding out for more offense. I don’t know what the midpoint is between Jed Lowrie and (Mets untradeable shortstop) Jose Reyes, but that would get this deal done. None of these offers fit the Twins’ needs.”
Jim Callis, executive editor of Baseball America, said that even if the Yankees were to include right-hander Ian Kennedy in their offer or the Mets were to include hitting phenom Fernando Martinez, neither team’s package would be better than the Lester-Crisp package (Callis’ first choice) or the Ellsbury (No. 2 for Callis) offer.
“The Red Sox are in the best position to offer blue-chip players as well as depth,” Callis said. “And, the Red Sox are under less pressure to make something happen because they need Santana less because they have fewer holes.”
Makes you wonder, if the Yankees pitched Robinson Cano to the Twins, would this then be a done deal for New York?
Yes, I know that Cano profiles, so far, to some great players. But, Cano also walks less and strikes out more than most of those favorable compare guys. And, keep in mind, right now, even if the Yankees wanted to move Derek Jeter off short, there's no where for him to go.
Moving Robinson Cano would free up a middle infield slot. It could be a chance to move in Alberto Gonzalez to play second in 2008 - and then, in either 2009 or 2010, if Gonzalez can hold his own with the bat, flip Alberto and Derek at the keystone - with Jeter going to second and Gonzalez taking over at short.
Hey, I'm not saying "for sure" that I would do all this to get Santana. First, the contract for Santana may be a bear. Second, moving Cano could back-fire as the Yankees might need his offense in 2008 - considering their age and potential decline at some positions. Lastly, Gonzalez might not hit enough to stick in the bigs - and Jeter may refuse to move off short in the future.
But, if it's true that the Twins want a middle infielder, and, if the Yankees really want Santana, then, it (offering Cano) should be something that the Yankees are noodling now.
I just hope that they really think it over - because I'm not sure what's the right call on such a move.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:22 AM | Comments (15)
January 14, 2008
Yanks Out Of Santana Race?
From ESPN.com
For the second time this offseason, the Yankees have pulled their Phil Hughes-centered trade offer for Johan Santana off the table.
The Yankees, then, will not restart trade talks with the Twins unless Hank Steinbrenner has another change of heart, a baseball official with knowledge of the talks told 1050 ESPN Radio's Andrew Marchand.
The Yankees' desire Monday to turn their attention away from the two-time Cy Young winner leaves Boston and the New York Mets as Minnesota's trade partners, the official told Marchand.
Maybe one too many Drabek flashbacks for Hank to take on this one...
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 03:41 PM | Comments (2)
Pinch Hitting @ The LoHud Yankees Blog
Today, it's my turn to pinch-hit at Pete Abe's LYB. Click here to see my entry there. I'm also pasting the text below as a FYI. Please note that the comments section, here, is closed for this one - since I will be answering questions and comments on this one over at Pete's house today. Feel free to comment on this piece there, if interested.
Nineteen seventy three was a significant season in Yankees history. It was the year that Big Stein took charge. It was the last year of the “old” Stadium. It’s when Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich traded families. It was the first year of the designated hitter – and Yankee Ron Blomberg was the first to do it. And, I went to my first game, ever, at Yankee Stadium.
That first trip was a contest between the Yankees and the Texas Rangers. Peterson started for the Yanks, threw one pitch, and re-aggravated an injury to his thigh covering first. Fred Beene came on in relief and threw a complete game. Bobby Murcer, Thurman Munson, Felipe Alou and Stick Michael had hits in the bottom of the ninth to score two runs and give New York a 3-2 comeback victory.
From there, I grew up listening to Phil Rizzuto, Bill White, and Frank Messer covering great Yankees teams built by Gabe Paul and cared for by Cedric Tallis and Stick Michael. It was a good time to be a Yankees fan.
However, things changed during the 1980’s. Then, Yankees games were being covered by broadcasters such as Fran Healy, Spencer Ross, Ken Harrelson, and Jay Johnstone. This was the beginning of where it seemed like almost anyone was granted the privilege to work in the Yanks’ broadcast booth. (And, through these opened doors later waltzed the likes of Michael Kay, Paul Olden, Suzyn Waldman, David Justice, and Kimberly Jones.) During this period, Bill Bergesch, Murray Cook, Bob Quinn and Harding Peterson, at times, were in charge of manning the Yankees’ ship – and failing at the task. Sure, there was a brief period in the ‘80’s where Clyde King was in charge – and things went well. But, on the whole, the 1980’s were a downhill slide for the Yanks – and not a great time to be a Yankees fan.
It hit rock bottom from 1989 to 1992. This four-year period has a strong claim towards being the worse run in the Yankees’ timeline – in terms of the team’s relative and collective shortcomings. But, also, during this time, along came Howie Spira, Fay Vincent’s slap on Big Stein, and the installation of Stick Micheal as Yankees GM.
It wasn’t too long before happy times returned in Yankeeland. Between the Stick and Bob Watson (who succeeded Michael in 1996), a powerhouse entity was built in the Bronx – with a cadre of players that also later benefited Brian Cashman when he took over for Watson in 1998. And, for a kicker, during this time, Jim Kaat and Ken Singleton were added to the Yankees broadcast crew – providing quality coverage of the team.
Alas, after 2001, the force that Michael and Watson created was nearly tapped out and a new pocket in Yankees history began to form. The Randy Levine, Brian Cashman, and Jean Afterman-run Yankees, from 2002-07, sure look marvelous in terms of their win totals and revenue. But, if not for Boston collapses in the 2003 ALCS and the regular seasons of 2005 and 2006, this five-year period would not look as pretty for New York as it does on the average fan’s ledger.
During the 1980’s, the Yankees won the most regular season games in baseball – but, no rings. If our present decade ended today, you could say the same thing about Cashman’s 21st century Yankees. Could it be that we’re in another period where it’s not so great to be a Yankees fan - and people just don’t realize it yet? Or, will the Brothers Stein now taking over for Cashman change the direction of the team? Time will tell.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 09:40 AM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2008
SWB Yanks Blog: Q&A with Deric McKamey
Chad Jennings posted an interesting Q&A with Deric McKamey yesterday. Click here to check it out.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
General Joe To Make Joba Call
But, will it be all Girardi or Girardi and Cashman? It does not seem like Hank and Cash are on the same page here. From the Star Ledger -
Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner has spent most of the off-season insisting that [Joba Chamberlain], who finished the last two months of last season as a reliever, begin the season in the starting rotation. But Steinbrenner said yesterday that new Yankees skipper Joe Girardi will have the final say.
"It's ultimately up to Joe Girardi," Steinbrenner said in a phone interview. "Joe knows how to handle pitchers better than any of us."
General manager Brian Cashman, however, said he would be involved in the decision as well.
"Joe and I will work it out," Cashman said. "We'll see how it all shakes out." Cashman said Chamberlain will spend spring training preparing for a starting role, but that could change once the season begins.
"We want him as a starter, we will prepare him as a starter, but we have to respect that there's an innings limit," Cashman said. Steinbrenner confirmed that there are several options on the table for handling Chamberlain. He could start the season in the starting rotation and switch over to the bullpen later, or begin the season in the starting rotation. He could be part of a six-man rotation to keep his innings under his limit. But keeping Chamberlain in the bullpen the entire season is not part of the plan, Steinbrenner said. The Yankees plan to stick with newly-signed free-agent reliever LaTroy Hawkins and the hard-throwing, if unreliable, Kyle Far