Today in The Journal News
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jul 28, 2007 
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The Yankees went 1-1 in Baltimore last night.
Kei Igawa is back in the minors. This notebook also has news of Jose Canseco talking trash about Alex Rodriguez on a Boston radio station.
Finally, if you’re looking to waste a little time, turn yourself into a character from “The Simpsons.” I don’t think I came out too badly. 
The site can be busy at times. But keep trying.
Guthrie has had a good season. I wonder how Cleveland could have let him go. I don’t totally buy the “numbers game” excuse, teams can always hold onto young guys, especially pitchers, that they want to, and he was a high draft pick only a few years ago, so presumably they saw something. Given that they’re hungry for starting pitching now – Cliff Lee being sent down, and Westbrook having problems, and Jeremy Sowers (who they held onto instead of Guthrie) still strugling in the minors – I bet they would like him back.
Re: Ty Wigginton – Newsday was saying that that deal was off. Shows how rumors can be wild. If it is “off”, might be because what Wigginton offers – plays 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and right handed bat – is similar to Andy Phillips, and Andy has been producing.
i came out pretty much the same as u.. i dont think this site really even looks at ur picture lol
Buster Olney on ESPN just said that Kei Igawa is on the trade block and there are several teams interested. There’s a rumor about the Mariner’s wanting him … which makes sense since they have Ichiro and Jojima… Plus, Igawa only makes $4mill a year and is locked up through 2011. I wonder if we could get something of value from them.
Looking at the Mariners, we may be able to get a decent catcher for them for Igawa, maybe. They’ve got like 3 catchers in their top10 prospects. Plus they have Johjima who’ll be there fore a few more years. Maybe we could wind up getting a decent catching prospect from them? If the Mariners want Igawa, make the deal! Get something for him while you can. We should be able to get prospects for him.
He also mention that the Tigers are interested in Farnsworth.
If the Tigers want Farnsworth, give him away and get whatever you can for him. If you have to eat some money or all of his money do it and get rid of him. Addition by subtraction.
Cashman needs to do something to help this sorry excuse for a world class team. This is the New York Yankees we’re talking about. Names like Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Maris, Dimaggio, Guidry, Jackson, Winfield, Henderson, Williams, Cone, Clemens, and A-Rod define this tradition of superstars winning it all. We get big guys. We pay them big money. Small cities can’t afford them. We can.
Who is Phil Hughes? How many major league games has he won? What’s that? One? And he got hurt in his one and only appearance. Hmmmm…sounds like a keeper.
And Joba Chamberlain? Has he proven he could be the piece that can get the Yanks back in this thing and climb them back into contention, out of this sorry hole they’ve dug for themselves? What’s that? He’s never pitched in the majors? Oh…..
If Cashman can trade these guys and get a masher and good defense in someone like Texeira YOU DO IT!
Prospects are just prospects. Most don’t pan out. Witness the subpar play of streaky players like Andy Philips, Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano. These guys don’t belong on the Yankees. Superstar hitters should be in those positions. I’ll never forgive Cashman for letting Soriano go to the Cubs, when we could have gotten him back to play second. His fielding is no worse than Cano.
I’ll be really angry if the Yankees don’t land a superstar at the deadline. As far as I am concerned, these prospects should be used as chips to help us land real proven superstars. Look what happened to the Mets when they held on to Wilson, Pulsipher and Isringhausen. They went nowhere.
You fans who gush about the minor leaguers, please go root for Kansas City or some other third tier team liek Washington. You’re just holding our team and fan base back.
Long live the New York Yankees: The team of Superstars.
You’re an idiot. Plain and simple.
Make the right trade,
Are you crazy? Trade Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain? That sounds like an absolutely terrible idea. I do agree with your general idea that prospects are just that and teams do seem to be overvaluing their prospects these days; However, I still wouldn’t trade hughes or joba…they are once in a lifetime arms.
No, you’re the idiot. Your name should be dolt. What, do you live in Scranton-Wilkes Bare or something. Don’t forget your pom poms, you high school cheerleader.
Fresh off the press from Rotoworld —->
Yankees, Rangers discuss Gagne deal
The Yankees have had serious discussions with the Rangers about Eric Gagne, two major league sources told Newsday.
The Rangers have interest in Ian Kennedy and Jeffrey Marquez. They might want those two and more in return for their closer. Since they’re not insisting on Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain — as they were in Mark Teixeira talks — perhaps a trade is a possibility. The Yankees have about as much minor league pitching depth as any team in baseball.
Jul. 28 – 1:16 pm et
Source: Newsday
that previous message was meant for Dint, who resorted to name calling.
Make the right trade,
I didn’t read your whole post. You are an idiot. Resign Soriano? Aquire a superstar at the deadline? Bad idea after bad idea. And the minor leagues are what the next Yankee dynasty will be built on.
Dontfirecash,
How do you know they are once-in-a-lifetime arms? With all due respect, please tell me? Wasn’t Kerry Wood one of those?
Remember Brian Buchanan, Christian Guzman and Eric Milton? Do you miss them? Of course not. But they were supposed to be really good. We got even better by dealing them for Chuck Knoblauch. Oh where art though Marty Janzen? He brought us David Cone.
Go get the names Cash!!!!!
make the right trade,
sorry for calling you an idiot, that was uneccesary. I believe the Yanks should hold onto their prized arms though because with the current cost of pitching it makes no sense to pay the Ted lily’s and Jeff Suppans of the world $40 million. With all the high ceiling arms the Yanks have, you have to figure that one or two of them will pan out. IMO, thats all we need and thats why you should hold onto your young pitching.
Gagen is a FA in 8 weeks mid level prospect is it.. anymore pass.
You will see how good hughes is in about a week. if you missed his last start he obliterated the Rangers, they had no chance. It was like Clemens playoff game against the Mariners yrs. ago when he struck out like 15 and destroyed them..
Guys like Desalvo, Clippard, and others never can do what Hughes will do…
dontfirecash,
Ok, I respect your opinion. IMHO, I will be very happy if Cashman can take two unknowns and spin them into two knowns that could help us move past Boston, put fannies in the seats and bring the trophy back to NYC where it belongs.
To each their own, as they say.
I doubt Texas would trade Gagne for a mid-level prospect. There have been rumors that they are trying to extend Gagne. Anyways, I want no part of Gagne because it is only a matter of time before his arms falls off.
What was Jeter, Rivera, Posada? Prospects, but no, we should trade all of them because all the scouts MIGHT be wrong and they MIGHT not pan out. Wood was a prospect completely overused, same with Prior. Hughes has been coddled and rightfully so. You expect to build a team completely around superstars? How do u think superstars become superstars? They are prospects first. If we have a Johan Santana or Roger Clemens in our system, you’re saying we should trade them because we could get five to ten years out of a first baseman (much more plentiful than an ace btw) who has never been in a pressure situation in his career and who has worse numbers this year than before? And has been in a hitter’s park all his life. Without holding prospects, the Yankees would be missing their top two averages in the lineup, their ace and their closer and one of two good relievers. What about prospects again?
Team build on superstars. It’s a correct sentiment, but those superstars came before free agency, so guess what they were first? PROSPECTS.
Ian Kennedy has become an A Prospect. Marquez is no slouch either, trading those 2 for a closer with injury concerns and a Free Agent to be would be a mistake.
So to answer your question, no I don’t live in Scranton. I just also don’t live in a mental institution.
Oh forgive me, except Ruth, he was a trade. Good, so if Texas offers us money for Gagne, I agree, take it.
Oh yeah, here’s an interesting article for some of you to munch on.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07.....stello.htm
Headline: *A-ROD Not in BARRY’S LEAGUE”.
I can’t wait til Bonds breaks the record already so we don’t have to hear about this fool daily anymore.
What is wrong with Barry Bonds, why does he have to be such a jerk?
Good Lord, I could write for the freakin NY Post. How long is that article? 100 words?
Dint,
I don’t live in a mental institution, thanks again for another volley of insults.
The Yankees have always operated from a position of affluence and privilege. We have the capacity to regard the rest of the league as a farm team, see how “prospects” turn out, and get the ones that can handle it.
You want to go through what’s left of the pennant race with unknowns? Fine. Whatever. Let’s see how quickly Hughes becomes Wade Taylor and how quickly Joba Chamberlain becomes Domingo Jean.
Then we can come back here and continue this discussion and who lives in a mental institution.
You called me a dolt and asked me where I lived, so I answered you.
No, the rest of the league WAS a farm team. First of all, this isn’t the offseason, we can’t just buy players. Second of all, with luxery tax and revenue sharing, in case you haven’t noticed, teams like the Mets and the Red Sox, those guys can go get superstars just as much. It’s a different game now, get over it. And finally, where have you been the last six years? Steinbrenner tried your insightless method and it produced nothing. Name me the trade deadline superstars that won titles for the Yankees. There were virtually no superstars in the 90′s, in the 70′s Jackson was an offseason acquisition and not a trade. Go ahead, find me one instance where a trade deadline pickup won the world series with the Yankees.
Make the right trade,
You write you’ll be angry if the Yankees don’t trade for a superstar? Reads like you’re already angry. At least this blog lets people blow their steam off.
And I mean superstar, Dave Justice does not qualify, he was past his prime.
The Yankees have plenty of mid-level prosepcts (Clippard, Wright (not so much anymore), Brett Smith, Steve White, etc) to trade off. They are filled with guys who are either going to make it or not (Chamberlin, Kennedy, Karstens). They have guys get excited about(Betances, Alan Horne, Zach McCallister, Ivan Nova, Jairo Heredia possibly Brackman, etc.) They are absolutely loaded with guys in different stages of development. Clippard, White, Wright represent a different era that lacked emphasis on scouting and development. They are not the Yankees prospects, trade them off, spin them into some possible deal. They are absolutly loaded. Only five guys fit into a rotation. Plus the Yankees aint’ exactly lacking for funds.
And then if you do find that player, think of every prospect that turned into a superstar for the Yankees and helped create all the dynasties you appreciate as a Yankees fan. I wouldn’t be so hard on you if you had the least shred of credibility besides naming prospects that didn’t pan out.
Joe I would agree with that. Clippard, Wright, that level of pitching is expendable to me. They will not fit into the rotation in two years anyway.
Though Chamberlain is coveted at the same level as Hughes at this point, he is NOT anywhere near Karstens, who is an inferior prospect.
Hey Make the Trade,
We experimented with the “every Superstar at a position” theory from 2002 to 2006. Where were you? It didn’t work.
Time to rebuild and build within while complimenting withour fat wallet.
That’s my point, I think your all right. Two years ago I wouldn’t have valued a guy who the yankees claimed had credibility (Brandon Clausen?) because the Yankees did not look for good players. Their best was maybe another teams 20th best player. Now they have placed an emphasis on development and the draft. I don’t blame anybody who doesn’t at this point trust the Yankees development plan. I spend some time following the Minor Leagues. You can be confident that they care about and some of these guys are for real. Again, what have the yankees done to convince fans that their minor leaguers are any good. It’s gonna take some time.
How about won 4 rings a decade ago with a core of homegrowns? I mean, yeah, the very fact we went out and traded our farm that won us rings and replaced them with superstars who won us nothing proves this isn’t an argument where both sides win. It was buying superstars that destroyed our development AND stopped us from winning.
Dint, here is your first reply after my initial post:
Dint July 28th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
You’re an idiot. Plain and simple.
You’re the one who began the name calling. Let’s hope your capacity at evaluating these surefire prospects exceeds your flawed memory.
can we just treat this troll as a troll and stop feeding him?
Troll filter broken,,,call in Peter ! LOL !
Andrea,
I am not a troll. Just because I don’t two the party line about the prospects? Wow, we all have to have the same opinion here?
lol I don’t think many would disagree with my original statement here. I had no issue with name calling, but don’t act like a little crybaby when I answer yours.
Yet, my personal insult to the absurdity of your statements was at least backed with fact, your’s hasn’t been.
Good call, Andrea.
Baa.
There’s an article on Waswatching.com seeking sites for intelligent, mature Yankees discussion. Pete, this ain’t it buddy, the ship is sinking, where’s the capatain?
Pete’s not a babysitter. Aside from the occasional trolls, this isn’t a bad site. Pete shouldn’t have to come take care of business every time a troll comes a’calling. We can take care of ourselves!
Guys, there’s no need to come down on Make The Right Trade. We should just embrace the fact that George Steinbrenner has finally started reading this blog and let me state his opinion.
I was joking…
Oops…let HIM state his opinion….i don’t need to do it for him.
Not to mention the one who calls us sheep remains with the distinction of providing no information to support his opinion except failed prospects. Which is like me pointing out the male to female ratio that are employed by major league baseball.
I’m really implying that your tainting pete’s site. Stop acting petty, baseball’s a game and should be fun. Aren’t you all on the same side anyway?
Evidently not. One side wants the Yankees to win, the other side wants to have a crush on the names of the players.
Well, Joe, you might want to look at the posters who resort to the use of an ad hominem to make points instead of engaging in debate.
I present a valid point in the discussion of prospects: one position of course is to retain prospects and hope for the best. The other is to spin them for a known entity.
I respect the other side of the debate, but it would be good to debate without it falling immature use of language.
But contrarian posters here are called trolls. Fascinating analysis here.
No, posters who continue to not provide a shred of information are. I’m still waiting, name one time in the history of the Yankees where a superstar trade acquistion lead them to the World Series? Once. Name one time where homegrowns did it?
Posters that come on here and bash the Yankees without any information to provide whatsoever, yeah those are trolls.
And Dint,
You are TOTALLY forgetting Denny Neagle. Without him, we never win the 2000 Series.
(sorry couldn’t help myself)
lol Eric, I rest my case.
It’s not that you have a differing opinion. You are just overly aggressive about it and are unwilling to accept the opinions of others as rational. You make accusations about those posters and are somewhat insulting. And it makes the sheep sad. Baa.
Life isn’t always about right or wrong, black and white. Everyone’s got valid points, have our prospect failed over the years, Yup, has Cash turned the system around Yup, is Gagne, Texeria a proven commodity, pretty much, is Chamberlin, not yet. Does he have potential, the guy stumbled the other night becuase he struck out too many guys (10 in five). He could succeed or fail wildly. Though every major league player was someone’s prospect. Pujols, drafted in the 13th round.
OK, Dint, I’ll say it again. Janzen for Cone. Cone makes a difference in 95 and again in 96. CJ Henry et al. for Abreau. He helped us tremendously last year.
I agree again, Joe. But you don’t make valid points based on an absurd opinion with no examples to back it up. He made a statement that the Yankees should trade their farm for superstars because prospects fail, then named failed prospects. Every one on any level of the game is a prospect at one point, so naming failed prospects is a ridiculous defense. There are guaranteed players who will fail. He is yet to name one in SUPPORT of his point though, that is superstars from the trade deadline (that cost the farm) who lead the Yankees to a world series championship.
Now we’re cooking. Now I ask you, was Jenzen and CJ Henry the top two pitching prospects who are just abotu major league ready in the system?
Henry was an A prospect that was already starting to fail and Cone ended up being great, I agree. But guess what, the trade you’re talking about would have been names like Jeter, Rivera and Posada in the trade, not a guy named Jensen. We’re talking the utmost prospects and those guys had a lot more to do with rings (esp Rivera and Jeter) over Cone.
Oh and Pettitte, another homegrown that wasn’t traded for a name.
Mr. Make the right trade is merely espousing the strategy that led to 0 World Series between 1982 and 1995; Buy or trade for the biggest names regardless of how they fit on the team or in the clubhouse, throw them together and have a string of years winning between 80 and 90 games. Oh yes, and never make the playoffs, let’s not forget that.
Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Now see, I just made an argument without resorting to name calling. If you try real hard it might work for you too.
Yeah, your right, but it really is a gamble is what I am saying. In other words, players don’t succeed until they do just that, succeed. I think the difference is the individuals telling you a prospect will succeed or not. I agree completly that you need to back it up with examples. The recent teams 96-00 were built around prospects, to me it makes much more sense to go in that direction. But it will be 3-4 years until we know whether the prospects succeeded. Even if Joba, etc. make an impact this year or next year, wait till hitters adjust. Then we can have the argument whether Joba should have been traded.
they’re not getting teixeira.
they’re not dealing hughes or chamberlain.
live with it. move on to the next idiotic idea, please. (see: edwar ramirez working the 8th inning, shelley duncan starting in place of johnny damon, etc.)
this team is good enough to tease everyone for a week or two at a time. they’re not good enough to make the playoffs. the sooner you get comfortable with that, the easier the rest of the season will be for you.
Another tidbit for yall.
Yankees are hot on Dan Johnson, a first baseman for the Athletics. A nice player but nothing special. Away from the A’s pitchers park is Johnson an upgrade over Andy Phillips? Maybe.
The Athletics asked for Brett Gardner in return.
The Yankees declined.
Yankees being protective of their prospects I see. Good for them. Gardner is the Center Fielder/Lead Off hitter of this team in 2009+
I think Gardener is expendable. The Yanks have Jackson and Tabata, who should be ready by mid-09. They also have Melky, and Matsui and Damon are under contract for through 2009(not that I wouldn’t love to see them try and trade Damon) I wouldn’t trade Gardener for Johsnon, but if the right deal came along I would definitely make it.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE. IF WE RESORT TO THE IMMEDIATE POST-2001 MINDSET AND BUY, BUY, BUY, WE WILL BE REPEATING THE MISTAKES SINCE THAT TIME. KEEP THE YOUNG ARMS AND GET PIECES TO FIT. WE HAVE ENOUGH STARS AND AS SOMEONE WHO IS 56 YEARS OLD AND REMEMBERS THE DARK DAYS, WE NEED TO PLAN NOY BUY ALL THE TIME.
Kasey as optomistic as ever. that is right the indians with a back of the rotation of westbrook, byrd, and a worse pen then the Yanks and the mariners are better then the Yanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Kasey why watch?
The yanks are better then cleveland, minny, seattle as is.
if the yanks shore up the pen they have the potential of becoming elite.
they can shore up the pen from the minors or a trade but need a trade for 1 more righthanded bat..
Kasey take the bullets out of you gun
do not worry the old yankee dumping top prospect days are ove…
let these morons ask for a star at every position, it ain’t happening.
these astute talent evaluators think phil hughes and chamberlain are no better then desalvo and clippard..
remember that is the level of intellect of the guys you are arguing with…they are as astute as dan duquette
The scouting department needs to look beyond the talent factor when signing or trading for a player regardless of what level it may be.
If a player lacks the mental toughness or wherewithal to play in New York, he’s not likely to succeed.
Just 2 examples are Farnsworth and Igawa.
Does anyone know what Canseco was talking about on that Boston radio interview.
Is he accusing arod of taking PED’s?
On a side note- I think Pettitte pitched well last night, bad strike zone for him again. He always gets the short end of the stick when he pitches down here. Same result as the last time he pitched here (in late June).
Oh well, Clemens goes tonight, then Wanger tomorrow. Let’s hope for better results.
Millar sux!
Sorry couldn’t help myself. He is starting to become something of a Qausi-celeb down here in Charm City.
BYF
On Soriano, I well remember his good points, but he had bad ones as well. On Gagne, he’s a huge risk physically in several body parts. On intelligent discussions, I like them. I’ve checked out quite a few but notice some really shouldn’t be considered Yankee fan sites, just baseball sites. If a site is connected with a large, glossy national publication, aiming for national exposure, they need the approval if not comraderie of the ruling baseball media elite. To sustain this, my experience is they’ll mute certain positive Yankee issues. Possibly they tell themselves a Yankee fan shouldn’t be too pushy because they’ll just be shouted down anyway. Happens every day.
Hey Andrea
“Make The Right Trade” didn’t start with the namecalling, Dint did then you called M.T.R.T. a “troll”. B.t.w. who died and left you one to determine who is/ isn’t a troll on here? You’re being “overly aggressive” with insisting people you disagree with are trolls -you’re also being immature & coming off like someone who doesn’t want to read what she doesn’t agree with by resorting to the copout the word “troll” is. Peter should come on here to delete posts like yours which add nothing to the discussion.
That said, here’s my addition to the discussion:
The Yanks are 5 games behind Cleveland going into tonight’s game. There is still plenty of time left in the season for the Yanks to make a run, but not as much as before and it will be less as time goes on, so every loss looms larger. They MUST keep beating up bad teams starting with at least 7-1 in the next 8 games (2-0 vs. Baltimore, 2-1 vs. Chi-Sox, 3-0 vs. K.C.) There really isn’t much more to say than that at this point considering the Yanks have the talent to do this. I mean it is 7/28 no? If the Yanks don’t make a trade
by or after the deadline, then this is the team and given the talent on it including Giambi rehabbing, it should be
more than good enough to overtake Cleveland.
Make the right trade,
I am not gonna respond to your delusions with name-calling, but I will kindly ask that you pass whatever it is you’re smoking to the rest of us. With the kind of posts you have been spewing in this thread, it’s obviously some pretty potent stuff! Cmon man, puff puff pass, no place for selfishness here!
Tom: I’m sorry you feel that way. I never said anything about anyone’s name-calling, but took offense to MTRT’s insistence that those who didn’t agree with him were sheep. I assume that anyone whose intent is to rile up other posters is a troll, which could be incorrect on my part, but again, it’s an opinion and that’s what blogs are all about. MTRT’s first post was argumentative and kept up that feeling with all proceeding posts.
And if Peter would like to delete my posts, that’s entirely his decision and I’ll respect that decision since this is his blog site.
BBB: lol. nice.
LET’S GO YANKEES. big win out there tonight
Anyone seen a lineup posted anywhere?
Kill Schill: not yet. Not me, anyway.
What;s the consensus on the virtue of a Marques for Gagne trade?
How does one assess the value of all these young pitchers anyway? It’s one thing when everyone agrees that pitchers like Hughes, Chamberlain, and I.Kennedy are destined for greatness.
But how do you otherwise avoid overvaluing your prospects? Quite a connundrum.
Last year, for example, The Red Sox had the opportunity to trade for Abreu but evidently refused refused to relinquish Craig Hansen. Two weeks later they regretted their decision.
Some say they still do because of how awesome a force Abreu would have been in Fenway knocking balls of the Monster.
I suspect they’re right. In Fenway, Abreu’s average probably would be about 20 points higher and he’d have registered over 10 HR’s by now.
Meanwhile, Hansen is laboring in AAA.
How do the Yankees avoid a similar error?
Damon
I know it’s a bit unreasonable, but I’d like to see Shelley Duncan in the lineup again. I want to see if he’s as good as he seemed during the Tampa series, or if he doesn’t do as well against somewhat better pitching…
The most important thing about trading prospects is iternal scouting and making sure that if you trade a blue-chipper you get something good back.
My three almost untouchables right now would be Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy. There is no way that I make a trade of Kennedy for a pitcher with Gagne’s track record of injuries or even a very good first baseman like Texiera.
The Yanks may be loaded with prospects but there are not an infinite number. I’d rather save Kennedy and if Johan Santana becomes available next year, then you consider trading him.
If the Yankees hadn’t traded Eric Milton, then a big time prospect, for Knoblauch in 1998, the Yanks might have had enough to land Pedro in his prime. In the end, even though Knoblauch underachieved, it didn’t really effect the team too much, but the point is to hold your prospects for the right deal.
IMO, the players available at the deadline aren’t worth parting with a big time prospect.
usual line-up evidently, no shelley even though Burres is a lefty.
Shelley can always be a pinch-hitter.
the yankees are better than seattle and minnesota.
the yankees are not better than cleveland. camona’s stuff is better than wang’s (sorry, it’s true), sabathia’s been beat up a bit lately, but he’s a very good pitcher. westbrook, lee and byrd are nothing to write home about, for sure, but pettitte’s been mediocre-to-bad for over a month now, mussina’s a wreck and, potential or not, they don’t know what they’ll get from hughes.
the bullpens are a wash. obviously, the yankees have a better closer than most anyone in the game, but their middle relief is abysmal. farnsworth, bruney and myers? awful. proctor and villone? inconsistent at best.
the yankees offense SHOULD be better than clevelands. the NAMES are better. ON PAPER, it looks better. but cleveland’s offense is better.
cleveland’s winning the wild card.
sorry, stuart.
oh, and why watch the games? because i can still WANT the team to win and ENJOY it when they do win, but understand that this isn’t their year. the two aren’t mutually exclusive, as some “fans” (read: pom-pom waving morons) would have you believe.
Kasey,
I agree with you on many issues about the team. But, what’s the satisfaction of seeing the Yankees win if, in your mind, they aren’t going to make the playoffs? Why is winning important then? The reason why us “pom-pom waving morons” watch is because we believe, mistakenly or not, that the Yankees have a great last two months in them to make an amazing run into the playoffs.
And to make a point about winning and Shelly Duncan…
You can’t say that every game is vitally important and then ask to have Duncan start. Same reason why Torre doesn’t bring in half of his bullpen unless the game is out of hand. Do you really want to see Duncan strike out 3 times instead of Damon get on base? You have to put your best on the field at this point in the season if you want to win every game.