Lighten up, it’s only March 19
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Mar 19, 2007 
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I read the comments on my last post and got so depressed that I jumped out the window of my hotel room. Fortunately I’m on the second floor and survived the fall.
I had no idea that I covered the worst team in baseball.
A few points:
Get used to the idea of the Yankees not having a wonderful player at every position. Steve Swindal and Brian Cashman run this team, not George Steinbrenner and his pancake house buddies in Tampa. Gone are the days of throwing money wildly at free agents or trading away four prospects to get an aging All-Star.
The Yankees will have a ridiculous payroll. But it won’t be $50 million more than the next team. In some cases they will – gasp! – make due with an OK player. The Mets could use another starter but they’re giving their kids a chance. Boston could use a better 2B than Dustin Pedroia but he has been handed the job. Toronto let Ted Lilly walk and signed Victor Zambrano. Every team makes concessions. Todd Helton isn’t walking through the door.
Doug Mientkiewicz is not a great first baseman. But he gets on base and he will make many more plays that Jason Giambi did and that will benefit a team that does have any strikeout artists in the rotation. Wang and Mussina pitch to contact and Pettitte increasingly so. Pavano’s best pitch is his sinker and so on. They need a good defensive player at 1B and Mientkiewicz is one.
Yes, he is. Defensive metrics are useless for first basemen, in my opinion. The range of the second baseman is a huge factor in determining how a first baseman plays. The AL (far fewer bunts) is much different than the NL (far more bunts). How well the pitching staff fields is a factor. The first baseman’s primary job is to catch the ball thrown to him and Mientkiewicz is very, very good at that. He will save the Yankees an error a week.
Derek Jeter: “You can’t think, ‘I have to make a perfect throw’ or you never will. You have to just react and throw the ball. Doug is going to pick up a lot of hops and he gets off the bag well. That’s going to help everybody. I saw him in Minnesota and with the other teams he was on, he’s very good.”
As for his offense, anybody who is evaluating 25 at-bats over 18 spring training games needs to get a hobby. Spring training games are meaningless. Eric Duncan was Babe Ruth in spring training last season (.414/.452/.793) and he was demoted to Trenton in June. Jason Giambi didn’t homer once in spring training last season. He hit 37 when it counted.
If folks are going to wring their hands over such small samples, it’s going to be a long season. Mientkiewicz will get on base and he’s hitting ninth in a lineup that is otherwise insane.
Craig Wilson? He sulked his way through two months in New York last season and barely moved other than to play chess with Sal Fasano in the clubhouse. They didn’t want him and he didn’t want to be back.
Josh Phelps? He was signed by the Orioles to be a backup. He is also a former catcher with a hitch in his swing and an unsure glove at first. I’d be careful anointing him.
Most of all, enjoy your team. Chien-Ming Wang is one of the best starters in the league. Andy Pettitte looks like he did pre-surgery. Robinson Cano is a guy scouts drool over. Mariano Rivera is 37 going on 27. You can go on and on.
As coach Normal Dale told the haters at Hickory High, support what your team is, not what it is not.
Hallelujah!@! and I will add an Amen!
Thanks for posting a lightning bolt of reason in the midst of a sea of minky-hating.
I fail to see how some people using logic and numbers to make a point about one player equates to “we don’t support or enjoy our team”. Way to misinterpret the evidence Pete….but you’re pretty good at that aren’t ya?
Follow your own advice Pete. “Meanwhile, the Jaret Wright-for-Chris Britton trade isn’t looking too good for Brian Cashman.”
Peter this is exactly the type of point I try to get across when I respond to people in these blogs. They are ripping the likes of Pavano, Villone, Doug M and Cairo all because of a few spring training games. Its ridiculous and it takes the fun out of talking baseball when people jump to conclusions so quickly.
I don’t always agree with you on a lot of things you write, but you hit the nail right on the head in your post. Baseball is fun, and the yankees make it even more fun by spending money and bringing in guys who are entertaining. These guys aren’t machines. They aren’t going to hit .300 in the spring and all through the season. Doug just had back surgery a few months ago. He is adjusting again to all types of pitches. His defense is superb(I still think defensive statistics are faulty) and during the season he will feast on fastballs hitting between Cano and Posada.
Baseball is great because you can always argue over it, but you argue based on long term statistics, not 20 spring training at bats or 10 spring innings pitched.
“Follow your own advice Pete. “Meanwhile, the Jaret Wright-for-Chris Britton trade isn’t looking too good for Brian Cashman.”
I could be wrong, but I have a feeling Pete meant this as more of a joke than anything else. If he had said “what a bad trade” then you can rip him. I could be wrong, maybe Pete can answer that for us.
you should disable the comments on this blog. I come here to read what you say, not the rest of the netwits, myself included. Who cares what anyone else thinks? Not me
Thanks for this entry, Pete!
Maybe you’re not one of those good-for-nothing media types, after all.
I’m all for lowering the payroll, but spend the money wisely. Mientkiewicz at 1B is not spending money wisely.
There’s a huge difference between wonderful and good and Mientkiewicz isn’t good.
Phelps is better than Phillips. That’s all that should matter.
Um, ariel, you do realize that you don’t have to read the comments, right? In fact, you have to go out of your way to read them.
“I’m all for lowering the payroll, but spend the money wisely. Mientkiewicz at 1B is not spending money wisely.
There’s a huge difference between wonderful and good and Mientkiewicz isn’t good.
Phelps is better than Phillips. That’s all that should matter.”
If not Doug, who would you suggest playing first base? Or were you in favor of just going with Phelps or Phillips?
Also I just need to ask, how are you so sure Phelps is better than Phillips? Yeah Phelps has hit the ball well so far this spring, but it really is such a small sample size. Remember last year Phillips was ripping the ball in the month of May, and everyone was raving about how he was hitting his prime. IMO, Phelps probably does have a better overall bat then Phillips, but its not a HUGE difference, and Phillips is a whole lot better than Phelps in the field. So that is why I give Phillips the edge over Phelps, but I wouldn’t be heartbroken if Phelps won the job.
yeah I agree Doug isn’t gonna hit .300, he may be around .270 and that is fine espically with the guys in the lineup and in the end we will be contending for another world championship so don’t worry folks and trust me if Doug really does that bad we will make a change.
Rich, Im sure you never played baseball at any level at a productive level having a 1st baseman as a infielder that you know no matter how bad a throw you make hes probably going to catch it is huge. Especially when you have ground ball machines like Andy Pettite and CMW. By the way Doug Meincsjdfl hit .280 in his 300 AB’s last year lets not make him out to be the worst hitter since Joe Girardi because of Spring Training. Keep what you learned in baseball playing video games to your self.
“I’m all for lowering the payroll, but spend the money wisely. Mientkiewicz at 1B is not spending money wisely.”
By the way his contract if for no more then 2million dollars for one year if I remember correctly lets not act like we signed him to a long term contract.
Jeff,
Your record of being wrong virtually every time you post remains in tact.
I played at every level through high school.
You make it sound like Mientkiewicz possess a skill that is scarce. It isn’t.
WTG, dude. You continue to demonstrate that you know absolutely nothing.
I have been posting here for a 4 days notice the A. next to Jeff I noticed there was other Jeff’s here.
Thanks for being a voice of reason, Pete. I swear, some people would b**** and moan if the Yanks win 99 games simply because it isn’t 100.
I am sure some b****ed and moaned in 1998 because Darren Holmes was 0-3, 3.33 when the Yanks won 114.
To quote the late Rick Nelson, “See it’s alright now, I’ve learned my lesson well….see you can’t please everyone, so you got to please yourself”
Pete, without a doubt the best post I have read of yours! Role players represent the Yankees of the future and that of the their most recent dynasty. Stacking already proven All-Stars has not worked, and Minky is not even close to being the worst starter in the AL East.
Keep up the good work.
Pete, I think there is merit in at least discussing the fact that Mientkiewicz is off to a bad start this spring. Here’s why:
1) He cost $1M+ IIRC. In the new scheme of things, Cashman seems to want to get more bang for his buck.
2) Mientkiewicz is coming off serious surgery on his back. I think it’s reasonable to wonder if his ST performance is indicative of health issues. Of course, I don’t see him everyday. But you do – so, can you tell us, is he laboring at the plate? Has he been a victim of at’em balls? All valid questions considering his 1 for whatever peformance thus far.
3) In the realm of 1B, while many people might be shortsighted and eager to jump all over Josh Phelps because he’s hitting well and Mientkiewicz isn’t (and most fans don’t understand the value of defense especially in the absence of a dominating pitching staff, which you mentioned) – talking about Phelps is a valid point, and here’s why: He was picked up in the Rule 5 draft, which means that Cashman had to believe that there was a spot for him to contribute. Well, here we are, he’s hitting well in ST, and every indication Torre makes is that Phelps won’t make the 25 man roster. So, what was the point of picking him up to begin with? Was it to light a fire under Andy Phillips butt? If you talk to Cashman, I’d be curious to know that.
4) Personally, I feel that a healthy Mientkiewicz is a great option, but if we’ve paid (even $1M) for a guy who can’t hit because he’ll be batting a bad back all year, we should have just stuck with Andy Phillips. Part of what seems to be Cashman’s plan is to fill the roster with guys who can get the job done for less cost (see RJ’s 5.00 era 2007, Jaret Wright’s-never-into-the-7th-inning 2007, etc..). Andy Phillips has shown us a good glove at 1B, and if Minky’s back is causing him to be scarily ineffective at the plate, then I think you can at least argue that he’s of no more value than Phillips. Of course, I hope he hits .280 over 140 games and proves me wrong, but we’ll see.
Fact is everything Pete said is correct. God forbid we have a player in our lineup that bats 9th that is here for his defense. If you dident realize my friends are lineup is ridiculously stacked. And yes if he hits in during the season the way he has hit in ST he will be benched, but can we wait till the season to start for the witch hunt.
Rich you answered Jeff A’s question but not mine….care to chime in?
Wang and Mussina pitch to contact and Pettitte increasingly so.
Minor quibble — with the exception of 2004 (when he was 11th), Mike Mussina has been in the top 10 K/9IP in the AL every year since 1996. If he pitches to contact, there’s no such thing as a strikeout pitcher in the AL, other than Johan Santana.
Otherwise a fine post.
In fact, now that I think about it, if there’s one criticism that Mussina definitely deserves, it’s that whether he’s up 10 runs or the game is on the line, he refuses to give up and pitch to contact — he’s *always* pitching like he needs a strikeout.
Again, this is a minor quibble.
ugh, those 2007′s should be 2006′s, you get the point.
And I suppose I meant Minky is a relatively great option, just because he has apparently made ARod and DJ more comfortable that the throws won’t be perfect. But again, if his back is messed up and he can’t hit, we could have stuck with Phillips.
Standing O’neil he is not going to argueyour answer because your post made sense and he doesnt have the I played high school baseball answer that I stupidly left open on my post.
Fact is its ST nobody is as good as they look and no one is as bad as they looked when it comes to the players that are not locks like the Giambis Jeters Arod etc…
StandingO’Neill
Three options: 1) attempt to trade for Sexton (Pavano+?); 2) Sardinha has played SS and 3B. I would see if he could be converted to 1B; 3) Moody or not, I would have given Craig Wilson another shot. His career OPS+ is superior to any of the current candidates.
If Mientkiewicz gets the ball at first for the last out of the World Series he can keep it.
Pete’s right. RELAX. Do you really think Cashman has put together a team that will lose 90 games unless they drop Minky? Enough. He’s not going to cost them the Division.
I dunno. Maybe it’s the same thing that’s going through camp this week, everybody’s anxious for the season to start.
Richie sexon??? The guy that is a strike out/ home run guy. The guys that has no quality ABs?? lol if Richie Sexon becmae a Yankee you would have fits!
Igawa will win 12 games.
Pavano will do fine.
Mientiwieuiuckdjciittiuijscjitz will not do well. He won’t do terribly, but he will be replaced by the end of the year. That’s just a prediction. But Andy Phillips will probably be brought along and bring a spark of production, forcing “Minky” to the bench. I see him hitting .245 at best. Maybe 40 RBI. No more than 5 home runs. It’s just not promising. His defense is decent but I don’t think its significant enough to put him up there uncontested. Phelps and Phillips should get significant playing time until it is figured out what exactly is going on.
Or… Put Giambi at first. He’s itching to play there and he isnt BAD. He’s just not great. He can do the job. He hits better when playing first anyway. We should have had him, Bernie, and Phillips switching off. Bernie DHing when Giambi played the field. But that’s just me.
I find this post comical because Pete is the one consistantly posting about Alphabet Soup doing so awful.
Dude, the price starts with Pavano not Hughes.
Put it this way….
if this was late July of 1951, and there were computers and blogs, there would be a lot of posts by people who would say that since the Mantle kid got sent back down to Kansas City (a minor league franchise then) that he was a flash in the pan and would never see Yankee Stadium again.
Some people are just so negative….
Rich your the type of fan that wanted Melky Cabrera gone when he first came up and now think hes untradeable after he had a decent year last year.
Way to go, Pete, I’m with you all the way!
And let’s get off Britton’s back shall we? The guy is very young, it’s just spring training, and he’s basically a free-bee. We paid the exact same amount of Wright’s contract (4M) to get Britton that we would have paid just to get rid of Wright- which we would have done, the guy has no place on the Yankees. 5 innings each start and an inability to come up in the big spots don’t translate well in the Bronx. He wouldn’t even make this team as a starter, Pavano, Karstens, and Igawa are all better choices (or at least as good).
Rich,
Sexson would be intersting, but he is what Cashman is trying to get away from. Long term guys who aren’t worth their contracts. I’d like sexson if he made between 8-10 mill, now I could be wrong but doesn’t he make somewhere in the neighborhood of 13-14 million a year? That much for a guy who strikes out 100+ times and hits under .250 with a low OBP. Just doesn’t seem worth it to me. Plus I know we are all sour on Pavano, but he does have value, and I think its too early to trade away pitching, remember what happened to boston last year. Besides I think Pavano has been OK so far this spring.
As for Sardinha, I like what he’s done this spring, but its too small a sample size. Lets see him become more consistent with the bat, then we’ll look to find him a new position. Also I believe even he admitted he couldn’t handle the hot corner at 3rd anymore, which is why he stayed in RF. 1st base is easier than 3rd, but not a whole lot.
And finally on to Wilson. Yeah I think you could of taken a shot with him, but I think Cashman believes they are very comparable, and Doug wins big in the defense department, and Doug’s friendship with Arod vs. Wilson being grumpy gives Doug the advantage.
I still think Doug is a good stopgap, and to sign him for one year and under 2 mill, its worth it. Feel free to respond.
Conchita beat me to it. Mussina had 172 strikeouts in ’06 — 8th best in the AL.
“Or… Put Giambi at first. He’s itching to play there and he isnt BAD. He’s just not great. He can do the job. He hits better when playing first anyway. We should have had him, Bernie, and Phillips switching off. Bernie DHing when Giambi played the field. But that’s just me.”
Giambi isn’t BAD at first, but he has fall down range at best, and scooping short hoops is hit best trait at first. He can’t throw to save his life. Also the problem at first is he gets hurt, which in turn hurts his bat. That is the main reason they don’t want to play him there. His defense or lack there of is not worth hurting his offensive production. He is now a career DH, and that will I think prolong his career for awhile, ala a Frank Thomas and Mike Piazza.
Ryan: Please find one post did about Mientkiewicz being awful. Go ahead. I did it consistently? Are you sure you’re reading my blog?
Thanks for the people who wrote nice things. I’d hate to see Yankee fans go the way of the the fans in Boston. The “fellowship of the miserable” as Dan Shaughnessy put it.
Meanwhile, I love the people who rip me and post to the blog. All I can say is “thanks for the traffic.”
Finally the New York Yankees are building a TEAM. A TEAM. Spell it with me guys, T-E-A-M. TEAM. A TEAM. The yankees are moving in the right direction. They are getting younger. Robinson Cano is on of the best second basemen in the game. Chien Ming Wang does worry me though because hitters have more experience with him and his lack out strike outs is somewhat of a problem but he’s young and with another solid season can pretty put much put him up their as one of the better starters in baseball. You got Philip Hughes who has the potential to be the Yankee Ace for years to come. The Yankee farm system is getting better. Things are looking up indeed and gone are days where the yankees just threw money at players who were old and past their primes. Financially they are getting better, and it just seem more and more it is not Steinbrenner team anymore which is a good or bad thing what ever you look at it. Nevertheless, the yankees are becoming a Team.
Jeff,
You are clueless. Search my posts at nyyfans and see the degree to which I defended Melky and Cano the year before.
I would trade ANY PLAYER if it improved the team without making it significantly older.
Reality does not only exist within the confines of your head.
“Reality does not only exist within the confines of your head.”
Can you make such a radical statement when I have only been posing here for 4 days and you obviously confused me with a another Jeff?
Pete,
Any thoughts to my questions?
Has Mientkiewicz at least looked comfortable at the plate?
What was Cashman’s vision when he picked up Phelps in the Rule 5? That is, what did the guy have to do to make the team (assuming he hasn’t done it already)?
All valid questions related to Mientkiewicz being 1 for X.
I can make it based on the fallacious assumptions you have made on this thread.
Well I can tell you dont know your baseball if you think Richie Sexon is a good fit for the Yankees.
Jeff, that is a compliment coming from you.
As Yankee fans, it’s our due diligence to overreact to everything. Especially meaningless warmup spring training games. Woo hoo! Gotta love us fans!
Thanks for the splash of reality Pete. Can’t wait to see this blog in full season swing!
Minky has struck out twice in his 26 ABs. I think he has looked very comfortable the last 3-4 days. It’s a process. Every player isn’t a natural. Bernie, for instance, was often brutal in March.
I think Cash took Phelps because it was worth the $25,000 gamble, nothing more and nothing less.
Pete you ever meet Shaugnessy? If so is he as annoying in real life as he comes across on tv?
J–
If I recall and I could be wrong the Rule 5 draft was done BEFORE we signed Minky.
Also at the chance of being flamed left and right for those who recall we did have a 3rd baseman for a few of our championship years whose average was well below 300 ie .247 and .230 BUT whose defense was pretty darn good. This team will live and die on its pitching not how the first baseman hits. Oh and how has having power at every position served us the past few years anyway?
“If I recall and I could be wrong the Rule 5 draft was done BEFORE we signed Minky.”
Your correct
Adding a flawed player in Sexson, along with an additional 3.5 million in payroll, all the while impacting our pitching inventory by moving Pavano isn’t something I am interested in doing.
i think joe torre is looking for a yankee to play first base in the way brosius was a yankee at third base.no one knew brosius would become a yankee when he first came over from oakland. playing for the yankees is different than playing for other teams. it sounds from pete’s description in the clubhouse that craig wilson didn’t get it. whoever plays first doesn’t have to be an all star, but they have to be a yankee. they have to get it like brosius did.
Not to bust balls Pete, but that doesn’t really answer my question.
A $25,000 gamble on what? That Phelps would mash in ST? Well, he’s .435/.481/.609 thus far, and from what I gather in the audio clips, it seems like he’s not going to end up on the roster.
Brian… CASHMAN?? IZZAT YOU?
Gayle,
The starting pitching and the pen were far superior, and Bernie was in his prime. The competition wasn’t nearly as good aa it is now, especially in the AL. Also, those teams were very lucky.
Let me clarify – I’m not pushing for Mientkiewicz, Phillips, or Phelps really… I’m just curious what more Phelps has to do to win a spot on the team. The dude has been hitting the ball great all ST and he seems as if he’ll be sent back to Baltimore in 2 weeks.
Why is criticism so often characterized as negativity? I’ve actually found the Minky debate to be quite civil and informative: Although there are genuine differences of opinion, no one’s shouting anyone down or name-calling. So, what’s the problem?
It’s spring training and this is a Yankee blog: Aren’t we – at least in part – supposed to be debating who should make the team and who should be sent down or DFA’d? I guess I’m not clear on the purpose of blogs.
brokdc, your absolutely correct the negatives of the Yankees should be discussed but in a intellectually honest matter not in a dooms day attitude some have. Overly negative people are the same person has homers who never see nothing wrong with the team. Thats why they attack each other. I agree that you should question the teams not transactions but my personal opinion on this is that people should stop with the bull of wanting a All-star at every position. Im not attacking them on the fron of being negative im attacking them on there opinions whether negative or homers.
The All-Stars at every position canard.
If it was up to me, I would attempt to field a team made up almost entirely of homegrown players and then live with the pains that accompany prospect development.
“If it was up to me, I would attempt to field a team made up almost entirely of homegrown players and then live with the pains that accompany prospect development.”
That sounds like the Kansas City Royals to me.
I doubt many here would have the patience to be fans of a team like that.
Balance is a good thing.
“If it was up to me, I would attempt to field a team made up almost entirely of homegrown players and then live with the pains that accompany prospect development.”
Thats the other extreme thats not possible either.
There the fan that want all stars at every position. Then theres also the fan that is prospect obsessed and get to attached to mid level prospects and get upset anytime a free agent is signed and thinks to highly of guys like Andy Phillips or a Melky Cabrera(hes not as good as some of you think).
I’m no Man-cave-itch fan but as others have said, it’s not like we turned down Pujols for him. However, I think counting on him to be our every day guy, which he’ll basically be if he’s the left-handed platoon, is foolish.
I also think all the Phelps love is misplaced. Toronto, Cleveland, and Tampa have all taken long looks at this guy and said “no thanks” and Detroit wouldn’t even give him a September call-up when they were fighting for their lives down the stretch last year. He also can’t field a lick and I disagree with the idea that any warm body at first will do. (See: Sheffield, Gary and Piazza, Mike)
I’d like to see Joe give Phillips the keys to start the year, tell him he’s in the line-up every day for two months, and find out once and for all if he’s a major league regular or not. He’s shown he can field the position well, he’s torn up Triple A pitching, he had a big month last year (June?) before he got hurt and we brought in Wilson, and there are loud voices in the organization (specifically Stick) who say he can hit at this level. I say give him his shot. If he crashes and burns, getting an average guy with a bad contract should be pretty easy at the deadline, particularly with all the pitching we have at Scranton.
Prospects aren’t fungible. Consequently, one is never relieved of the responsibility of regularly monitoring their development and ceiling.
Things are rarely so black and white.
“I’m no Man-cave-itch fan but as others have said, it’s not like we turned down Pujols for him. However…”
Too….many….negatives…
No one’s asking for an all-star at every position (our back-up catcher position has been a black hole for many, many years), but don’t give me a slice of toast and tell me it’s some kind of continental breakfast. I will be surprised if ol’ Minky is still on the team by the trading deadline.
And this latest bit still doesn’t bring Mientkiewicz up to average. He will not make up more with his glove than Phelps will create with his bat. It won’t even be close over the course of a season.
Rich
Then keep your eyes on the D’Rays over the next 4 years. They’re attempting to do exactly what you propose, but it’s going to take through 2008 for all the pieces to get to the majors. Then it will probably take another 2 years for all to settle in, by which time they’ll be confronting keeping the initial pieces (Crawford, Kazmir, etc.) that they started down the road with. The proof will be in the pudding.
It’s hard to argue with the consistent level of success the Yanks have enjoyed over the last decade. There was probably too much emphasis on buying, but if you look back, the high cost pieces were perfect fits in most cases at the time. The Yanks are to soem extent victims of their own success at development – the core homegrowns Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, Rivera, Williams became great players and got commensurate salaries. But without the addition of key and costly players via trade and free agency, the team wouldn’t have reamined at that high level. And continued success takes it’s toll on the system as there’s always a piece to acquire and the price is often prospects.
Cashman made a point on his interview with M&MD the other day – about 2 in 10 prospects make it. So you need 5 for 1 success. And while there are FA and trade failures, they are more often proven commodities. The right plan incorporates a mix of strategies.
All I ask is that Phelps makes the team over Andy Phillips.
AMEN PETE!!!
I presented very similar sentiments a few days ago on The Bronx Block (the blog formerly known as “Off the Facade”).
http://mvn.com/mlb-yankees/200.....arch-16th/
As the Yankee monster grows – overhype, overreaction and absurd expectations – the patience and rationality begins to wear thin on some fans. Most of these fans do not truly appreciate the miraculous run the Yanks made during the late 1990s. The doldrums and drought of the 1980s is something lost on many of this generation’s Yanks fan. It is always nice to hear someone else remind fans that this weekend should be about March Madness and not Spring training catharses.
Keep up the good work Pete.
hey pete, you conveniently fail to respond to one of the first posts in this thread: if we’re supposed to lighten up and not worry about ST numbers, how the hell do you justify your garbage Britton/Wright post?
i looked closely at defensive ‘metrics’ for DMint when he was signed. his FRAA might be low, but look at some others:
“His glovework is where he excels. Compared to an average 1b, he has saved 17 runs during his career (including a Gold Glove in 2001), but allowed 6 more runs last year. Still, he was tied for the 5th best Fielding % at 1b last year, 9th in Range Factor, 3rd in Zone Rating, 15th in Model of Range, 2nd in ‘Runs Saved,’ 1st in John Dewan’s +/-, and ‘among the best’ (subscription access) in ‘Stude’s Fielding Awards.’ With the variable throws of Jeter and (particularly) Arod, D-Mint (that’s easier to type) will save a lot of runs, and be especially loved by Mr. Wang.”
I wrote this on Jan. 4. Click my name if you want the links for these metric studies.
So looking at ALL the stat studies, DMint is somewhere between a good and great first-baseman.
“So looking at ALL the stat studies, DMint is somewhere between a good and great first-baseman.”
In 2005, Minky’s FRAA was -5, and last year, it was -6. I should hope a good first baseman would not cost his team half a win each season.
I just said to look at ALL THE STUDIES. FRAA is not the only one.
nyyfaninlaaland
I would distinguish their situation from the Yankees based on revenue. First, they can’t draft players with signability issues. Second, they can’t keep their great young players when they become free agents.
It’s not about overreacting. It’s about using the resources to put the best team on the field based on ability, not veteraness.
Thanks for trying to beat some sense into folk Peter. From the looks of the above not everyone is getting the message.
I think back to the championship teams we had and it seems to me that those weren’t made up of all-stars at every position but hard nosed players who were solid defenders. These guys often come up with big hits to because they don’t feel the pressure like ARod has, since they aren’t expected to deliver in big spots every time.
Comparing this team to last years, I think we will get more or at least the same offense from 1st base. Phillips will hopefully put up better numbers and Minky will hit 260+.
Also better defense which will help everyone. This could also have a knockon effect with ARod whose defensive problems, particularly with throwing to 1B, seemed to affect him at the plate. Fewer errors could mean more relaxed ARod at the plate.
Better DH production since Giambi won’t be tweaking a muscle at 1st every week.
We also have a better rotation, deeper bullpen, better back-up outfielder, better cover from AAA.
Lets relax and also remember that the young crop coming through now, together with Cano, Cabrera, Wang, Proctor means that payroll will be dropping naturally. Throw in the new CBA and new ballpark and we will have a ton of cash to throw at 1B sluggers or ace starters for the next 5 years.
Good times await for Yankee fans, so stop wanting to crucify players after every at bat. At the end of the day, it makes players more anxious and hurts our team.
OK, I’m out for the night, but compare the pitching staffs of the four ring teams to any of the teams since then.
That’s the variance that explains the championships (along with luck). If the teams from 2004 on had that pitching there would be more rings. I mean, no one would really argue that the Yankees won championships because they had inferior players, are they? That’s just silly.
“All I ask is that Phelps makes the team over Andy Phillips.”
I ask the same as I think he’s better. People are saying the Andy Phillips has good defense but I don’t agree. I saw him make quite a few errors on easy plays last year. His bat is below average and I just like Phelps more. I also like Doug Mientkiewicz though.
Andy Phillips = Bubba Crosby 2007 (One of Joe Torre’s boys that don’t belong in the big league’s.)
merciful god. i thought i was negative.
killer post, pete. even with the pitino reference in there, you friggin’ boston homer.
i think they yankees are fine with mink at first and phelps/phillips platoon. but I’m curious about the yanks 1st base options in the future, especially this cuban defector the yanks signed in the offseason (i forget his name) maybe he can be brought up? besides that there isn’t much in the farm system of FA in the next few years, i think eric duncan is a bust and will never make the yanks (i can’t imagine texas letting teixera go) our best bet is to hope mink can hit .260+ and save some errors, because thats all he needs to do.
Rich: “attempt to trade for Sexton (Pavano+?)”
Jeff A.: “Well I can tell you dont know your baseball if you think Richie Sexon is a good fit for the Yankees.”
As far as I know, neither Sexton nor Sexon are available to any team.
Yeah Rich I was trying to say we go for rubbish players cos that’d be best. Why do people always deliberately misinterpret comments here? Don’t we support the same team????
What I was saying, is Pete is right, is that building a good team is not done by collecting old all stars with big bats, who all feel pressure to be ‘the man’ but don’t play together, and can’t play a lick of D.
Is the rotation as good as it was 7 years ago? No, but it is the best rotation we’ve had since we went to the series last. wang, Muss, Pettitte is the most solid 1,2,3 we’ve had in a long time, Igawa and Pavano have some question marks but they should at least be inning eaters (if pav is healthy) and this should keep the bullpen fresher than it has been in a long time. And we have options aplenty at AAA.
I love the moves Cashmoney has made since taking the reigns away from the Boss’s brain trust. For years his hands have been tied in trades by a diluted farm system, and players on huge contracts that only 1 or 2 teams could possibly take on( not to mention half the team having no trade clauses). Now he has more moving parts than ever so if Villone can’t regain the form he showed at the start of last year, or if Minky and Phillips struggle, he has options during the year that he never had before. Midseason deals in the past have always been done by upgrading by taking on millions extra in payroll. Now we can actually get involved in some more even trades and have far more potential trade partners than ever before.
Lots of reasons to be happy. Plus I imagine that the influx of youth, together with the departure of the twin clouds of doom that are Johnson and Sheff will make the clubhouse a looser, happier place this year.
Such a shame that a team with the Yankees’ resources is having to debate using Mientkiewicz, Phillips and/or Phelps. 1B is one of Cashman’s few failings this offseason.
When game times didn’t conflict with the Yankees (or Trenton’s last season…. I listened to starts by Hughes and Clippard whenever possible), I watched or listened to Royals games last season. I live in Chiefs territory, but it isn’t difficult to remember when it was Royals territory. I suppose I felt sorry for the team now that their fanbase is almost non-existent, but, believe it or not, I got to see some good things last season. Near the top of the list was the defensive play of Grudzielanek and Mientkiewicz (write it down…. Doug can flash some leather). Both did well at the plate in 2006, but I can understand concern due to Doug’s back surgery and up and down offense over the past few seasons.
I sometimes wonder if I’m the only Yankees fan to remember the Wilson/Phillips disaster of 2006. I’ll give Phillips a pass due to injury/off-field issues, but there’s no way Mientkiewicz and Phelps/Phillips will be as bad offensively or defensively as last season’s mess.
The 2006 FA list of 1B wasn’t exactly star-filled, but I don’t fault Cashman for passing on Hillenbrand (Likely to DH 50% or more of the time for the Angels). A couple of salary figures to consider: The Yankees paid Craig Wilson $1.7 mil. to strike out last year (did he do much else??). The red sox paid JT Snow $2 mil. for 44 AB last season. Hillenbrand landed a deal for $6 mil. this season and a team option for $6.5 mil in 2008 (plus a $500K buyout)….600 plate appearances will guarantee the 2008 option.
Bottom line…. I don’t see a big risk in Mientkiewicz. If he isn’t hitting enough as the trade deadline draws near, a move for another 1B can be made (assuming Phillips /Phelps is also not hitting). If the Yankees can pay $9 mil. for Javier Vazquez, Jaret Wright, and RJ to pitch elsewhere this season, I don’t see a problem with a 1-year low-risk investment in Mientkiewicz. Writing Doug off in March is premature.
Let’s see how the season goes. IMO, we’re in for a great one.
Thanks for the outstanding blog, Pete. I’m hooked.
ST numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt, but I get a chuckle out of these:
Sexon : 34 AB .118 BA .201 OBP 4 BB 4 K
Mientkiewicz: 26 AB .077 BA .265 OBP 6 BB 2 K
Seems waaaaaayyyyyyyy to early to pass judgment on either player’s #’s.
OK, change of pace… Pitching:
All the pitchers on the Yankees projected starting rotation are very similar – - finesse, not power. Is it a problem that our opponents will be seeing more or less the same thing every start with roughly the same speed variations throughout the rotation?
Wang and Pavs are sinkerballers, and Wang has a decent sneaky fastball, but is not a power pitcher. Pettitte is not an overpowering pitcher anymore and relies more on finesse. Mussina never was a flamethrower. This isn’t a knock, but he’s all junk and location – a better Moyer than Moyer. Iggy, once he’s on, will be a strike-out guy again but not with the heat.
C’mon, let’s talk about something other than 1st base.
Octavio Dotel
Watched him today, looks very good . So far in the spring 6 innings pitched 0 earned runs 1 walk 2 hits and 10, yes 10 strikeouts. He is throwing the ball upwards of 95 mph. I still don’t know why we didn’t sign him for 2 years?! He basicly got healthy, used us to get his pitching in, strengthen his arm, and we paid him !!! We should have gotten something in return.
“Such a shame that a team with the Yankees’ resources is having to debate using Mientkiewicz, Phillips and/or Phelps. 1B is one of Cashman’s few failings this offseason.”
Who did you want Cashman to sign for if you don’t like the moves he made? I’ve asked this question a ton of times and have still not heard a decent response. Sexson is probably the best response I’ve heard and I’m very lukewarm on that since he brings in a big salary, high K rate and would cost us players.
Jeterisgreat,
The Dotel situation is an interesting one. They gave Leiber a two year deal, but that could be because he was a starter and there is more upside in him. Or maybe Dotel only wanted a one year deal, so he could get healthy and then jack up his price, which is what he did.
Also I remember hearing he wanted to close, ala the Tom Gordon syndrome. Now I don’t know whats exactly true or not, but I was disappointed in him because I kept reading that he was thankful the yankees gave him 2 million to basically rehab, and wanted to give them a chance to resign him. But then he becomes a free agent and declares “I only want to close”. Now maybe the yankees showed no interest in him, idk. Peter can you clear this up for us?
Peter, don’t sweat it. I would comment, however, on Josh Phelps. While I would not take him over Minky, I most definitely would take him over Andy Phillips in a heartbeat. There is no reason whatsoever that Phelps should not go North with the big club. Phillips had his chance. Maybe he will make something of his career with another team.
Well said David G, finally some sense and optimism!!
Murphydog I see what you are saying about the pitching. If I have one concern about the Yanks this year it is that our pitching while good, it isn’t great and might not match up well with the Red Sox and possibly Angels, A’s (if Harden is healthy) and Indians.
My main hope is that we can get Clemens in June, but I have to say I think Houston is a far more likely destination for him.
That leaves Hughes and Sanchez as our potential saviours. While I don’t like to add more pressure to them, it could well be that come Sept one of those guys is starting a playoff game. Either one should be the hardest throwing starter and would give the staff a different look.
While those two guys aren’t going anywhere, the rest of our AAA rotation could find themselves moved on if the right deal comes up midseason. Cashman now has the financial wiggle room as well after shifting the Big Unit. I’m sure he hasn’t assembled these guys to use them as trade bait, but if a youngish top or middle of the rotation pitcher is available he could well make the move. It is very early days yet but one of the nice things about the Igawa deal is that his contract is actually pretty small. It is good for us now because although the posting fee was high, our luxury tax figures won’t be hit too hard by his salary. In future years it could make him a very valuable (but expendible) commodity.
Thinking back a couple of years to entering the Angles series with Chacon, Small, and a crippled Johnson in the rotation I think we can safely say we are on the right path.
So this means that A Rod will be okay even though he hasn’t homered and only has like 3 extra base hits?
I always felt we should have gotten Dotel for two years. I bet he is lights out this year.
Great post, Peter. Thanks for being the calming voice of reason. I think everyone was scared straight by your Boston comment. Very good point.
If more of the Yankee beat writers ripped into the fake fans instead of embracing them and writing bash pieces to appease them, I would be able to stomach my team’s fan-base a lot more. It is disgusting how many people simply want to hate everything the Yankees do. Lets remember we are fans and we are supposed to ROOT for our team.
P.S – Awesome rant Pete – I linked to it on the message board of PinstripesPlus.com so more can read it.
“merciful god. i thought i was negative.”
LOL. I was thinking as I was reading some of these posts, “Good grief some of these people are making Kasey look like Pollyanna”.
Welcome to the world of in season blogging Pete where every game (even spring training) is a matter of life and death and where reputations are made on August afternoons during eight run blowouts. Better get used to it or you truly will be in danger as the floor of your hotel room rises.
One sub-par hitter is not going to make the difference in the Yankees’ lineup. Pitching and defense win close games. Mientkiewicz is worth the risk because he is not a long-term solution and did not cost a lot of money. Cashman smartly did not commit dollars and time in a very poor market. I am sure that when the right 1B becomes available, Cashman will do what has to be done. In the meantime, if Dougey can pick a few errant throws, what’s the real harm? I like that he doesn’t strike out. That’s a good thing.
We are fortunate as Yankees fans. We argue that they need to win 90-100 games, and worry that it will be 90 and not 100. A Kansas City fan called into the XM radio station yesterday and optimistically asked if his team will be 500 this year, and that would be a good thing.
I know so many Yankees fans live and die with this team, but maybe when there’s so much positive that is taken for granted, the tendency is to nit-pick the little that is negative. Like, what else is there to talk about? At least the conversations are interesting, and I’m impressed with all the people who are so willing to research the stats to support their positions.
Me, I’d rather enjoy the pastime, and I enjoy the lively give-and-take that is this blog. But life is too short and the real problems too real, for me to really work up a sweat about Minky vs. Phillips vs. Phelps. (By the way, I do think the Yankees have a shot at Texiera in 2009, mostly since Boras is his agent, which means that he’ll be on the market, but that’s no help for 2008.)
Hey, Pete, I just noticed — the post times on this blog are 1 hour off — no one adjusted for daylight savings?
Bill Shaikin of LA Times says The speculation already has started, even if the season has not: Alex Rodriguez to the Angels?
http://www.latimes.com/sports/.....mlb-angels
The circumstantial evidence appears compelling. The Angels still lack that big bat promised by owner Arte Moreno, after a winter in which their top target was a power-hitting third baseman. Rodriguez can opt out of his contract with the New York Yankees this fall, and he told a New York radio station last week he would not return unless fans and management made him feel “wanted here.”
“Any team needs that bat,” Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera said. “Even the Yankees need that bat.”
Steve, Texeira will be a free-agent, so it may not be up to Texas to not “let him go,” he could be fair game if he wants to go. Someone on here said he wants to play in NY, as many players do (and rightfully so). Not sure if that’s true, but it’s always a possibility.
jeterisgreat, StandingO’Neill, I’m pretty sure at the time Dotel would only take a 1-year deal. Probably so he could do just what you said (just what he did…), even though he had said something about wanting to prove himself and not lock a team into a 2-year deal……
If 1B is the biggest worry this year I will be OVERJOYED.
chris NY, i know he has boras as an agent so theres a real good chance he will be a free agent, but my point is that we can’t wait on him and assume we’ll get him in the past. it annoys me when yankee fans want to fix a problem (ex: 1st base) and assume that the yankees will go after the best player available, which is what we did in the past but cashmoney has said he wont do that anymore. I know texeira is an allstar/superstar player but we can’t assume he’ll be a yankee, we did that with beltran and d-mat and look what that did for us. There are alot of teams out there that have money now and dont mind throwing it at players, we can’t forget that boston doesn’t have a 1st baseman and delgado’s contract will be up in the next few years so the mets will need one too, Texeira is going to be expensive, i just don’t’ think it’ll be smart to throw that much money at a first baseman, we don’t need another giambi situation.
I’m curious to see in a few years who our first baseman will be
“Jake
March 20th, 2007 at 8:52 am
If 1B is the biggest worry this year I will be OVERJOYED.”
I agree. Thank you, Jake!!
The fact that people can spell “Mientkiewicz” but not “Sexson” boggles the mind.