Today in The Journal News
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- June
- 29
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The Yankees showed some fight and came back on the Orioles in a game that will be continued July 29.
Brian Cashman won’t trade his good young pitchers. He also can’t understand how the team has turned out so bad. This notebook also has updates on Phil Hughes, Jason Giambi and a notable draft signing.
Just got home from Baltimore. But it wasn’t such a bad trip. The 80s channel on XM Radio made for some good times with some fellow media types along for the ride.
I’m off this weekend after the road trip, but I’ll get the lineups posted and keep you updated with the news.
Anybody who calls in the next seven hours better have a damn good reason. Like, say, you’re Erin Andrews.
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on Friday, June 29th, 2007 at 5:29 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Yup. She can call. Any time. Please. Call.
brian cashman : “What has me scratching my head is that I think we’re a better team offensively than we were last year when we led the majors in runs,” he said. “People say we can’t hit lefties, but these same guys hit lefties as well as they hit right-handers last season. This season has made no sense.”
it’s cashman’s job to make sure this year”s totals beat out last year’s totals. anyone in charge who complains that things don’t make sense, just doesn’t know enough about how to change things for the better. a leader doesn’t just let underperformance go on and on. a leader tries things and makes changes. a leader gets results.
cashman started out the season with a bad plan at first base based on his faulty assumption that they already had enough offense. in light of the yankees essentially losing two key players(giambi and damon) to strain injuries that could have been prevented with proper conditioning , his hiring of marty miller looks especially boneheaded. sticking with a new hitting coach when the team goes into an unprecedented season long hitting slump goes against common sense. creating the appearances of improving the minor leagues is not his job. his job is winning the world series now.
this obsessive focus on the minor leagues is ridiculous. there is no guarantee that any of these prospects will pan out. hughes himself may never develop into a star. out of ten “can’t miss” minor league prospects, maybe two in ten will meet the hype in the major leagues. while the two are valuable and important for the future , it’s absurd to write off the present while holding on to the eight that will not be stars. they should be traded to get players that will help them win now.
if cashman can’t figure out how to win now , he’s not going to figure it out later. this focus on the future is just camoflage for his inability to create a winning team now.
someone higher up than him needs to take charge and switch the emphasis to now. one way to do that is to tell cashman there will be no future for him if he doesn’t win right now. he can then pass that message right down the line to everyone else including coaches and players. the message is win now or you are gone. and that’s for everyone. no exceptions. that’s the real yankee way.
Question:
John “all knowing” Sterling, said that the July 29th game in Baltimore was pushed back to last afternoon start, so that the “fans” could watch Cal’s Hall of Fame speech. Can anyone confirm this? I’m ready to call MLB and YELL. This isn’t right!!
Oh come on Randy l, face it. At the moment we have about 20% chance left of making the playoffs. Players that are going to be traded at the deadline, by other teams, could help somewhat, but unless their name is Vlad Guerrero or something, it’s not going to help that much. You’d rather ship the farm now, to improve your chances from 20 to 25% or something? If the current guys don’t get it together, no signing will save this season.
Do you flat out deny the importance of the minor leagues, of the farm system? Then look no later than our latest championship run. I’m not saying it’s only about the minors, it’s about balance. But I don’t think you can say that our Major League team is a barren wasteland. When you looked at our roster before the season, did you predict this? Did you see this coming? Did you predict Cano’s and Abreu’s OPS+ drop like a stone? Cashman didn’t. And he’s not prepared to sacrifice years of hard work because of it. Maybe that’s one thing about building a farm system: don’t panic (If you have examples of instances where trading away the farm paid off big time for some teams, feel free to provide them. But there are also panicky trades that left organizations dead for years). I know we’re supposed to be in October every year, and I still think we can be this year. But some guys have to look in the mirror for that to happen.
“a right-hander from the Savannah (Ga.) College of Art and Design.”
learning to be a strikout artist, i hope
as a fan, i’m glad to see them battle, even against the odds… but dont let the fight fool you, BC; sell. sell. sell.
We all love Pete and the LoHud Journal (and the Home News in Central Jersey, which, Pete, I had no clue you contributed to until very recently), but Dan Graziano has a decent article in the Star Ledger breaking down what the Yankees might be able to do with the pieces they have, and scouts’ takes on what kind of value these players have in the market.
For you, Pete…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIP7a9Z-YBM
Cashman says the current players hit lefties as well as righties last year, so he can’t understand why they can’t hit lefties this year. He doesn’t consider the obvious: last year was the aberration — this year is normal. Having only one right-handed power bat in the lineup is the problem.
Before 1980, the score would have reverted to the start of the inning, giving the Orioles a 6-4 win. But the rule was changed after a game on Aug. 13, 1978, when Baltimore led 3-0 after six innings and the Yankees scored five runs in the top of the seventh.
Good to know people here think the rule was changed last year… love the people on here with their awful trade proposals as well
over their careers, the lefties we have in our lineup have hit lefties, not just last year. so this year is actually the aberration.
Don’t blame Wang, at leat he brings luck to yankees. Cheer up! He did his best in 6 inings and use less pitches. He is just a rookie in 3th mlb.
Bravo! to Cashman on his stance about not trading away the top young arms in the system. No quick fixes are going to save this season. If we have to suffer for one season, then so be it! For once, its great to know that the Yanks will not sacrifice the farm in the hopes of getting something that may not help all that much anyway. I also hope he adds guys like Brett Gardner, Austin Jackson and Dellin Betances to that list of untouchables. Jeff Marquez too.
That’s right. His salary is less than other starters. He’s a rookie. He’s out of control and didn’t hold lead. Next he will be back against twins and feel much better to challenge his perfect game or no hitter game.
Speaking of Jon Sterling. Did anyone catch the story in the New York Daily News regarding YES Network? Here’s the link
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....print.html
TurnTwo -
I read that article in the Star Ledger this morning, too. I think it was interesting to read how a scout looks at the Yankees as prospective trade material. I’m not sure how I feel about a scout, anonymously, of course, giving his take like that, though. Also, it’s one scout. I guess I’m just not ready to read about who may or may not still be in pinstripes at the trade deadline.
I spent a better part of this morning reading through the last 2 days’ worth of comments.
I was able to listen to some of the game last night during a ride home from Long Island (do people really have to drive on the Belt Parkway like that every night? Yuck!) It was 3-2 when I got out of the car. My thoughts at the time were that they, again, were unable to put the game out of reach with a timely hit, in spite of being ahead. I also thought that Wang was getting a lot of fly ball outs for him, in spite of the nifty doubleplays. The homerun was a shock, though.
Next put the radio on and heard the 4-2 score, and then A-Rod hit into a DP. Same thought as earlier. Couldn’t put the game out of reach, but felt fairly confident with Wang on the mound that it could hold up and perhaps they’d add another run or two.
Next, got home put on the Yankees and fell asleep at about 10 p.m. on the sofa. (It was a long 2 days getting my daughter set up at school, and a really tedious drive home, with a stopover in S.I. to pick up younger daughter.) So when I woke up this morning and found out they DIDN’T LOSE, I was encouraged. I like the person’s comment about a win on layaway! Anyway, a better way to end this road trip than a loss.
Even though they’re going to be facing some very good teams on the homestand, I don’t think they’re going to be as bad as they’ve been the past 10 days. A win-positive homestand seems doable. Listen, nothing’s going according to plan this year – playing poorly against bad teams, for instance. So, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect the unexpected.
Hillenbrand used to drive me crazy when he played for Boston and specifically when Boston played the Yankees. He was always in the middle of things, lots of RBI’s. Looked it up. 37 versus the Yankees, so my memory of him was accurate. If they end up with him, I don’t think it’s the end of the world, but it wouldn’t be my preference. I never listen to what Cashman says regarding player moves, because he is never forthcoming. It may work well to his advantage for everyone to assume Hillenbrand’s the guy, and then go and do something else. So, I’ll take a wait-and-see attitude.
I have to say I loved reading the conversation going on here during last night’s game. More positive than I figured I’d find, and mostly seemed like a few bloggers enjoying each other’s company during the game.
Here’s one of the quotes from Michael Kay in the story. Does the guy ever shut up? Does he have a love/hate relationship with the Yankees?
Already, signs of frustration are showing. Wednesday night on YES, Michael Kay underscored how this disastrous road trip has caused Torre to act very un-Torreish.
“He’s getting sick and tired of covering for players who aren’t doing the right thing and (he’s) even naming names,” Kay said. “He did it in Colorado even against Derek Jeter, who tried to take third on a ball hit in front of him. … And for the longest time, Joe has been thought of as a player’s manager. He’d go to the wall for his players.”
TJ,
What does YES have to do with Sterling?
He works for WABC-880
I thought he was still one of the announcers with YES
YES Announcers
John Sterling
John Sterling, the longtime radio voice of the New York Yankees, also serves as the Emmy winning host of Yankeeography and Yankees Classics on the YES Network. Since joining the network in 2002 he has worked in many different capacities. In addition to his YES hosting duties, Sterling is the network’s play-by-play voice for Ivy League football and basketball. He has also served as a play-by-play announcer for several New Jersey Nets games on YES.
Sterling has been the radio voice of the Yankees since the 1989 season, becoming one of the most recognizable announcers in the game. Previously, Sterling and Michael Kay hosted Sport Talk with John Sterling and Michael Kay, an MSG Network produced sports call-in radio show that featured the pair discussing a wide array of sports topics on 77WABC during the winter months. During the baseball season, Sterling and Kay hosted the radio show Yankee Talk, which aired prior to all weekend Yankees games.
Sterling joined WABC Radio in 1989 from TBS television and WSB Radio, where he called Atlanta Hawks games from 1981-89 and Braves games from 1982-87. In 1981, he handled play-by-play chores in Washington D.C. for the Bullets on WDCA-TV.
In 1975, Sterling worked as play-by-play announcer for the New York Nets and the New York Islanders on WMCA Radio in New York. He called Islanders broadcasts until 1978 while continuing to call Nets action until 1980. Prior to calling games for the Nets and Islanders, Sterling announced Morgan State football on the radio from 1971-78 and hosted a talk show on WMCA Radio in New York.
An “Iron Man” of the broadcasting booth, Sterling has compiled a streak of consecutive games on the air, dating back to the start of the 1981-82 Atlanta Hawks season. During his 17 seasons as the Yankee’s announcer he has never missed a game, including the 2005 season in which he called every pitch of every game.
My opinion regarding YES is that Yankees fans will continue to watch, even if it’s just force of habit. I know in my house, there’s really nothing else TO watch in the summer. If the Yankees are losing, we might channel surf a little, but the night always starts out on YES. I do think, though, that there would be a little bit of a downturn in the ratings, but not so much as to be devastating.
Michael Kay is a Yankees fan. During games, he seems to try to go overboard in trying to prove otherwise, to not seem like a “homer.” And while I know he has to report what he sees, what we all see, he sounds more like the guy sitting at home watching than I think he should. He harps on the obvious. It is not particularly insightful to say that if you take away the Yankees’ recent winning binge they’d be the Kansas City Royals. I really don’t think he should be depressing the fan base that way. And, you can’t take away the winning streak, anyway.
It’s like Sterling and others saying if Johnny Damon didn’t hit his homerun, the Yankees wouldn’t have scored the other night, because that was their only offense. Huh? It still counts. And at the time, it tied the game. You can’t just go adding and subtracting runs to make a point. Oh, well.
It’s not an easy time to be a Yankee fan, that’s for sure, and I don’t think as a fanbase we need to have announcers who seem to need to drum in the fact that the season has gone bad. Not that I want them to sugar-coat, but there has to be a middle ground, wouldn’t you say? I personally think that they’re all in unchartered territory – how do you cover a less-than-stellar team, when you haven’t had to do so in a really, really, really long time? I think they’re just as spoiled as we fans have been.
I agree with your point Doreen. It’s a disappointing time for Yankee fans. You know there will be loses and I guess it seems worse when you lose to teams that record may be worst than ours. It’s unbelievable. When we think we may have something and start to feel good about a win, the joy is halted due to rain delay and suspended game. It’s almost as if last night’s game was a tease for how this season has been so far. I almost am beginning to lose confidence with games on the road. I just hope the dim light that was shining in last nights, game may be a indication that we still have hope and our players haven’t given up yet.
Sterling does the Yankeeography shows, he doesn’t do live braodcasts
I didn’t say he did just that he was a YES announcer. That’s how he’s listed in their announcer lineup. So I guess they consider him as part of the Announcer team. Correct them not me. I’m just going by what’s on their website. I know he does the Yankeeography. But his name was mentioned and it made me think of the article. So I printed it.
I feel like Kay is at his worst when he is with Singleton. it’s like he’s trying to hard or something.
Saucy,
I’d have to agree with you on that. Singleton is low-key, and maybe he feels an urge to amp-up because of that?
The Star Ledger had a poll the other day, asking which was you favorite Yankees announcer. They listed them all separately, which I thought was not accurate. I love Paul O’Neill but I don’t think he could call a game alone, and he’s mostly there for color and analysis. Same with Girardi and Flaherty. I think you have to ask about broadcast teams for a better poll. But, anyway, in the scope of their poll, I realized that for myself, if I had to choose 1 guy, just one, it would Singleton. He can call a game, and he can give analysis. Plus he has a listen-able style and voice. Not showy, by any means, but I know I couldn’t stand to have just Michael Kay without some (comic) relief. In fact, I think that’s why the O’Neill/Girardi/Kay team works so well, is because there is a lot of comedy in that booth then.
If I was the general manager for the Yankees, here’s what I would’ve done by part of the team after 2006/ before the 2007 season began:
ROTATION:
Made Hughes my fifth starter but had him make as few starts in April as possible to ease him into the bigs (teams do that with their fifth starter in April anyway).
Bought out Mussina for $1.5M then let him go ($17M he made in ‘06 – the buyout = $15.5M cleared).
Bought out Wright for $4M then let him go ($7M he made in ‘06 – the buyout = $3M cleared).
Traded Johnson to Arizona for Micah Owings (all $16M of R.J.’s 2007 salary cleared since I’m getting back only one player from Arizona).
Passed on Igawa ($46M saved).
Offered Pavano and $12M of his remaining $20M ($6M/yr.) to St.Louis and Colorado (who showed interest) so he costs whichever team takes him only $8M across 2007-8 ($4M/yr.) and I clear $4M/yr./ $8M total. If he was somewhere else, maybe he would’ve never got hurt (cuz he did go into this year healthy). Even if he was just #4 starter decent, he would’ve been a bargain at $4M/yr., a little costly if he was #5 quality but not too much when you look at what some #5s make.
Total salary cleared and saved: $88.5M including $42.5M cleared.
Signed Steve Trachsel to a year and $3M (he got a year and $3.1M from Baltimore for this year) when Wang would’ve still went on the disabled list in spring training and missed all of April. I still have $39.5M left/ $85.5M cleared and saved.
Still signed Pettitte and Clemens. Clemens’s $17.5M was earmarked thus it isn’t deducted from the $85.5M I cleared and saved but Pettitte’s $16M for ‘07 is so I cleared $39.5M – $16M to Pettitte = $23.5M and saved/ $69.5M total.
My rotation to start the season would’ve been Pettitte/ Trachsel/ Owings/ Hughes/ Rasner w/ all the backup in AAA.
After that, Wang/ Pettitte/ Trachsel/ Owings/ Hughes
with Trachsel and Owings battling to stay in the rotation when Clemens joins it then Wang/ Pettitte/ Clemens/ Hughes/
Trachsel or Owings, ideally Owings.
BULLPEN:
Mo, Bruney, Proctor, Farnsworth, Myers, Villone re-signed for the year and $2M he got, and the Japanese guy Boston signed.
I try to acquire Scott Linebrink from S.D. so I can get rid of Myers cuz I have two lefties and Henn as insurance for them in AAA.
STARTING NINE:
Dmitri Young signed for the year and half a mil he got from D.C. to be their 1B this year. No Mientkiewicz and/ or Phelps -no Phelps on the team.
I still trade Sheffield but for an M.L.B. ready AAA starter with no history of multiple injuries.
BENCH:
Greg Zaun signed for 2 years and $8M ($4M/yr.) to be the backup catcher who can play some 1B here and there.
Mientkiewicz still signed for a year and $1.5M to be the backup 1B.
Chris Woodward signed for the year and I think $900K he got from Atlanta for this year. No Cairo.
Cabrera on the bench but getting as many starts as possible at all three OF positions. My formula would be 3 starts every 7 games (each starting OF has a day off a week with pinch-hitting duties).
The home stand starts with 3 game set Vs Oakland Athletics. The A’s are struggling just like Yankees. They have lot of injuries. The match-ups are
Joe Kennedy VS Mussina
Chad Gaudin VS Igawa
Dan Haren VS Pettite
If Yanks can knock out the starters early or atlest by 6th inning then we r good as the A’s Bullpen is really really stuggling. Alan Embree is their closer for Heaven’s sake.
The 1st 2 will be high scoring games in Yankees favor and the last one is pitchers dual.
GM-
it must be great to make all these decisions AFTER the fact.
Of course, all of these things would happen b/c you want them to. For example, why would the D’backs take NO money and give you a better prospect? Also, why would Greg Zaun sign with the Yanks to be a backup – when he got a starting deal in Toronto? And I am sure Detroit would give you a AAA pitcher for Sheffield – how about Miller? and Verlander? While you are at it- get us Teixeira for Clippard and Nieves.
Thanks.
I rarely argue with these fantasy GM posts, but really, come on.
Owings was not being made available to the Yankees.
Zaun did not want to be a backup catcher.
The plan WAS for Cabrera to play outfield merry-go-round, but Damon has been hurt and can’t play OF anymore.
The Japanese relief pitcher the Sox got was not supposed to be this good.
Trachsel? Really?
Oh yeah, check this:
If it had to be Pavano and $15M of his remaining $20M traded so he costs whoever only $5M for 2 years = $2.5M/yr. so be it. At least I get back a player and clear $5M. ‘Sure beats pissing away the entire $20M remaining keeping him.
Trachel would’ve been a good signing cuz the guy has pitched n N.Y. since 2001 and won 15 games last year albeit with alot of run support (5+ ERA).
The Yankees took chances on post-Mets/ pre-Yankees Strawberry and Gooden, so they could’ve taken a chance on Dmitri Young. I think Young played for Torre a little bit when Torre managed in St.Louis, not sure. You think Young would’ve messed up here in N.Y. with Torre managing thus on the biggest stage? I doubt it, and if so, I chuck him and get someone else, or move Zaun to 1B and get a new backup catcher so I’m THREE deep at catcher (Posada, Zaun, and the new backup C) and still two deep at 1B (Zaun, Mientkiewicz).
Giambi still out right? Whoops on my part. O.K., real simple: Young DH, Zaun C, new backup C (Nieves called up from AAA? Maybe he doesn’t suck as bad). Mientkiewicz remains the solid backup 1B he is.
Damon hurt? I d.l. him cuz I’m set at DH and 1B. Cabrera takes over CF. I try to get a veteran #4 OF if callup Thompson can’t get it done as someone I could put in there is someone else got hurt even if for just a 15-day d.l stint. After Damon comes off the d.l., I have him learn 1B
and LF for Yankee Stadium only.
Abreu still struggling? I have to let him play as he’s immovable at $15M for this year. That wouldn’t change.
Not only would the team, particularly the rotation you’ve picked, be God awful, but you’re working with more knowledge than Cashman or anyone else had this offseason and also expecting players to have the same performance with the Yankees that they have had elsewhere in different condtions. Basically, you’re the dumbest poster in the history of the internet.
I guess it’s just me but I worry now more about the road games than I have in the past. I tend to feel more comfortable when they play their home games. I guess most fans do that. I guess I’ve started to feel insecure about them playing away from home lately. I use to not feel this way because I always felt we matched up well against any other team.
However when you lose to the teams that you feel don’t have the same talent or has a losing record worse than your team, it makes me wonder are we really that bad, or do we take the teams with the same record or worse than ours for granted.
The only reasonable things I can see knocking Cashman for are:
1) Dramatically underestimating the opposing bids for Dice-K.
2) Trading Randy Johnson for garbage that will never contribute for the Yankees in the Major Leagues.
3) Failing to address first base adequately.
Excuse me Doreen:
Reports said that AZ offered Owings to Cashman and he declined. If not, AZ was hot for R.J. and would’ve given up Owings, so you come on.
Zaun would’ve been a backup catcher for $4M/yr./ $8M total for a contender. Name me a backup catcher who makes $4M/yr? The best one in the game Mike Redmond of Minnesota who’s so good re-signed for 2 more years and least $2M.
Trachsel? Really?” UHHHHHHH
Igawa was not supposed to be so bad he got demoted to Class-A Tampa then promoted to AAA. Actually, since when was that Japanese lefty for Boston not supposed to be so good?
Since when was Igawa supposed to be so good to get $20M across 5 years/ $4M/yr? Try Cashman panicked “Ooooh Boston got the star Japanese starter so I have to counter that move” even though no one else bid for Igawa (or it would’ve been reported).
Let’s see…
Door #1: $46M for a guy who hasn’t thrown a pitch in M.L.B. including $26M just to talk to him and $20M across 5 years,
(Igawa).
Door #2: A year and Pavano, Igawa, or any fri g gin rookie callup the Yanks have sent out there including Clippard the 3-start wonder save Hughes who if you read would’ve been in my rotation from the get-go.
2. Trachsel pitched in N.Y. 2001-6 and won 15 games for the Mets last year.
3. You’d want Trachsel in today’s rotation over Igawa if you had any brains.
I don’t get this Dimitri Young thing. He was a terrible clubhouse presence in Detroit and was released last season because of it. He had an .700 OPS last year and hadn’t had anything close to an above average year for a 1B since 2003. There is absolutely no way you wanted him this offseason.
By the way, he made the majors in 1996 so he didn’t play for Joe Torre.
Aside from the 1B fiasco, I don’t think I would have done anything differently from Cashman this past off-season. The problem is guys not performing up to their abilities, both position players and pitchers, particulary relief pitchers. Really, that’s it. If the under-performers were even close to where they were expected (not unreasonably) to be, we’d never even be having these discussions.
I will say though, that the 1B fiasco had the domino effect of not having a deep enough bench, because all the 1B players are limited in their capabilities.
Steve Trachsel, or Trash as he is commonly referred to by Mets fans, is a terrible pitcher. He had a 5.55 FIP last year and has a 5.68 FIP this year (one of the biggest gaps between FIP and ERA in baseball). He would have been a disaster and his ERA is about to skyrocket. Anyone that would want to sign him has no business in this discussion.
Yankees GM, very easy to say what moves you would do after you see how certain moves worked out or didn’t.
Trachsel has more walks per game than strikeouts. You’d have to be insane to believe he will finish the year with an ERA below 5.
Hey chazz h the fu cking moron:
1. After the fact? Are you telepathic? I wanted Mussina, Wright, Johnson, and Pavano gone then Pettitte and Clemens back before 2007. No way did I want the Yanks to pay $46M for a complete unknown quantity (Igawa).
2. Detroit did give the Yanks an AAA starter for Sheffield named Humberto Sanchez, a fat pig with a history of injuries.
3. Zaun is no fool. Starting catcher for an also-ran, backup catcher for a perennial postseason team for the same amount and less work. You figure it out.
4.I didn’t propose any outrageous trades like you’ve spewed
like Sheffield for Verlander.
5. R.J. to AZ for Owings means AZ TAKES money (R.J.’s salary), so learn to read dumbo.
6.I guess you’re cool with Cashman’s array of idiotic moves which have all but destroyed this team’s chances of making the postseason this year if he doesn’t undo some of those idiotic moves.
Well, I never read any reports that AZ offered Owings. It makes no sense to me that Cashman would turn down that offer — what was the full offer? Did it include the Yankees paying ALL of Johnson’s salary or something?
You said yourself Trachsel would need run support since his ERA is around 5. How, exactly is that any different from Igawa, Pavano, RJ, or any of the other minor leaguers, aside from Hughes, who have graced the pitching staff this season. And am I mistaken, but doesn’t Trachsel have a history of back problems? Do you think they needed that again?
The Mets bid on Igawa.
Greg Zaun did not want to be a backup catcher. Period.
Owings’ peripherals aren’t all that impressive. I’m betting he would get shelled in the AL East.
Hey SIM GM
The Yankees had insurance on Carl, so they likely got most of what they would have had to pay him.
Cashman told ESPN Radio that in his eyes, neither he nor anybody else in the organization should feel secure with their jobs.”
u got to think sumthin gion to happen because brain cashmoney never said sumthin like that before
Doreen you are right, in fact i read that Owings was off limits. It wouldn’t have mattered if the Yankees paid all of RJ’s salary.
Yankee GM needs to put down the pipe, and move on to his summer reading.
He wants Steve Trachel, the players would bring pillows to fall sleep on the field cause he is so slow! And we need another 5 inning pitcher.
And I noticed in his latest post he got rid of Jorge? One of the guys on the team who is acutally hitting!
I wouldn’t trust him with my Yahoo team.
You are not the Yankees GM. Therefore, nobody cares what moves you would have made.
Hindsight is 20/20. You are making moves based ENTIRELY upon current circumstances, not at all based upon the situation in the offseason.
I guess if you were the Braves GM you would have traded Andruw Jones for Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan, right?
Honestly, when posts here are longer than my screen is tall and start out “If I was the general manager for the Yankees, here’s what I would’ve done …”, i generally don’t read them…
The Yankees requested Micah Owings be included in the deal with either Ross Ohlendorf and Dana Eveland. I researched several different sources (just now, as a matter of fact) and all of them indicated that the Yankees wanted Owings and Arizona was very hesitant to include him in a deal. So I don’t know what reports you were privy to.
Okay this will be my last post on the subject, I will not stoop to your childish level.
“More knowledge than Cashman? Hey numbn uts, AZ was hot for
R.J. since last year, so Johnson for Owings could’ve been made by anyone. ”
If you know anything about bargining, you would know the Yankees had NO leverage! RJ didn’t want to go anywhere but AZ. SO how exactly were the Yankees supposed to hold up AZ for Owings? Wait till you get to the business world JR. before making such statements.
If IWTYGM,
Rein it in, please. And re-check your facts. AZ did not request Randy Johnson, Johnson requested that Cashman get him back to Arizona. So Cashman was not in the position of power. Again, Cashman did not decline Owings, Arizona declined to include him in any deal.
Trachsel was not worth any gamble. He was picked up at the last minute because Kris Benson got injured. Prior to that, it looked like NO ONE was interested in Steve Trachsel.
You know a few clicks on the keyboard gets you this information in seconds.
And that teaches me about responding to fantasy GM posts. Never again.
Everyone, clearly you don’t understand that hindsight armchair GM moves are the only ones that really work. I’m sure people out there have moves that top Andruw Jones for McGowan and Marcum. I’d like to hear them! I’m sure our Yankees GM friend would give his stamp of approval on all of them!
Yanks Gm is trying to push all of our buttons and it is working.
So onto more important issues, will Jorge catch Mussina tonight, or will Joe stick with Nieves?
I’ll start us off….how about Johnny Damon for Curtis Granderson?
“Trachsel is 5-6 with a 4.55 ERA in 16 starts (91 IP)”
Get back to me when you understand which stats are relevant for analyzing a pitcher’s performance because nothing you posted here matters all that much. W-L record is a team stat and not refelctive of a pitcher’s perfomance. ERA is dependent on many factors out of a pitcher’s control, such as park effects and team defense. Nice attempt though, high speed.
“I’ll start us off….how about Johnny Damon for Curtis Granderson?”
Why would Detroit do this?
Need big start out of Moose tonight.
Yanks GM, that was EXACTLY what people meant by you operating with more knowledge than Cashman: “Check Trachsel’s stats for this year and tell me how they are any worse than Mussina’s.”
These stats weren’t really available this off season, were they? These stats however, were:
2006 Mussina: 15-7, 197.3 IP, 3.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP
2006 Trachsel: 15-8, 164.7 IP, 4.97 ERA, 1.59 WHIP.
Granted, Trachsel has the advantage of being 2 years younger. But still, based on THESE stats, do you pull the trigger on this move? (Remember, no invoking 2007 stats!)
I’m being extremely sarcastic, as if that weren’t apparent enough from my previous posts……
With Posada catching, we cannot afford to lose Jorge’s bat. Let Jorge rest tomorrow afternoon. We need to get something positive going.
Wouter don’t forget to mention that Trachel was in the NL with that era, while Mike was in the AL.
moose is old and feeble . i say he goes 5 innings , 5 runs .
Revionist history…
1. I like how you write “the Diamondbacks were hot for RJ and would have given up Owings…..based on what? because you say so? real world does not work that way.
Maybe Owings / Traschel could not handle NYC, so you can’t assume their performance would be the same. Want proof – see Ed Whitson, Weaver, Contreras, etc.
2. Your comments are Zaun are 100% wrong. He was coming to NYC to meet with the Yankees, but cancelled when he got a full time job offer. This is well documented.
Ed Whitson
obviously- the middle school let out for the summer. what adult comes on here and starts using expletives and calling people names? what a loser. Doreen- I should have known better too. He was just so off base, I felt I had to respond.
It would be nice however, if all GMs were dumb enough to take some of those deals. Like convincing Arizona to take all of RJ’s salary and give us their best pitching prospect instead of having to pay some of it and get a lesser prospect. I am sure Cashman turned that Owings + no money to ARZ deal down for Ohelendorf + pay part of RJ’s salary.
The Yanks DID talk to Zaun about being a backup and actually thought they had him signed- then Rod Barajas backed out of his deal with Toronto- enabling Zaun to be a STARTER and he took it. You can’t MAKE people sign to be backups.
There I went again- I responsed to the idiot- I will never learn.
You’d be surprised, chazz. There’s plenty of illiterate retirees that post on these blogs. In fact, they make up the majority of the troll population.
good post Chazz. facts mean little hear so watch it.. You did not know Steve Trachsel is a star???
His #’s by the end of the yr. will stink because he stinks….
THe Lilly, meche, zito, should have signed talk has stopped so they move on to some lesser candidates….
GM…good posts, it is fun to play that way and I do it all the time- yes hindsight is 20/20…but I only have 2 things…
**Picking up Wright’s option and dealing him for Britton was good move and one that Cash was right to do. Wright’s career is done.
**Numerous reports (I think it was Newsday or SI) that had the entire timeline and stary on the RJ deal. I remember specifrically that the Yankees at first requested Owings and the DBacks said they wanted RJ but they would NOT send any of their major league ready prospects in the deal. Ohlendorf was the top minor league prospect and that is why he came over…Steven Jackson was an upper level B prsopect. The Yankees at first asked for Chad Tracy and Owings- and the Yankees pay a slightly bigger portion of the money owed PLUS a prospect (rumored it was Melky or Clippard). They went back and forth and when the two teams finally agreed on the list of players the Yankees could choose from then it was basically a done deal.
BTW…RJ gave up 6 runs on 9 hits in 4 innings last night. Good riddance.
DMitri Young was never on anybody’s radar, and for good reason. He is a bum, so is Hillenbrand for that matter. Stick with Phillips or call up Shelley to DH.
Let’s forget hindsight…”If you were the GM”- what would you do about AROD?
chazz h –
Thanks for the laugh. I know Cashman is called a lot of things on this blog, and no one thinks he’s perfect, but I don’t think anyone here thinks he’s brain dead (at least not yet).
Pete…I happened to be down close to the field when Erin Andrews walked past…My God, as good as she looks from the front- is nothing compared to how she looks walking away.
a former Gator cheerleader…it shows.
The Yankees should trade Matsui and Fransworth for Sizemore and Sabathia!!! (sarcasm alert)
FUNNY YOU MUST ALL BE CASHMAN’S DISCIPLES.
Ed Whitson-AZ was hot for R.J. cuz the press said so. Who are you, a member of AZ’s front office? Doubt it.
Hey Stuart-I never said Trachsel is a star, but he is better than all 2007 Yankee starters save Wang and Pettitte as Clemens is no lock to be good or healthy all year.
Wouter-I never said replace Trachsel with Mussina. I said sign Trachsel after Wang fell to injury like Baltimore signed him when Kris Benson was out for the year. Mussina has nothing to do with Trachsel.
Jennifer I didn’t say get rid of Jorge, get off the pipe.
chazz h- If I’m an idiot, what does that make you? The real idiot. You ran your mouth to me when you could’ve ignored me .
swo-Well you obviously care or you wouldn’t be responding to me, pr ick. You’re another telepathic who doesn’t have a clue what I thought before this year, so nevermind your
“hindsight is 20/20″. And I could give a ____ about the Braves, unlike you I’m a Yankee fan.
Adam-You pulled up stats first, nerd. Trachsel is better than any Yankee starter this year save Wang and Pettitte. It’s too early to tell with Clemens and 2 starts from Hughes means nothing now. Actually clueless, ERA is indicative of the amount of runs a pitcher is responsible for. 5-6 tells me he’s in the game enough to collect wins which is the bottom line, not your “team defense” and “park effects” stathead nerdiness. Park effects? The infield is the same size everywhere dumbo. The outfield is different but if you serve up a 437-foot HR over a wall 386 feet from homeplate, it’ssafe to say it’s a homerun if the wall was 436-feet from homeplate.
Doreen-First off, you know jack about the R.J. trade. Randy went to Cashman? Irrelevant. AZ wanted RJ after Cashman called them, that’s what’s relevant. Well I did read that AZ offered Owings and he was in the discussion. Again, you don’t seem to grasp that AZ was willing to get R.J. back at all costs. Just because AZ was “hesitant” to give up Owings doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have. I’d have told them “I just want Owings.” and they would’ve made the deal. Again for the fourth time cuz you’re another one who doesn’t know anything about why that deal went down, I will explain it to you:
Randy Johnson wanted to return to Arizona after his brother had died or was dying.
Arizona wanted R.J. back as a gate draw.
Arizona would’ve ultimately done whatever it would’ve taken to get R.J. back cuz it was no skin off the Yanks’ teeth if they kept R.J. If no one else would’ve wanted him, he would’ve been in the Yankees’ rotation today, not Igawa who wouldn’t even be on the team.
Saucy-Sorry if five words and an acronym is too much for your peabrain to handle.
My stance is this, the bottom line:
Bringing back Pettitte, letting go of Mussina and Wright, making Hughes the starter from the get go, passing on Igawa (not getting caught up in some competition with Boston for who has the best Japanese import), trading R.J. for just one player to a team hot for R.J. for his draw, handing Pavano over to whoever wanted him cuz it’s pissed away money him a Yankee or not, taking a flyer on a guy with troubles nowhere close to those of Doc and Darryl (Young), going for Zaun and Woodward for the bench, etc. would’ve been the best PRE-2007 moves to make.
Asburyboss -
I’d do whatever had to be done to keep A-Rod. Even in a bad year, his numbers will be good. Even though he is high maintentance, the return is better than on most players. And these days, there are an awful lot of high maintenance players, anyway. Plus, who fills the void? The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t, even if the devil costs you A LOT of money and contract years. Plus, I like A-Rod in spite of his perceived failings, because he has a good work ethic, at least from what I read.
Even if the repercussions of a new contract for A-Rod is that Posada, Mo and Jeter have to be “upgraded,” I’d say go for it.
everyone please ignore this idiot..
if they would have just made the pujols for andy phillip[s trade everything would be great…..
First of all every since I’ve read this post both Jennifer and Doreen have been very knowledgeable in their comments regarding the Yankees, trade and player information. If you are not in agreement no need for name calling.
I can’t even get past the first sentence for being annoyed with the personal attacks. I enjoy reading other people’s opinion but it tend to get pretty boring with the name calling and personal insults.
I think you can get the point over that you don’t agree with them without trying to insult them or anyone else. I certainly am concerned about the team and am also frustrated like everyone else. I also enjoy the fantasy team comments but jeeze! It’s not that serious man.
Sigh.
From the Arizona Republic:
“He’s 43 and has two back surgeries,” said a source close to the decision-making process. “There’s an upside to him, but there’s a high degree of risk, as well.”
That high degree of risk, and the progress the Diamondbacks feel they have made this off-season with the acquisition of starter Doug Davis, have put the front office in a win-win situation. General Manager Josh Byrnes and his staff can take or leave Johnson.
“The fact of the matter is that Randy is a Yankee right now,” Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said Tuesday night. “Josh Byrnes is working hard all day, every day in an effort to improve what we already consider a strong team.
“If there is a deal that makes sense for both sides, he and (Yankees GM) Brian (Cashman) will make it happen. Randy is a big part of our history and brings value to any team, but our baseball staff will not sacrifice a balanced roster if the asking price is too steep.”
For the entire article:
“Johnson trade”:http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/1227dbacks1227.html
By the way, New York articles said pretty much the same thing, but I wanted to find a source that didn’t have a NY bias.
Okay. I’m done.
Doreen…I appreciate that. Saying “keep AROD at any cost” is certainly the logical response (since he is the greatest to ever play the game)- but, I think you’d have to consider what he could bring back in a deal. For example,
if by dealing AROD we get back 2 good major leaguers and an A prospect I think you gotta turn it down.
But, if at the deadline teams are going nuts for him (and he is willing to waive his NTC and insists he will exercise his opt-out) then you gotta move him for:
a Young ace, a Young stud who plays a prime position, and 2 prospects (i.e- Billingsley (or Broxton), Russel Martin, and 2 prospects)…if you can get that, then I think you gotta thank him and wish him the best.
Don’t forget 2 imprtant factors- he has an opt-out clause at the end of each of the remianing years of this contract. Plus–if we renegotiate the Texas “subsidy- about $9M per- goes away! We “only” pay him about $16MM per ( a great bargain)
it is a complex issue…
I disagree with the nonsense that every guy with a 3 game winning streak in Trenton should be untouchable. It’s nice to dream that we’ve got the next Guidry, Righetti, Pettitte and Wong knocking on the door. It’s just as likely we’ve got the next Claussen, Keisler, Militello and Rasmussen.
With a core of Jeter, A-Rod, Posada, Mo and Pettitte, this is a team that is built to win now, two and a half months of crappy play notwithstanding. I wouldn’t deal Hughes (because he’s ready to contribute this year and next) and I wouldn’t trade Chamberlin or Kennedy for Dmitri Young, but for Texeira, or a package of Helton, half his salary, and Brian Fuentes, everything should be on the table.
Hahahaha I get it. Let’s respond with inane trades I never proposed and imply that I’m the one bringing them up. You should change your name to “asburyas s”. BTW 1985 is over and so is Bruce Springsteen’s career since his masterpiece “Tunnel Of Far ts” (Tunnel Of Love). It’s like he felt he had to compete with the other overrated p o s Steve Winwood for the cool snazzy dressed older yuppie.
Doreen that you responded to chazz h means I’m done with you, you are a mutt and braindead one to think Cashman isn’t. Tell me how does one pay $46M for an absolute zero in M.L.B. but won’t sign a veteran backend of the rotation guy (Trachsel) for the $3.1M Baltimore signed (Trachsel) for when his ace falls to injury?
BTW are you Zaun’s agent? No. I’m not his agent either but I’d find it hard to believe a guy wouldn’t take $8M to be a backup for 2 years and actually more than that because he could play 1B and DH a bit. If Posada ever fell to injury, he’s the man behind the mask. Sure beats Nieves. Oh yeah, what if Posada leaves or the Yanks don’t want him after 2007, who’s the 2008 Yanks catcher for only $4M? ZAUN! Did Farnsworth have to sign with the Yanks for 3 years and $15.75M to be a middle reliever when he could’ve easily signed to be some other team’s closer. Ditto for Tom Gordon when he signed with the Yanks for 2004-5. So those are two very-recent history examples of guys who joined the Yanks to win and took lesser roles/ sacrificed glory elsewhere to do so. Maybe Zaun would’ve followed suit, we’ll never know.
Name me one trade I listed besides one that had to be made
(trading R.J.) There isn’t one. There’s no “Sheffield for Verlander” here folks. I merely said who I would let go of and sign. My only signings were modest ones: Zaun, Woodward, Young. All low risk-high return. My guys to get rid of are guys who were jettisoned (R.J. and Wright), foolishly kept and re-signed (Mussina), and foolishly kept (Pavano). I never, ever wanted Igawa or Matsuzaka. I never wanted Phelps and look where he is now -gone. You people have no clue what I wanted done before this year.
You people need to stick out your own necks and come up with a better plan but then again, I merely said what I would’ve done based on what I saw in 2006, AGAIN, moves I would’ve made BEFORE 2007 began. You people need to look up the word
“before” and grasp what that means.
Asburyboss,
I’ll agree that it’s a very complex issue, and I’m glad I don’t have to make any decisions.
How come no one realized there was an opt-out (or at least most people weren’t aware of) clause when A-Rod first got here? That little fact just kind of slipped through. But then again, I guess no one thought it would ever be an issue? I mean, who would want to opt-out of the Yankees?????
The thing is, they would need someone (or two or three) to pick up the power loss. And then there’d be the need for a third baseman. Oy, such a headache! I think if they do trade A-Rod, then it’s not going to be the last of the moves they make, but kind of an initiator.
“Pettitte/ Trachsel/ Owings/ Hughes/ Rasner would not be “God Awfulâ€?.”
I haven’t been here all day but are you kidding me?? Really that rotation has disaster written all over it. Three unproven rookies and a complete bum along with Andy?? JOKE SO WHEN I LISTEN TO THE RADIO AND EVERYONE MAKES FUN OF BLOGGERS FOR THEIR STUPIDITY I WILL THINK OF YOU THANKS MAN
Zaun acts as his own agent. The Yankees wanted Zaun. Zaun was going to be replaced in Toronto by Rod Barajas. He did not want to be Barajas’ backup. Zaun was going to talk to the Yankees. Barajas backed out of the deal. Toronto called Zaun and re-offered him the job closer to Zaun’s asking price. Zaun took the job as the starting catcher. Name me one major league baseball player who would rather be a back-up than a starter? It is NOT always about the money. And I also can’t recall an MLB player who WANTS to work LESS.
Again, all you have to do, amazingly, is a few clicks on your keyboard, and the facts are there.
” But then again, I guess no one thought it would ever be an issue? I mean, who would want to opt-out of the Yankees?????”
and who’d have thought back then that he could possibly get paid more than his current salary in 2008.
Your saying before the 2007 season but all your evidence for making these pickups/trades is their 2007 stats.
Every year you could say ‘before this year I wouldn’t of signed the 5 guys on our team who stunk, I would of signed the 5 guys that got paid under 2 million and far exceeded expectations.’
No one knew which players on the team would of gotten hurt and which players would be playing under expectations.
If ARod had gotten hurt this year and Cairo was playing third all year, you would of said…
‘before this year I would of traded for Ty Wigginton because he is a low risk high reward backup and he would be playing great right now’
Saucy
So true. So true.
You know what, I don’t care what the Yankees got for Johnson. He is 43 years old, is breaking down and is a sourpuss. And Cash got 4 players for him. Wright for Britton was brilliant too.
The Sheff deal is the only one looking shaky, but you can’t judge long term deals in the first 3 months of that deal. Ask me again one year from now if it was still a bad deal.
Cashman’s big pitching moves have been awful:
Wright/Farnsworth/Igawa. I’m even going to give him a pass on Pavano since I think others in the organization pushed for him and although reupping Mussina for 2 years at $11 is a bit pricey, I can live with that.
It also seems that he could have received either better or less injury prone talent back for Sheffield and Johnson.
As far as Abreu/Sheffield, my only gripe is that resigning Sheffield would have helped the lefty/righty balance. I thought I had read that Cashman didn’t like Sheffield’s attitute and Abreau did seem to be a good fit last year.
First base/backup catcher and backup infielder postions are inexcusable.
Hey stuey-Practice what you preach, real idiot.
Actually, Doreen I’m done with you. Bottom line is AZ wanted RJ so bad they took on $14M -SEVEN-EIGHTHS- of RJ’s $16M for
2007 and gave him a 2-year extension so there goes your inane quoting articles with alot of “we’ll see” talk. You honestly think g.m.s are giving the press EXACTLY what they’re thinking thus giving the other team leverage? Josh Byrnes (who ultimately caved in) was doing the classic “We’re coming off like we don’t need him when we really do.” game g.m.s play with the press. Of course he can’t come right out and say WE NEED RJ FOR HIS NAME, DRAW, AND SHOT AT BEING THE FIRST DIAMONDBACK TO COLLECT HIS 300TH WIN!!! I mean you know Randy isn’t too far away from win #300, right?
You know there isn’t one name or intriguing player on that team besides RJ save maybe the loopy Eric Byrnes right? Well now all of you know that trade was AZ pleading for him to return? Well now you know.
Byrnes and AZ ran the classic “we’ll see” lines to the press. In the end they were so hot and desperate for him they took on $14M of his $16M contract -not exactly chump-change. Had the Yanks insisted on Owings only -I would’ve- and they said no, I’d have said fine and told RJ that AZ was the team holding up the deal. I’m not giving away RJ, how’s that? And I have the power: I have him under contract for 2006, he won’t quit, retire, or refuse to play. He refuses to play, I’ll put him on the restricted list and void his contract, but that’d never ever happen. He’ll shut up and deal with AZ being the pain in his a ss cuz I’m not. He comes to me, I try my best to deal him, AZ thinks they can hold me up, e f them, I’m not handing them a 5-time Cy Young Award-winning Hall Of Famer, it’s bad enough they tried to hold me up for him before 2004 (Johnson and Soriano for RJ, yeah blo w me) and then they trade him to Boston for refuse. BTW who the fu ck is Micah Owings compared to RJ? A gnat. RJ would’ve had to grin and bear being a Yankee and I doubt he’d think that. If he wanted to be a pain awwww life su cks when you’re on the greatest team of all time and making $16M. Who put a gun to your head to ask for 2006-7 when we traded for you?
If I was the g.m., no player or opposing team is strongarming me for my player. You got a contract, play it out. You want out for the reason/s you told me, hey, I understand and will try my best to accomodate cuz I’m a human being, too, but business is business: I’m not taking second-tier sh it for you. You’re the team he wants to go to, you know his personal-life situation and want him, you be reasonable. I’m offering a guy who just won 17 games a year for 2 years including 7-1 vs.my biggest rival (Boston). Therefore I don’t NEED to deal him, but I’m being considerate of his life and family situation -try being the same. If not CLICK!
Keeping RJ would’ve been a better idea actually -no Igawa,
Vizcaino, or yet another injured so-called “replenishment of the farm system” (Ohlendorf). Igawa$46M…RJ $16M… Igawa $46M…RJ $16M. $30M saved keeping RJ.
BTW Cashman could’ve GASP! kept RJ until AZ gave up Owings.
The onus is on them to get him cuz once he’s a free agent,
I doubt he’d take the discount he gave them during the trade process at year’s end.
Mleky…Cash’s biggest “pitching move” was Pettitte. How can you say its been awful? I will agree on the others you name…just think “awful” is too strong
You know what, IWTYGM, you are 100% right. Your research is superb. I defer to your expertise. Clearly, I am clueless and would be an awful GM.
GM…I will ignore the Springsteen comments as you obviously know as much about music as you do baseball.
Actually YanksSox, I’m basing my pre-2007 moves based on my predictions for 2007, and since you’re another clown who thinks he’s telepathic i.e. someone who can read my mind
in the offseason when he can’t, you can’t say ja ck about it. So there goes your argument.
Let’s say I wanted Mussina back for 2007. Well no way am I exercising his $17M option cuz he’s not a $17M pitcher anymore. I’d have bought him out for $1.5M as per his contract then offered him $7M for $8.5M total for 2007 and saved that. If he rejected it, good luck wherever you go, Moose. No, Boston wouldn’t have signed him for $17M or even $8.5M total I offered him cuz they have Beckett, Schilling, Wakefield, would’ve chosen Matsuzaka over Mussina, and went cheap in the #35 (Tavarez, but remember they were hoping Paplebon before he asked to remain the closer and they agreed after seeing that trainwreck Pinero try to be one).
They needed $$$ to sign Drew and Lugo.
What does the ja ck ass Cashman do? He gives Mussina 2 years $11.5M per as if he’s still an ace or #2 cuz guess what? That’s what most aces and #2s make across the board.
Thing is Mussina’s a #4 now. How do you give $23M to a #4?
And and old one with a recent history of injuries at that?
Schilling is making only $13M this year and he’s ALOT better than Mussina who’s making only $1.5M
Asbury,
Let me just say, I think Cashman’s judgement of pitching talent of players who have not previously played with the Yankees is awful.
not to get off topic, but speaking of music, i want to thank whoever recomended the movie ‘once’ a few weeks back. i caught it the other night and though it was fantastic.
Testing to see if I can post.
Okay for some reason earlier I couldn’t blog. Anything I tried to post, didn’t appear.
One of Cash’s moves that I can really disagree with was getting Igawa. No one thought he’d be any good. It seemed as though he was trying to make a move to top Bostons move. You can’t disagree with signing Carl. Everyone wanted him, no one could have predicted that he would be a class A bust.
That being said, seeing as all the injury issues that pitchers seem to have after leaving the marlins, i’d stay away from all of them.
IWTYGM:
Dude, you have until Pete wakes up from his beauty sleep and checks the blog. Then you are bye-bye.
Wow as sburya ss that all you can come up with? Stun me with your immense baseball acumen instead of make me laugh with your Yankees.lhblogs.com Comments Troll #34582 drivel. BTW the music I listen to BURIES yours on all levels including lyrcial substance, the realness of the lives the artist lead and lyrics they sing (yeah Bruce really cares about out of work NJ shorepeople), a complete rejection of jingoist garbage like Born In The U.S.A. (the cover no doubt to sell the album to all them red-blooded Americans), and just pure catchy power -music that makes you go exhilartingly wild which Bruce does not. Yeah, Bruce is/was a real plain white t-shirt with the one sleeve rolled up to hold the pack of cigs, faded worn bluejeans bluecollar workin’ man right, gotcha. What a pretentious, self-absorbed a ss. Tell me what has that man, that faux-proletariat putz who never put in day of menial or skilled labor in his life put back into his community? Asbury Park is an absolute depressing, dangerous dump with a recent rash of gang-related murders.
How ’bout this Doreen?
YOU tell me what YOU would’ve done before 2007 if YOU were the Yankees g.m. That way I could bash you. I’d be curious to know. Spare me your “I’m not qualified to be the g.m.” nonsense. Had Cashman not been the son of a buddy of Steinbrenner, he would’ve never got a job as an intern (how Cashman got his start in M.L.B.) which was the first step to becoming what he became: another lucky, blessed idiot who had the right dad.
Wow.
Melky – Jaret Wright was a Steinbrenner signing, I’m pretty sure. Cashman wanted nothing to do with him. Just for the record.
Also, Farnsworth was coming off a sick season. Everyone thought he had finally found consistency and lots of teams wanted him to be a closer or top setup man.
Agreed about Igawa. I have no idea why he was so good in Japan. We should have just gone with Ted Lilly.
I don’t play fantasy GM. I know my limitations. I also don’t care if someone disagrees with me. I know my opinions are not gospel. I also don’t have a problem with being wrong and will admit if I am.
I wasn’t bashing you, I disagreed with 4 of your points, based on facts as I was aware of them. I never said I thought Cashman was infallible or that I agreed with all his moves. I never criticized you personally. Truly, what did you expect from your post? Were you looking for positive feedback? Were you looking for debate? Did you expect no reaction from anyone? It was a post that invited reaction. I’m sorry I responded at all.
murphydog
Why, you Pete’s little tattle-tale censor who’s gonna tell on me? I could care less if he reads, responds to, or deletes this. If he deletes it, he’s deleting the wrong posts. If there’s anything that should be deleted, it’s the abusive garbage replies to my posts -all that should go “bye-bye” including yours which is telling me my say isn’t worth anything which it is cuz look at all the nonconversational fools come out. He should look at them not me cuz not ONCE did I insult anyone in my initial post. How ’bout you go bye-bye if you don’t like what I wrote? Go tell me you’ll stay blah blah fine. I’m staying, too. I do believe the unwritten rules of this blog are no abusive comments or flame wars, and you people have started it not I. I merely said my username in detail cuz I’m a smart, passionate, real Yankee fan who is furious at the moves made and I never liked Mientkiewicz/ Phelps at 1B either. You people crossed the line with your abuse.
Gee Jennifer thanks for agreeing with my move that the Yanks should’ve passed on Igawa and saying what I and many others before me said: Igawa was in response to Matsuzaka and to outdo Boston. Maybe instead of joining the bandwagon of bashers, you should realize you and I think alike.
I never wanted Igawa a Yankeee not because of him specifically. I didn’t want him signed because 1. it would be a total “let’s outdo Boston” move 2. $46M total is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much of a gmable to take on a guy who never pitched an M.L.B. game of his life. You and the others who were/ are too dense to grasp that failed to see where I was coming from by saying I’d have passed on Igawa.
Ding ding ding, we have a winner. World’s most annoying poster, nice job IWTYGM.
Everybody else is the idiot though not him, he believed those 4 things were crucial mistakes way back in March, but planned to only reveal them on 6/29 to tell us hw told us so! Man that is one smart pitituty! Thank goodness we get a few more hours to interact with him before he is banned forever! World’s most annoying, pencils down.
And just for fun, if I were the GM in the offseason of 2007, I would have made the following moves:
-Instead of Igawa, sign Ted Lilly. Ultimately costs just as much if you include posting fee for Igawa.
-Trade Gary Sheffield. Abreu was a better fit for the lineup and was a force to be reckoned with when he joined the Yanks. No way to know Abreu would have the worst season of his career. Would have tried to get Andrew Miller, but as far as I know Cashman tried too.
-Trade Randy Johnson. Everyone wanted it to happen, especially RJ. Would have demanded that Miguel Montero be included in the deal, giving us a young backup catcher with potential. Everything else we get is a bonus.
-Trade Jaret Wright. Everyone was content with just releasing him and eating the buyout cost, but we got a power arm in return. I would immediately plug him into the bullpen in case a reliever wasn’t involved in my RJ trade.
-Would have made every attempt to trade Carl Pavano before Spring Training was over. Atlanta probably would have bitten the moment Hampton got injured again. If we didn’t get Montero in the RJ trade, this would be the perfect time to get Saltalamacchia if we included one of our AA arms like Marquez or Horne, or even Tyler Clippard. Otherwise, I would have just settled for spare parts and be happy to be rid of Carl Pavano.
-After the trades the rotation is just Wang, Moose, and Lilly. Sign Andy Pettitte and convert Scott Proctor to a starter as soon as the offseason begins. If he doesn’t work out, then promote any of the AAA pitchers that’s doing well at the moment.
-Promote Phil Hughes in June and keep him in the Majors, move Proctor back to the bullpen. Converting from starter to bullpen mid-season is much easier than the other way around.
There, that’s what I would have done. I think it’s a perfectly sensible way to play armchair GM, with as little hindsight consideration as possible.
SWO,
Well, even if I give you Farnsworth, and that’s a stretch, his return on Johnson/Sheffield doesn’t look too good.
As said ealier his lack of attention to backup catcher/infield and first base is puzzling.
Also is there a trade he has made that the Yanks have received the better end of the deal? Nothing comes to mind on my end. Abreau?
No Doreen you were argumentative, nasty, and matter of fact
while my initial post was none of that and where did I spew the usual “Cashman is #$%^&*”? Nowhere. I think he’s a #@$ to have given Mussina 2 more years at $11.5M and put a huge wrench in the works called the 2008 Yanks rotation. Sorry if you disagree.
yo Pete’s lapdog-
Oh I get it, I don’t like Bruce Springsteen, a fave of Peter’s. Well too bad, Peter. (Now you can run and tell him like a good lapdog). Bruce is a fake workingman. He never, ever paid dues like COUNTLESS musicians have had to and no, playing every cafe and whatever in 2-3 NJ adjoining counties and The Stone Pony to death for a couple of years in the ’70s and writing an acoustic album put out by a major when 3458 other people could’ve done it doesn’t count. I don’t like his jingoism or image of some kind of workingman’s hero or everyman when he has never been one. He’s been a rockstar since about day one. Nothing wrong with that but don’t you put on some fake Johnny Cash accent with your from NJ rear and think I’m buying it. Cash is the real deal -even Joaquin
Phoenix’s portrayal of Cash was more real than Springsteen has been or ever will be. Springsteen wishes he was Cash.
Oh yeah, right here folks:
JOHNNY CASH BURIES BRUCE AND MAKES BRUCE LOOK LIKE THE WANNABE CASH-DYLAN HYBRID HE THINKS HE IS.
Oops, I forgot about re-signing Moose. I would have made every attempt to do so, considering the season he had in 2006.
Yes, a lot of what I suggested mirrors what Cashman did. But believe it or not, I’m one of those crazy people that things he made some GOOD moves this offseason.
If I Was The Yankees G.M.:
If you can’t come up with the words to post without swearing, take a walk. This blog is part of a newspaper. Also, please stop insulting other people.
Two other things:
Zaun wanted nothing to do with the Yankees at any price. Some guys hate NYC. And comparing Steve Winwood to Springsteen? Wow, I’m speechless. Well, at least we know you more about baseball than music.
Post away. Just watch the language. Thanks.
Melky, I’m trying to think of one, other than Abreu/Lidle and Wright for Britton, but nothing comes to mind, lol…Jeff Weaver…no…Kevin Brown…no…jury’s still out on the Johnson and Sheffield trades…
…actually, David Justice. There’s one for you.
IWTYGM
The reason everyone is freaking out on you is because you are saying what you would of done pre 2007 now that 2007 is half way done.
It is easy to look at the mistakes now, but how many people were berating Cashman before they started playing awful baseball.
Your good points
-Igawa is awful, and was in direct response to Sox getting Dice-K
-1B should of been addressed better, but if Mientkiewicz doesn’t go down and the offense hits like it did last year he is your one bad bat in an All Star lineup. And as I recall many people were ok with that. Of course thats not how it panned out.
-Backup catcher, but who really does have a good backup catcher, not many guys are going to take good money just to ride the bench 4 out of 5 days.
-Springsteen is awful
The rest is just speculation of what ifs becuase of what has happened. If Traschel and Owings were in this rotation right now they would be right along the lines of Moose Igawa.
Change in point
Springsteen isn’t awful, just highly overrated.
Definitely not on the same lines as Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash
Anyone here think that IWTYGM is obviously the Mr. Hyde to Pete’s Dr. Jekyll…?
IWTYGM,
I was not trying to be nasty. I will admit to a little sarcasm. If disagreeing with you and trying to back-up my opinion was being argumentative, then I’ll admit to that, too. I didn’t say you called Cashman anything; I responded to another poster and said Cashman’s been called alot of things by alot of people here but so far he’s not brain dead. It was not a reference to you at all.
Look, you are entitled to your opinion. I am entitled to disagree, and to say why.
YanksSox -
I guess I’m just in the argumentative mood today. Must have been all that Belt Parkway driving last night.
Anyway, you think Springsteen is overrated?
Actually, until I saw him in concert (1977 at Seton Hall University) I was not sold on him. That concert forever changed my opinion of him. All his stuff is not commercial, but he is creative and works to his own muse.
IWTYGM must have been spanked by his Mommy last night
IWTYGM
No one has used abusive language here but you
Sean (philly): Do you think Robinson Cano is a better hitter than he is showing now?
SportsNation Keith Law: (3:16 PM ET ) I think this is what happens to hitters with no concept of the strike zone. You get massive volatility in their performances. They should really look at upgrading 2b for this year if they want to make a playoff run.
There’s you go Keith Law says Cano’s is overrated, Yankees need a new 2nd
One more thing, I’m not posting on a blog run by the likes of you, Peter Abraham, who targets the one sending back what he’s given but not warning the others like Adam, chazz h, swo et.al.
Resume tediously defending Torre and Cashman to the death.
Bye and good riddance. Same to me? Whatever.
Doreen
Its Friday, its nice out, and I am arguing about what should of been done 6 months ago to make this team not .500. But I am some how enjoying myself.
Never seen Springsteen live, but I bet he puts on a pretty good show.
I still think he’s overrated.
He didn’t say Cano is overrated, he said Cano isn’t very good. There’s a difference. But for the record, Cano is due to break out in the 2nd half as he has in the last two seasons. So stay put.
Also, I’d like to see what Keith Law’s suggestions are for upgrading at 2B. I guarantee he won’t have an answer.
Ah ok the witch is dead. Anyway, how can anyone question the Randy Johnson deal? He is 43, is breaking down and has a nasty disposition. And Cash got 4 players for him! This deal was an absolute steal.
Jaret Wright for Brtoon, steal.
Sheffield trade the jury is out, looking bad now, ask me again in a year.
Just freeze him out. It isn’t worth getting upset over someone who can hide behind their computer screen.
SWO,
My take is he has not really pulled off any great trades and in most of his free agent signings he has overpaid to get the talent.
IWTYGM-
The reason Peter only came down on you- is that you are the only one who used abusive language and slurs against people who simply disagreed with you and called you out for posting what you would’ve done in December- now.
Get a clue. Please do us all a favor- do what you say- don’t post at a blog moderated by Peter.
Thanks.
Now let’s get a winning streak going this weekend- we all are a little cranky with all this losing. Nothing an 8-2 homestand into the break wouldn’t cure.
Melky…what about A-Rod? I’d have to say that’s one of his better trades, don’t you think?
Ken (Caracas, Venezuela): Quick one – Who will win the World Series?
SportsNation Keith Law: (3:42 PM ET ) Red Sox.
Robinson Cano is 24 years old. I am not sure why people are against him as a Yankee. The kid hit .342 last season and is in just his third season in the league. Sure, he is 70 points below that average, but he is not Derek Jeter and can’t be expected to hit the .340 mark every season.
I am not sure what Keith Law is talking about saying that the Yankees need an upgrade at 2B to make the playoffs. First off, who is an upgrade at 2nd from Cano? Chase Utley, oh yeah he’s for sale. Cano is making $490K this season and people are treating him as though he is a seasoned veteran. Sure, he is slumping, but he will come around and make adjustments to the league like the league has already done with him, isn’t that what this game is about: making adjustments?
People need to stop throwing Robinson Cano under the bus as the reason for the Yankees’ troubles.
This same Yankee team (minus Randy Johnson and Jaret Wright) won the AL East last season with no changes to the position players.
Did Brian Cashman know in advance that every pitcher to take the mound would get injured or that Jason Giambi’s bat would hit the DL. No, but the Yankees are out there trying to make the best of the situation.
Sure, there needs to be a sense of urgency with the club, but we don’t need to trade all the players not hitting .300 for former MVPs and established players. Isn’t that what got the Yankees in their salary mess to begin with?
LET’S GO YANKS
What a shock that Keith would say the red soxs. He already bashed Cano.
A couple of things
- Wright was a Tampa signing, defintely not on Cashman.
- Proctor’s flyball tendencies and control issues would have been a disaster as a starter, he never would have worked. As it is, he’s only serviceable as a reliever.
- Lilly would have cost more than Igawa with the luxury tax that would have to be paid on his salary. The posting fee paid for Igawa is not taxed.
- P-Huge suffered two fluke injuries. Keeping him in the minors until June would not have prevented those. He is ready for the bigs.
Also, David Wells for Roger Clemens. That sorta worked out, did it not?
YanksSox
Yeah, a really, really great show. That plus, I don’t know if they’re the same now, but for a very long time, his shows ran upwards of 3 hours. Compare to other performers who have a warm-up act, or two, and then do a perfunctory 45-minute show.
But my friends and I used to argue all the time Springsteen vs. Billy Joel. To me, they’re apples and oranges.
I swore I would never be out of the loop regarding popular music, but, ugh, it happened anyway. Kind of like I always said I’d never say the things my mom said, but when I hear the same phrases coming out of my mouth to my kids I want to die! Anyway, I’ve always been kind of eclectic in my musical tastes, but I do tend to shy away from anything extreme.
Rambling. I’m rambling.
Also, after working at ESPN Radio Boston and being there on multiple occasions when Keith Law was there…he lives in the Boston area and is a fan of the Red Sox…asking him who is going to win the World Series is like asking George Steinbrenner who the greatest franchise in the history of baseball is.
Well the fact that Jason went on the dl shouldn’t exactly come as a shock.
Everyone can agree we need a legit back up catcher. We can’t deal with Nieves and his lofty .100 avg.
Jennifer –
I agree about Giambi, though I wouldn’t have thought it would have been plantar fasciitis.
And Nieves is bad even within the very loose requirements of a back-up catcher. I thought I heard Kelly Stinnet was sent down to AAA.
You guys honestly think the Red Sox aren’t the favorites to win the World Series right now?
And I agree with Law about Cano. He’s never going to hit .340 again with his approach at the plate. He’s wildly undisciplined and pitchers have figured him out. Last season was a fluke. I think we should just come to grips with 2005 being his true value.
Adam, I assume you’re responding to my post.
I realize Wright was a Tampa signing…Im pretty sure I even addressed that earlier today. The fact that Cashman got anything for him was fantastic, and I’ve been singing his praises ever since. Not sure why you addressed that one.
As a starter, Proctor would have worked on his secondary pitches more, seeing as he has a 4-pitch repertoire. Yes, he has a tendency toward flyballs, but most of those are just pop-ups that barely get out of the infield. Just count the number of times he shouts “UP!!!” in a week, heheh. Besides, like I said, it only would have been a temporary thing to make sure Hughes didn’t get too many innings on his arm too quickly, lest he become the next Mark Prior. I thought most people were aware of that and shared that concern at the beginning of this season, but apparently not…
Yes, he Major League-ready for sure, but ideally he would have spent more time in the Minors on a pitch count. That’s why I said June. That had nothing to do with his injuries being somehow preventable if he had stayed in the Minors. Please don’t put words in my mouth.
As for Lilly vs. Igawa, honestly, that’s chump change compared to the actual performance of the two pitchers this season, even if you adjust Lilly’s numbers to what they would have been in the AL. Luxury tax or not, I think any GM would rather have the wins.
SWO,
Having the wherewithal to add cash at any cost (i.e see Isiah Thomas)does not make a great GM in my eyes. How many teams could have taken on the Arod contract and Wells/Clemens is ancient history. I don’t even know if Cashman was the GM then.
All I’m trying to say again is for a guy with an unlimited payroll- I know now he is pleading fiscal restraint- his track record is spotty. He can overpay at will, which he has, has a payroll 70-80 million more than anyone else except the Red Sox and he can’t find a bench and decent starting pitching?
Jennifer I do agree with you on a back up catcher. I cringe when I see Nieves behind the plate. Any clue why Mo feels more comfortable with him vs. Posada? I don’t think I ever questioned it.
Supposedly Moose likes Nieves because he sets a lower target better. But anyway I’m going to the game tonight and dreading seeing the Moose/Nieves combo. I saw Moose once this year and he got rocked against Texas, that opening Friday night game where it was like 35 degrees outside.
i wonder if posada is playing 1b since nieves is catching ?
I’m back since you all insist on such fond remembrances.
If I hide behind a computer screen, you, Jennifer, hide behind a computer screen as well cuz you’re there as well.
chazz h
Actually clueless (since you called me “loser” after coming off with a major attitude in your first of I think 3 or 4 replies to me), my initial post was neither absuive nor insultory towards anyone. Your initial reply to me was of a smarmy little pr ick who ran off inane trades I never proposed to imply that I had. You got personal with your “because you want them to” comment. That is abusive. It doesn’t have to be just cursewords. You came off like someone looking for an uncivilzed argument because you’re uncivil…you’re the true loser spending all this time on this blog reading my stuff then posting well after my initial post.
You also like to end your comments towards me with “Thanks” as if I told you I will do what you want me to do. Well I will not do what you want me to do.
8-2 on this homestand? Why because YOU say so?
Jeff NJ that Wright for Britton trade was a non-move cuz Britton has barely pitched for the YANKEES, the team who needs him. Check his line. 3 games 3 IP, HR. Jaret Wright went 11-7 with a 4.49 ERA for the 2006 Yankees, doubt Mussina or Igawa will give the Yanks that or better this year. Nevertheless, I’d have let Wright go because that was all you’d get out of him and that was my point about Mussina you all missed: 15-7, 3.51 was Mussina’s last hurrah, and you’re seeing it now. Unlike Mussina, RJ still has something left and for the two bad A.L.D.S. starts RJ gave the Yanks in 2005-6, if he was in this year’s Yankees rotation and the Yanks made the postseason, my Yankees A.L.D.S. rotation would be Wang/ Pettitte/ Clemens/ RJ without question, no Mussina.
Watching Mussina pitch is tortuous.
Nibble nibble nibble…
True Chris, will be interesting to see the lineup, if Damon is DH or CF, Posada DH or C.
Thanks Matthew. I wonder the same thing. I kind of liked Phillips at 1b. Are they just alternating him? He has been okay there. Since we have had so many loses, I cannot remember how Posada played last time at first. Didn’t they put him back at catcher during that game?
Am I remembering correctly last time Posada was off they ended up putting playing him?
They are keeping Posada in this game for sure, whether as a 1B or DH. That’s a bat you don’t want to lose. Damon, on the other hand, could easily be given a day off. We’ll see, I guess.
My 2007 Yankees Starting 24 with everyone back healthy and Clemens -no Mussina, Igawa, RJ, Cairo, Nieves, Phelps, or Britton (last one has barely been a Yankee):
Rotation: Wang/ Pettitte/ Clemens/ Hughes/ Owings or Trachsel
Bullpen: Mo, Bruney, Proctor, Farnsworth, Villone, Myers, the Japanese lefty Boston signed cuz he would’ve still cost only the year and
Wahooo!!! It’s the weekend and the Yanks are HOME!!!! Lets get this thing rolling. If we can’t win the division or even the wild card, it’ll be fun to watch them play some good games….
LETS GO YANKS!!!
1/2 hour till the 5 o’clock whistle!!!!
Yeah, they moved Posada back to catcher near the 7th inning. And last night I did make the point that Andy Phillips was brought up, told he would play every day, played one game went 0/3 and then didn’t start again til last night which I found ridiculous. Last year he played Gold Glove caliber defense and for a month or so really hit well. Lets see if we can catch lightning in a bottle here because as much as we praise Cairo, his stats still look pretty ugly.
Thanks for the enthusiasm Scott. This blog tends to sorely lack it at times, lol
Thanks Matthew. I guess I’ve been focusing on the results of the last games as being so disappointing I can hardly remember anything but the plays or lack of that gave us the lost.
anytime!!
Just happy it’s Friday:)
Thanks Scott for the boost. Happy Friday back at ya. I’ll be at work but I plan to come here for updates.
see everyone then
Go Yankees
Well, I tried to give the clown a chance. Live and learn. It’s amazing to me that some people can’t communicate without cursing or being abusive to other people.
If you were the Yankees GM — you’re no longer a poster here
Good riddance
Oh here we go
When a guy su cks, it’s Steinbrenner’s guy.
When a guy is great, it’s Cashman’s guy.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Cashman let go of Lieber to sign Wright.
Wright is Cashman’s guy.
Hey Peter
You’re the clown. Get bent.’Could care less, loser. Bye.
Enjoy the zoo-mess YOU created.
Pete, you do a great job, even keeping up with all the posts, you have the lineup in before I even depart for the Stadium.
Just don’t know why people have to cause problems with teh profanity here, we’re all rooting for the same team. GM, if you are so smart, then go get a job in baseball, I’m sure some team will see all of the moves you would have made and hire you on the spot.
Peter, “Lisa Guerrero”:http://tinyurl.com/2qnht9 just called; she crying. She said, “how could he forget [sniffle]“