Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on May 20, 2007 
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Many readers of this blog commented during the winter that they hated the makeup of the bench.
I was quick to shoot them down, pointing out that the Yankees never pinch-hit anyway. I didn’t think it mattered who was on the bench. I remember having a running discussion with people about the backup catcher spot and claiming it just didn’t matter.
Man, was I wrong. This team has bigger problems than Miguel Cairo, Josh Phelps, Wil Nieves and Melky Cabrera. But they are part of the problem.
In retrospect, Brian Cashman didn’t put nearly enough effort into finding better reserves. Part of this, I suspect, was to trim the payroll. But part of it seems to be a belief that it didn’t matter.
Now it does. Robinson Cano looks like a Class AAA player and there’s little choice but to play him because Cairo can’t hit. Posada should get to DH once in a while but can’t because Nieves is helpless with the bat. Cabrera is the best reserve they have and he isn’t very good. Last year, it seems, was a fluke. Phelps is what he is, a AAAA player. Billy Wagner made him look silly yesterday.
For all their resources, the Yankees could have found a veteran player on the bench or used the trades of Randy Johnson and Gary Sheffield to find some quality reserves.
The guy I feel badly for is Joe Torre, who is managing with few options. He has little choice but to run the same struggling players out there because the alternatives are worse.
Torre will take the fall for this before Cashman will. At least Cashman is claiming responsibility. The question is whether it’s too late.
Where’s Bernie you say??
Hmmmmmmmm
I feel like there is plenty of blame to go around but “poor Torre”, no. He’s made plenty of mistakes this year.
Free KT!
I agree that the bench is a bit weak, but that is only magnified right now because the starters weren’t scoring…at all.
Once that ship is righted (last night signs that it will?) then the bench won’t look nearly as bad.
Also, I take exception with Josh Phelps being listed as a problem bench player. He has an .808 OPS. I’m gonna guess that that is a very good OPS for a bench player.
I think we can reasonably expect Melky to improve.
Nieves and Cairo aren’t good, but they do play so rarely anyway.
Of course, it would be super awesome if Cano was doing well, though he is 3 for his last 8 (I think) with a homerun. Yes, it is only 2 games, but perhaps he is showing signs of snapping out of his funk as well.
Right now, the Yankees aren’t losing because of their bench (remember, Abreu and Giambi were pinch hitting), they are losing because their entire offense was slumping.
Of course, they are finally showing signs of snapping out of that.
The bench has always been an afterthought for Cashman. In the end he just calls up Cairo or Enrique Wilson.
Anyone who thinks it’s OK to punt roster spots need their head examined.
no, it’s not too late. things can turn around fast. it’s actually good that cashman’s plan was so bad that the yankees imploded early. the red sox were being similarly cheap last year(no uber team and all that crap) , but the wheels didn’t fall off until the yankee 5 game sweep in august and then it was too late.
even while developing young players, teams in this uber market have to spend uber money on every aspect of the game to be a top team year in and year out. cashman has time to adjust. he’s added clemens and he’s still got all the money in the world to make sure the yankees make the playoffs. as gennaro says, a team like the yankees has to make the playoffs to keep revenues pouring in. i think the yankees are all in financially from this point on this year. if they have to eat some salary, that’s the cost of doing business.
you know ironically, by being cheap and not getting a decent back up catcher, posada is going to play so much he’s going to have a careeer year( if he doesn’t get hurt). cashman will have to pay even more for posada than he would have. everyone in baseball is noticing posada’s numbers.
Mick, Bernie is not the solution to this either.
I agree with Pete on this one. What’s Joe supposed to do? It’s been said before, he can’t make guys hit.
Cashman’s moves are looking no better than the moves of the late 80′s early 90′s. I put blame squarely on him. There are so many serviceable bench guys out there that the Yankees could have easily had. Pinning your hopes on a rule 5 guy, an over achieving rookie, etc…looks to be a bad move. You’ve got to give the brain-trust in Boston credit, their bench looks phenomenal. The Mets too. Again, I say bring up some of the guys in the minors and see what they’ve got. It can’t be any worse than the situation you’ve got now.
the season is like a horse race…don’t look to the ones who burst out front to sustain that level of play….it will not happen. The season is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Yankees have a good enough roster to make things click, and they will not always have ill fortune, injury and bad luck. The pendulum will swing back. And every day brings a new game, new chances, new hope. Baseball is a great game to watch and the Yankees remain my favorite. I’m super happy for Jorge…..Jete is a captain par excellance…that leadership will spread and the younger guys who struggle will get back their confidence. Over and out.
Why the sympathy for Clueless Joe? The man was blessed for years with a team that literally managed itself and all Torre had to do was press the same buttons in the same order day after day. When he’s had to actually think a bit and manage, he’s been exposed as the most inept decision maker(putting Jeff Weaver in to lose a WS game was inexcusable and he should have been fired immediately). The man deserves to go out on an embarassing note.
Wow, it took 40 games for everyone to turn on Cano. Coming into the year he was a surefire building block for the future, and there were arguments whether he was the best 2b in baseball. No one seemed to have any legitimate doubts that he would be at least a consistent, All Star caliber hitter. A tough month later, and he is a AAA player. pretty unreal. So when Jeter started worse than this one year, or Tino did in his 1st year, or Posada as a rookie, were they also AAA players. We are so quick to demote a guy who hit .340 for a full season last year! Unbelievable.
I heard an interesting theory (on local radio) about the reason for the success of the Atlanta Braves over the last 15 years. Sean McAdams offered that the Braves studiously construct a deep 25 man roster, with multi-faceted players. This fact sets them up for the long, 162 game season. Keeping players fresh is emphasized more in some franchises than in others.
McAdam was less enlightening on their relative lack of success in the post-season. He felt that managers shorten their “rotation” in the post-season, so the Braves’ best 18 against the other teams best 18 wasn’t good enough. Maybe …
I do know this much …. the Yankees’ bench is dreadful, leading to overuse of tired, slumping players.
In this context, Posada is AL Player of the Year. If he can bear up for the full season, my hat is off to him. He keeps getting better and better.
The only thing that Cashman has done right in the last couple of years is sign the sluggers. Which doesnt take a genius. He has made terrible after terrible pitching mistakes. I knew the bench was going to be awful because he was never concerned about actually making it any good. You would think after the last 2 years of dealing with injuries he would know by now that the roster is not young and they are going to break down, but it never concerned him. He keeps saying it was my fault, but what does that do now…nothing.
Also can Bruney and Proctor finally graduate to the 7th and 8th innings!!! You have a better chance of winning the lotto then seeing Farnsworthless pitch a 1,2,3 inning. Is it even possible for him? I cant watch him anymore. He comes into a 1 run game and you have to hold your breath. Same thing everytime Ball 1, Ball 2, thats a walk. Let him pitch in the 5th and 6th innings. Enough with him already, he is pathetic!!!!
Nieves and Cairo should not be playing on a major-league team, let alone the New York Yankees. Nieves in particular matters because Posada should get more days off than he’s been getting. He almost always slows down in the dog days, and keeping him fresh should be a priority.
To everyone who says you can’t blame Torre because he doesn’t bat or pitch — explain to me why he makes $7.5 million a year, if all he can be expected to do is fill out the lineup card and be good at not saying negative things about players in the press. I’m not saying that I blame Torre for the huge problems they’re in (I blame him for plenty of mistakes in previous seasons, including horrendous handling of pitching — but I don’t think he’s screwed up that much this year, mostly because the problems run so much deeper than him), but everytime I hear how the manager can’t be held responsible for losing, I keep wondering why he deserves to make more money in one summer than most of us could dream of in a lifetime.
You don’t play baseball with the team you WANT, you play baseball with the team you HAVE.
In all seriousness though, there’s something wrong with the approach hitters are taking at the plate. Their rhythm is off. I went to Friday’s game, and when I looked up at saw it was 9PM in the 8th inning, I was shocked.
Everyone is comparing this team to the “gutsy” guys of the winning years–Tino, O’Neill, Brosius. I feel that common strand found in all the Yanks’ winning teams is solid at-bats.
Good, long, at-bats. That’s what’s missing.
Yankee owners are turning their fans into a mass of indolents by their negative to do the right thing at the right moment.
Their fail to fire Torre and Cashman and replace them with new talents, is inexcusable.
Posada has been playing outrageous this year…that guy must have some work-out program in the off-season. What a demanding position.
Brian, what’s your take on the Sox this year? Are we looking at a Boston version of the ’98 Yankees? I’d love to know a fans take on the team. They are impressive so far.
Peter, thank you for apologizing to me and admitting I was right.
Peter thank you for apologizing to me.
I heard there is some experienced guy with 4 WS rings waiting in Rochester who says he will only play for the Yankees. This guy could be a good bench player.
Why not bring Chris Basak up. He has a decent avg .272 I believe he was playing all if positions in spring training.
Boss Won’t Do Anything Till After Boston Series
BBTN reporting Steinbrenner has announcement on Torre
Just heard on ESPN that the Boss will not be doing anything until at least after the Boston series. That’s his way of saying get off your ass and win some games so I don’t have to do anything. If we’re gonna win games against Boston, this 3 game stretch is the best shot we have. Our top 3 pitchers are going. I hope we can get something done.
Thank you to all those who keep us reminded that there are plenty of games remaining in the season. However, i should point out that every game that passes, is one less game. Eventually 100 games becomes 80 games, which becomes 50 games. I haven’t lost hope, however, i think we can call a spade a spade. Years of bad trades, free agents, etc, has landed this team where it is today. An old team, who is pressing to make something happen. Cano is pressing, Abreau is pressing. At least the pitching has come around, and with the prospects of having a very young, experienced staff in the next two years is a great thought. Even the ever winning Braves took a down turn after they lost there core. But we can no longer hang on to the past. It has been more than 10 years since this core started. A new core needs to arise. The start is with the young pitchers.
Jeteupthemiddle- we wouldn’t notice how horribly Nieves is hitting if more than 2 people were hitting in our lineup. He seems to handle the pitching staff pretty well.
we’ve got the bad Bernie karma for sure!!!
I vote for giradi not mattingly to replace Joe.
As Parcells and Riley both have said, sometimes you need a new voice in the room. Too bad Sweet Lou is now a cubbie.
Thank you Pete, I have been trying to tell my Yankee friends that Cashman built the worst bench in the last 10 years for the Yankees and everyone told me it wasn’t a big deal. Now with a few veterans hurt and guys struggling, the hole is glaring.
JJ,
I waas going to mention Girardi, too. (Except we all know Mattingly is next, no matter what happens.) I hate to be the one that says this, but, as much as I love the guy, Mattingly reminds me of the bad old days.
I would still love to see Bobby V after Joe retires…I say retires, because I don’t think he’s getting fired. Bobby V or Giradi would get my vote. Especially if your going to see an influx of young guys coming up over the next few years. I’m speaking mainly of pitching, i.e. Hughes, DeSalvo, Clippard, Wright, etc…
Bernie is old, slow, and will not provide an actual pick up on offense. He is a great presence, but he is not the answer. If they want a bench player will pop, go after Adam Dunn! Trade Melky for Dunn straight up. Power for potential. Dunn is his late 20′s needs plate disipline, can platoon with Giambi as Dh. Contract aside he is a great rent-a-player.
The problem is Torre and Cashman are too close. Torre gets used to guys like Cairo and Cashman is all too happy to give into Torre’s wishes and bring him back instead of looking for someone better.
C Gramazio …. I’d love to tell you that the Sox look like the ’98 Yankees, but I’d be lying. Their starting rotation is strong, and has Jon Lester in the wings, but there is concern over possible injuries there (especially Beckett’s finger, Schilling’s age). Having said that, Dice-K will be a horse, and he is the real deal.
The bullpen has only two truly dependable pitchers, but they are superb … Papelbon and Oki(sp?). But Papelbon is also an injury risk.
The lineup has holes, but they have some speed and have managed to get contributions from everyone so far …. no prolonged team-wide slumps. And Manny/Ortiz back-to-back is formidable.
But they are a very deep and balanced team. They are as good on the road as at home, which is telling (the Yankees need their home fans and short porch).
So, no, they are not a powerhouse. But if they stay reasonably healthy, they are too good to spit the bit with a 10 game lead.
Chris
I think this is dead-on right – the ‘vision’ is to build a core of young cost-contained pitchers.
And a lot of this is chicken&egg stuff. If the staff can get rolling, it would take pressure off the bats. It’s clear that guys are pressing in a big way.
As far as the bench – most teams do NOT have a backup catcher who can hit. Most teams do not have a utlity infielder who can hit. The weakest link is 1B and backup 1B – most teams have a solid power guy on the bench, and at 1st.
I think judging Melky off this sample is not so different from judging Abreu or Cano from it.
It IS a bit different in this way – Abreu clearly has a long track record of performance. Cano has 2 years, including a full season BA of .343. That’s not a fluke.
Is Melky’s 2006 a fluke? You’re looking at a guy who performed in a pennant race at age 22 – not many have done that.
The question – are teams pitching him differently? Did scouts find a weakness? Or is this a mental thing, like Cano’s slump?
I’m still hopeful that the team will snap out of it. By the time Clemens and (a bit later) Hughes arrive, we should have one of the strongest rotations around. The question is – how far out of the playoff hunt will we bet?
All I’m focussed on now is looking for signs of a turnaround. I think worrying about the standings right now is pretty pointless…
this is a sad state of affairs. i feel horrible for torre i hope he knows that a lot of us out there love him. i dont like shooting blame around but in this care i believe its cashmans and some of the players arent motivated for some reason so maybe that could be torre’s fault who knows this just sucks
Almost forgot – Melky’s OPS for May is .835, and his D has been more than solid.
Yes, Opposing teams and their advance scouts find weakness at Cano’s swing… Cano’s needs to adjust or He will be next Shane Spencer all over again.
Cano’s basically chased anything out of strikezone either up or down…
Peter,
I think you’re jumping the gun calling Cabrera’s last season a fluke. He’s only 22 years old and is clearly having some difficult adjustments, but I’m not ready to write him off as just a fluke. Your criticism about the backup catcher and first baseman is fair.
“But if they stay reasonably healthy, they are too good to spit the bit with a 10 game lead.”
who gives a crap, playoffs start 0-0.
how do you explain the 14-0 game last night where they didn’t even show up if they are too good to spit the bit?
Cashman doesn’t know baseball.
Just look at the signings he makes. If someone is a big name or had a few good games against the Yankees he goes after them. Other than that he does not really seem to understand how to put together a baseball team.
Everyone was so excited about what he got in return for Sheff and Unit. Look what he got, more injured pitchers.
You don’t go into a season with Mienkwhathisname and Phelps as your first basemen. That is a power spot pure and simple. The notion that it was ok because the rest of the lineup was great was absurd. This season has shown that anything can happen to any hitters and being ok with automatic outs in your lineup is just stupid.
It’s time to get some fresh minds in charge here. This is not a knee jerk response to this season either. It has been becoming clear for years now.
Torre has become too close to too many players and at the same time seems to have zero spark left. The manager needs to provide leadership to the team. That’s isn’t happening anymore with Torre. That’s not even getting into his piss poor in game managing that has been discussed plenty before.
Answer this, how many major league managers would have defended Cano like he did yesterday after all that nonsense? Instead they would have benched him on the spot to show that that crap was not gonna be tolerated and to send a wake up message to the the team.
Captain 521 said:
===
The only thing that Cashman has done right in the last couple of years is sign the sluggers.
….
Also can Bruney and Proctor finally graduate to the 7th and 8th innings!!!
===
You do realize that Bruney was a great Cashman move and Proctor was a Cashman move as well right?
Jennifer, I agree. An upgrade at back up catcher would be great, but I’m kind of okay with Nieves.
Cano’s – Next Antonio Perez? Perez He strikes out everything strikezone. Cano could be out baseball unless He learns how to become a patient hitter..
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....atsId=7105
Just think what happens when Giambi is fired.
I think it’s a great thing. Opens up more days where players get a 1/2 day off and the spot can be filled with a true backup infielder, not Cairo.
Minky is great. He saved a lot of hits and runs and errors from happening.
Randy 1, re: 14-0 loss last nite
(A) The Braves are good.
(B) Rookie emergency starter (who was injured in the 4th inning by a comebacker).
(C) Second doubleheader in three dys (won 3 of 4).
(D) Unlike Torre, Francona know how to cut bait. He didn’t waste any of his top pitchers in a blowout.
This isn’t soccer, where there are total goals, two game competitions.
You’re kind of OK with Nieves?
Why?
What does he bring to the team?
the idea that he is the best option out there to have as a back up cathcer is absurd. And the notion you are ok with it is mind boggling.
Agree, Cashman is too close to Joe and loses objecticity and probably does not demand accountability for the actions or results.
Regarding Bernie, it is a bad idea. The very people clamoring for Benie would be asking for Cashman’s head now saying Bernie is too old, he can not hit and Cashman went for loyalty and not objective.
Not a bad idea to trade Cairo and bring up Basek or Gonzales. It can not be worse as Cairo harldy plays as he can not make a difference. If he is good, he would have bee in the games and playing second base instead of Cano for a day or two while he is getting a lesson fo rhis sloppiness.
All said and done, things will slowly improve. With most of the injuries for the top of the rotation healing and clemens on the way in a week or two starting pitching will be alright. In fact, they are doing pretty good now. Bullpen is another story. Until Torre changes his ways it does not matter who is in that bullpen. The offense is showing life and most of the guys in slump seem to be coming out of it. In a day or two this team will play near to its strengths.
brian( red sox fan)
naawww. they just quit. it’s in their dna.
Cincy Chris, are you serious? No living being in his/her right mind would ever do something as stupid as Dunn for Melky. Not to mention Dunn is not a bench player. He strikes out a lot playing everyday. Imagine if he only got a couple of at-bats a week. It’s ridiculous.
If jason is really doing steroids
wouldn’t he have for than five home runs? he’s not doing them. if he is however that should be the last straw. but I don’t think he is, if he was he’d have at least 10 home runs to this point.
I doubt he’s doing them now (he’s not that dumb, is he?). but the question is whether or not he did them at anytime as a yankee. according to what’s been said about his grand jury testimony, he did admit to using them after he signed with the yanks, in ’02 and ’03.
1: Jason is not doing roids right now and honestly, who the heck cares…when Jason and everyone else were doing it, it was not illegal in the game. What Rose did was far worse
2: Roids cannot make you see the ball, nor can it make you hit the ball…that takes talent. Did they help Barry hit 73 homers? If you say yes, then you have to ask yourself how Maris hit 61…Barry, early on in his career was a great contact hitter…always was…Maris was a hack that had a lucky season. As Barry got older and bigger, he hit more homers and roids aided him in that…
No one can gauge the impact roids has had on a players performance…and Barry has always tested clean. Is he wrong for taking them? Sure…but who really cares? Seriously?
Baseball’s are wound tighter now, stadiums built to serve hitters mostly, Barry hits alot of his homers in short porch ballparks…
Personally, I am sick of all the roid talk…Barry has taken them, so has Giambi, so has Palmiero, Grimsley…etc…how many World Series rings do these guys have?
Giambi has alot of balls for speaking up and TELLING THE TRUTH…if you honestly think that MLB did not know about roids a loing time ago, and that Larussa did not know his players were taking that junk…you’re a fool…they did nothing about it, and should have had policies and programs in place to prevent before hand…it’s not like steroids is anyhting new…They have been aroung since the 70′s in sports and are prevelant in football…
Taking rods in Baseball is not nearly as bad as taking them in cycling, football and boxing…let’s put it in perspective.
Here is the answer…..no passion.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....ortCat=mlb
Yes it requires skill to hit a base ball.
You must be kidding that ‘Roids did not help Barry or Giambi hit more home runs.
What would have been warning track fly balls become homeruns because of that additional unnatural strenght they gain with use of ‘Roids.
I’ve never been of a mind to fire either Torre or Cashman. However, if it’s true that Cashman knew Russ Ohlendorf and Humberto Sanchez were damaged goods (as reported by Bill Madden in today’s NY Daily News) he has some explaining to do. I was shocked to read that Cashman would give away Sheffield & Johnson while knowingly take nothing in return. If that’s the case, count me in on the “off with his head” bandwagon !
Josh Phelps is batting 275, with a 771 OPS.
Almost identical to Bernie Williams numbers last year.
And better than almost any bottom-of-the-roster guy in the big leagues. What do you expect, a 950 OPS guy as your backup 1b?
But hey, one of the better closers in the game struck him out last night. Made him look bad. What a jerk that Cashman is.
Sheeesh.
Besideas making you stronger (and perhaps making that warning track flyball go over the wall), steroids make you heal quicker from that nagging injureies players usually get over a long season, and they also help keep a player’s stamina up, so her won’t hit the dog days of August feeling run down. Read Canseco’s book, or Game of Shadows. Steroids gives you a HUGE edge. The effects are more apparent in cycling or running, maybe because the results are immeditate. The baseball season is looooong.
I have to respectfully disagree with Pete’s assessment of Cano. Cano’s laid back style does drive me nuts sometimes, but he’s still just a 24 year old kid and has some growing up to do. I was hoping that Larry Bowa would get in his face a little bit more.
Cano had .325 career batting average over his first 250 games of his career. I think it’s too early to give up on him because games 251 to 290 of his career weren’t as good.
how about endy chavez
sure i’m serious, Dunn strikes our entirely too much, but when he connects, he connects. He is a future DH, no fielding skills, but the Reds have a terrible coaching staff, and Dunn has had no guidence. Bring him in a replacement for Giambi when he is gone, and you’ve got that spot filled.
Check old pictures of Bonds, McGwyre, Canseco, Pudge Rodriguez, and the rest. Usually you put on some weight as you age, just check Bernie when he first started and Bernie now, same with Rivera, and the rest, but you don’t baloon or gain those biceps. So yes, Giambi, Bonds, McGwyre, Canseso, Pudge and heavens know who else, seem to have used something.”
I read Barry Bonds shoe size went from a size 10 to 13. shocked
Giambi has probably switched from steroids to HGH (no test). He is “stupid enough” to risk being caught in a random sample because when he quit “cold turkey” (that dramatic weight loss) he had the DTs and couldn’t cope (and he certainly couldn’t hit). So why not have a “relapse.” He gained back the weight and was Comeback player of the Year. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
By the way, performance enhancers DO help eyesight, especially by increasing fast-twitch muscles, allowing the batter to start the swing later, therefore getting a longer look at the pitch. Giambi is using now, and is a total fraud in trying to drag EVERYONE into his cesspool. He wants to make it seem as the the whole game is at fault in order to mitigate his own personal responsibility.
P.S. Ever wonder why Clemens “retires” for 8 months a year? Wouldn’t be to avoid MLB’s drug testing program and juice up, mask it, and be ready to play? He has 8 months every year where he is not subject to testing – a coincidence?
Jeteupthemiddle:
I was talking about as far as free agent signing, not trades or Bruney who was released and just picked up. The free agent pitchers who he signed and gave alot of money to have been a joke. Wright, Igawa, Farnsworthless.
In that Case Ortiz and Varitek switch steriods to Hgh (No test)
Varitek struggle last year, and had knee surgery, Look at numbers this year..
I suspect these two players are using Hgh some point.
Torre isn’t going to survive the week if this keeps up.
I think it is too early to say that Melky and Robbie are just flukes, considering how inconsistent the veteran players are right now as well. I’m not sure how you train consistency, but somehow it seems like only Jeter and Posada know how to play everyday, and the Yanks need some sort of coach for that sort of stuff (Donnie Baseball?). Which is truly unfortunate for Posada’s knees.
In the meantime, you could do worse than Cairo, and Phelps is a decent option (probably as good as you could do on the open market, anyhow). And aren’t there a couple of good prospects for this sort of thing in the works? Alex Gonzalez, who Cashman got in the RJ deal could be the answer very soon.
The reason the Yanks are losing is not because of guys like Cano, Melky or Phelps. Those guys aren’t the reason. You cant blame a bad start on a 4th OF, an 8th hitting 2b and a backup 1b.
Trade Cano for Orlando Hudson….. He’s pefect guy.. He has speed , patient hitter and hit for average.
Julius B — Varitek hasn’t gained back the weight, and his stats are so-so. I think he’s clean.
Ortiz is another story.
Look at the facial structure of Clemens and Giambi (and I mean right now). Wide, full, bloated. They both sweat like pigs after the mildest exertion. They are both 50 pounds heavier than in their mid-20s. How obvious can it be.
P.S. Looks like the hypocritical Yankees are back in the business of trying to void Giambi’s contract. This comes up every time his production drops. They don’t care if he’s using ….. but he’s better be using successfully. They’re “shocked, shocked…..” (Claude Rains in “Casablanca).”
The problems with the bench are not entirely of cashman’s doing. He tried to get Damien Easley for example, but he didnt want to play for the yankees. Not many veterans want to play for a team where they will almost never see the field.
Also the long term neglegence of the farm system is rearing its ugly head. There are no position prospects in AAA, and the only real good one I know of is Jose Tabata. So there are no internal answers either.
its gonna be a long year.
jake-
small things add up. wasn’t that a 47 year old bench player yesterday that got a hit to put the game out of reach. but bernie’s too old. right.
You’re kind of OK with Nieves?
Why?
What does he bring to the team?
the idea that he is the best option out there to have as a back up cathcer is absurd. And the notion you are ok with it is mind boggling.
=====
I am kind of ok with him because he plays maybe once a week.
Sure, it would be nice to give Posada more days off, but with how hot he is hitting right now, even if the back up catcher was batting .200 (as most BUC’s do) the Yankees STILL wouldn’t want to sit him.
At some point they will need to upgrade, and I think that they will.
However, at the moment, I am still kind of ok with him as the back up catcher.
Like I said before, the Yankees aren’t losing now because of their bench. They are losing now because of their stars.
With the Posada situation again teh discussion of the backup catcher whose decison was it to keep Nieves over Pratt. Not that Pratt is a hitting machine but he certainly has a better average than Nieves. I think we all thought Pratt would be the one coming out of Spring. Was that a Torre call or a Cash call or can they BOTH take the blame there.
LOL at Brian (Red Sox Fan), he comes here under the vein of just talking baseball but cant control his inbred sox compulsion of calling out Yankee fans. After reading his first post in this thread I though to myself, how long will it take for him to show his true colors. NOT LONG.
I dont think the bench is as bad as some of you say.Nieves yes hes a horrible hitter Cairo hasnt had a big enough sample yet.Cabrera is young and like many Yanks started off slow.What I think I would do is this.Replace Nieves with a backup who might not be as good with the glove but can hit a little more.Phelps went 3 for 5 in his second day playing and I think Id start him over Douggie against everyone.This is the tough one Id send Cano out to Scranton for 2 weeks and call up Basak.Id alternate him with Cairo and the one who offers the most stays when Cano comes back.And dont screw with Giambi if the Yanks try to release him the season is over the clubhouse will revolt.
In My Opinion Ortiz and Varitek are not clean until there’s a test for Hgh.
Brian (Red Sox Fan),
i can tell from listening to you that you have no clue about how to generate bat speed or how to see a 95mph fastball. anyone who’s around the game knows that seeing the ball is all about relaxation of the eyes and not stimulating the fast twitch eye muscles as you say with steroids.
where extra strength comes in with two players of the same bat speed is there is resistance when the ball is hit. a stronger hitter’s bat speed won’t decelerate as much after impact. the ball flattens on the bat for a split second and bat speed is lost if the hitter isn’t strong.
just to test you because you say you know so much about hitting a baseball:
why is it so difficult to pull an up and in strike?
hint: the answer is more than just less time. why is there less time?
JLB ….Sorry; but PEDs are a pet peeve of mine. I also called out Varitek and Ortiz (and you can throw in Nixon and Garciaparra). It’s just that Giambi takes it to another level with his on-again, off-again usage (and now on-again). He’s like the (now deceased) Christopher in “The Sopranos” ….. earnestly proclaiming abstinence even while he’s using. The man insults my intelligence (and your’s).
Re: Baseball …. The Yankee lineup should recover (probably against the Sox), but that bench is BAD. They can’t even fill the limited roles they are expected to fill, and it should be no surprise. It looked that way before the season started. I’m amazed that Luis Sojo isn’t activated; he’d fit right in.
If you think Giambi’s is on Steriods, your dumbass and hypocrite.
The Yanks are struggling this year because their pitching was god awful in April and there was nothing Phelps, Nieves, Melky and Cairo could do about it. In May they are struggling because Abreu, Cano, Damon, Giambi and A-Rod are struggling. It would be nice to have an All-Star on the bench to step in for these guys when they struggle, but that isn’t happening. If our pitchers pitch the way they are capable of and our All-Star lineup hits like they are capable of they can win with this bench. Was our bench that much better last year when both Matsui and Sheff missed months. The same Melky that is on our bench this year stepped in last year. The weakness of our bench is only magnified by the losing and the losing isn’t a result of out weak bench.
Red Sox fan, so Giambi plays this on again, off again game with steroids? What are you talking about? Sure he was juicing in the past, but you think he’s back on and then off then on again and so on? Please.
Pete,
There are two kids down here in Scranton that could help: Alberto Gonzalez and Shelley Duncan. Gonzalez is nothing with the bat, but is a stellar fielder with Gold Glove qualities and would be a far superior bench guy than Cairo. Duncan is just tearing up the International League (.323/.401/.646) and can play outfield and first base. So, why are these guys down here? Send Cano and Melky down for a spell and give these kids a chance.
you sound like the typical griping yankee fan making basic comments about players with no fact behind it. Cano is NOT a class AAA player or hitting like a AAA player. A player of his natural ability doesnt go from Rod Carew comparisons and silver slugger awards to AAA hitting. Something personal is happening to these players and affecting there performance on the field…someone needs to look into it.
Melky was a fluke last year? Melky had/has shown great signs before and after last year, you know…like before he was called up the first 2 times and during this winter when he matched Canos hitting. He is slumping too. At 21/22 years old he had bat control, ability to work counts and developing power…that just doesnt vanish after 2 months.
Is Abreu a class AAA player too? Is his past seasons a fluke?
Someone needs to find why 3 players all close in Cano, Abreu, and Melky are struggling…and quick labels wont answer it. They are involved in something not baseball related which is hurting there games.
It’s getting disgusting around here. Cano isn’t a AAA player — yes, I know he said he “looks like” one right now, but the implication is obvious — and Phelps has proved he’s NOT a AAAA player; in fact, he is a decent right-handed bat in a first-base platoon. Wagner made him look silly? Guess what — Wagner has made people look silly for years. That’s why he has over 300 saves! What about the big hits he had in that game? What about the fact that he’s hit when given the opportunity?
At least I’ll give Peter this: he finally admitted he was wrong about Cairo. Peter admitting a mistake: a first.
Here would be another first: Peter being honest and saying these things to the coaches and managers; I’d like to be there when he dare called Phelps a AAAA player to his face or had the cojones to question Kyle Farnsworth.
I remembered Peter Gammons Calling Robinson Cano’s Overrated back in 2005 and can’t hit during all star game in houston.
Why Did Dbacks and scout missed on Cano when they traded for Randy Johnson?
Cano’s never had impressive numbers in minors unlike Ortiz and Kendrick… In My Opinion, Cano’s overrated..
During Playoffs last year, He didn’t show His talent on the field. He didn’t hit at all..
“JLB ….Sorry; but PEDs are a pet peeve of mine. I also called out Varitek and Ortiz (and you can throw in Nixon and Garciaparra). It’s just that Giambi takes it to another level with his on-again, off-again usage (and now on-again). He’s like the (now deceased) Christopher in “The Sopranosâ€? ….. earnestly proclaiming abstinence even while he’s using. The man insults my intelligence (and your’s).”
Next time put a fucking spoiler warning you fucking assclown.
Randy 1 …. I was refering to the fast-twitch muscles used to swing the bat. Because these are enhanced, and the swing can start later, the batter can “see” the ball longer. THAT is how people like Bonds take inside fast balls right out of the catcher’s mitt.
And an SI article (about a year ago) detailed how some performance enhancers also sharpen eye sight. Sorry …. I don’t have the reference.
Anyone who actually believes that you give up on Robinson Cano because he’s not hitting .342 right now and is actually showing some growing pains needs to find a new hobby other than baseball and, for the love of god, stay away from posting on baseball blogs.
We stink. We’re going to stink more than a few times in our history. We’ve won 30 million championships. Deal with not being very good for a while. It’s where you start building your next dynasty from.
Sign Todd Walker and Demote Cano to minors until He learns the strikezone..
Peter the Kei Igawa signing is Cashman’s biggest mistake, here’s why:
The Yankees paid $26M just to talk to his team. Forget the $20M they paid him, let’s see what could’ve been done with that $26M:
Greg Zaun signed for 2 years $7M, $3.5M/yr. (what Toronto signed him to) to be Posada’s super-backup and insurance if they decide to let go of Posada or Posada decides to sign elsewhere after this year. They would’ve had Zaun as Posada’s backup this year and next , or his backup this year and a perfectly viable one-year stopgap starting catcher for only $3.5M ($8.5M
I think we should have sent Jeter down a few years ago when he was hitting 200 into June. That makes as much sense as sending Cano down or even calling him a AAA player.
brian
glad you cleared that up about the eyes because that made no sense at all, but you still didn’t answer the question of why an up and in strike is so hard to hit. i don’t think you know.
bonds does not take inside fastballs balls out of the catcher’s mitt. you’re making stuff up again. he has a technique where he turns on the ball and keeps his hands back i relation to his body. he delays the release and keeps his hands inside the ball unlike most players. that’s why when he hits the ball down the line it doesn’t hook foul. he still has to hit it out in front of him. it’s a technique anyone can do if they are coordinated enough to do it. steroids has nothing to do with it. the only pitch that’s hit close to the catcher’s mitt is the low outside ball that is hit the opposite way.
bat speed really has very little to do with golds gym type strength. that’s why kapler couldn’t hit for power and why the skinny soriano can. two players can have the same bat speed and one can hit the ball a lot further than the other. it has to do with the rate of deceleration that happens on impact. i can see where being stronger helps that, but it doesn’t help swing speed itself going into the ball.
bonds waits longer because he understands the answer to my question , and then he does something different. it has nothing to do with steroids. that’s why he’s still hitting homeruns when there’s testing.
you have made up a little myth in your mind how seeing the ball and bat speed works.
the first rule of talking smack is don’t get into something you don’t really know much about.
Torre does not want decent bench players. He had Kenny Lofton. The second Lofton barked about playing time, Torre had him shipped out. Torre wants scrubs who are content to be bench players.
Randy 1 … You are wrong. Hitting a pitch “out of the catcher’s mitt” is an old, well-known idiomatic baseball expression. It doesn’t LITERALLY mean to hit it within an inch of the glove. I would have thought that you’ know that. Obviously, Bonds (or anyone else) has to get the head of the bat out in front to actually turn the pitch around.
So you’ve misstated my premise, thereby ensuring that you win the argument … an old debating trick. But the fact is that Bonds can wait longer on the pitch because of the PEDs, which give him the ability to generate bathead speed at the last possible moment.
And I hate to burst your bubble, but the current testing program is extraordinarily haphazard. Bomds may well have never been tested, and even if he has, he can afford very good chemists. If you are actually willing to state that you honestly believe that he is not presently juicing, then it is you who loses all credibilty on this issue.
Black Monday!
Fire Torre..hire Girardi
DFA Cairo…bring up Basak
DL Giambi to heal his heel (and give enough time to see if his contract can be voided) …bring up Shelley Duncan
DFA Phelps..bring up Andy Phillips
Send Cano to Tampa to learn the strike zone again and remind him how to hit to the opposite field…bring up Gonzales
Maybe the shock value of doing all this at once will wake up all the other “hitters” not named Jeter and Posada.
brian(red sox fan)
idiomatic? are you sure you didn’t mean idiotmatic? so now you’re saying because bonds does steroids he can do something others can’t and that something is idiomatic and not literal? good argument brian.
alberto gonzalez should be on this roster and taking some playing time away from cano
Randy I
It’s in the Red Sox DNA to quit?
So this Yankee team, who hasn’t won anything since 2000 has the dna of all of those chamionship teams because they’re what? Yankees.
I don’t think so….sorry, but nice try!
When you’re 20 out, we’ll see who the real quitters are!!!!!
dna specialist-
i’m not the one hiding behind an anonymous username.