Breaking news: Yankees designate Myers
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Aug 05, 2007 
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The Journal News is reporting that the Yankees have decided to designate LHP Mike Myers for assignment.
General manager Brian Cashman has yet to return a telephone call seeking comment. But several team sources said the 38-year-old Myers will be taken off the roster before Monday’s game against Toronto.
It is unclear at this point who would replace him in the bullpen.
Myers is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA. But left-handers are 24 of 77 (.312) with eight extra-base hits and only 18 strikeouts against him.
Myers faced six batters in Sunday’s 8-5 victory against the Royals, allowing a run on two hits and a walk. Called in to face left-handed Mark Teahen with two runners on and two outs in the seventh inning, Myers gave up an RBI single.
He got two outs in the eighth inning before allowing a run and forcing closer Mariano Rivera into the game.
The Yankees have 10 days to trade or release Myers. He has $400,000 remaining on his contract for this season.
Wouldn’t he be a Type B (possibly but doubtful type A) FA and receive some compensation for him at the end of the year?
Pete – I assume that this move is to make room for Joba?
Can Krazy Kyle be next? Please?!
“Wouldn’t he be a Type B (possibly but doubtful type A) FA and receive some compensation for him at the end of the year?”
HA!!!!
Was that a serious question?
I don’t exactly love this move. In my opinion, he’s a better option out of the pen than Farnsworth and Bruney and shouldn’t just be thrown away.
Granted, Myers wasn’t doing his job vs. lefties. But he was a hard working guy willing to do whatever it took for the team (including offering to start, coming in during the 1st inning of a game, etc). I just feel that a little work on Myers and he could have been a successful LOOGY once more.
Best wishes to Mike in the rest of his career.
He pitched himself off the roster. Torre gave him every chance to straighten himself out and it didn’t work out.
Seems like a class act and I wish him well. However, after this weekend, and his awful performance against lefties for the last month, you can no longer risk him out there.
You can’t run your team worrying about the Red Sox, or somebody else, picking up guys you release.
You make decisions based on what’s best for your team and move on.
Who knows, maybe they can make a deal for him in the next 10 days and get a low level prospect in return.
This a start. They need to be both smart and ruthless in making the coming roster moves. I hope to be reading of Cairo’s designation no later than Tuesday.
He may be a nice guy, who cares? He is not helping the team. WE have to stop being sentimental!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If he is of any value, I am sure Cashman will trade him to any team interested in thsoe 10 days.
seems like a good dude, but he wasn’t doing his job. not even a little sorry to see him go. they’ve got to bring up joba at this point. to not do so would be idiocy, which means, between cashman and torre, it’s not out of the question.
the giambi thing will end poorly and negatively impact this team. i promise you that.
Chamberlain is coming up. Will probably be in Toronto by Tuesday, at the latest.
The question will be, the other shoe to fall in the bullpen? That’s going to be interesting.
“Maybe its blind hope but, I am hoping Torre learned his lesson and keeps the kid in the lineup.”
from the previous thread…
sj44, it’s absolutely blind hope. they’re not paying damon and giambi tens of millions to fight one another for playing time. and have you conveniently forgotten the way torre favors “veterans who have contributed?”
duncan goes, either melky or phillips sits, and they repeat the sheffield disaster from last year. if you really believe anything different is going to happen, it’s the very definition of blind faith. it absolutely flies in the face of EVERYTHING torre has ever done. by now, you of anyone should know how torre works. as you said, he has to have his “toys” taken from him. well, now he’s got giambi and damon at his disposal, you really think he’s going to sit one of those guys? ain’t happening.
Ohlendorf or Britton, right? We can only hope.
I do have the blind hope, just like SJ, that old dogs can be taught new tricks – mainly based on failed experiments of the past…….
John: When you’re attempting to make fun of someone make sure you’re 100% sure you know what you’re talking about. In 2005 draft Damian Miller, Corey Koskie, and Mike Matheny were Type A free agents. In 2006 draft Scott Eyre, Tim Worrell, Bob Howry, and Bill Mueller were. Compensation is based on the free agent’s place in the Elias Sports Bureau’s ranking of all major league players by position based on their performance during the last two seasons.
“The statistical criteria, which vary by position, are not public.” Myers ERA has been about 2.80 the 2 seasons with Yankees. So as unlikely as it is, who knows. I believe Gagne was a Type A with about 17 IP.
It will be a joke if Melky sits….
if myers is off the roster… they need the spot for giambi
so am i to assume the next to be dfa’d will be cairo to make room for chaimberlain?
Kasey take your meds.. NEWSFLASH Melky is there everyday CF. NO friggin doubt. He can hit, run, and play D.. The dude is 23 yrs old playing for the New York Friggin Yankees at CF are you out of your mind.. He is the CF no if ands or buts…
Damon will DH, play some LF, and RF..
PHILLIPS is there everyday 1b also, that is it….
if they ever got there bullpen disaster together then they could actually keep 11 pitchers like most normal teams and they could keep Cairo also.
If they dump Cairo, Phillips is the backup 2b and Betemit is backup SS and 3b..I did not see the whole game today but Betemit seemed fine at 3B he might not win a gold glove but appears to know what he is doing….
Myers nice guy but inneffective he should go, so should Kyle, and Bruney should go to SWB end the friggin story
Giambi and Joba for Myers and Cairo is a major upgrade on this roster.
Yes, GreenTeaSucks.
Myers had the best ERA in the bullpen at 2.66
Last year he was a 3.23
It’s definately possible.
Farns goes Ohlendorf comes
Myers goes Joba comes
hopefully for those 2 Cash can get something/ anything in return…Any chance Damaso Marte makes it through waivers?
It’s not that he’s a nice guy…it’s that he’s a nice guy who just got cut while there’s an @$$hole who sucks worse than him who still has his job.
I would’ve preffered to see Farnsworth go instead of Myers for the following reasons:
1. Myers has been better than Farnsworth, period.
2. I have more faith in Myers ability to turn it around…Farnsworth is a head case who I think is incapable of handling New York.
3. If Myers turned it around, he has more of a role on this team…there is a shortage of lefty relievers who are ML ready, whereas there are at least 3 righty relivers in AAA who deserve Farnsworth’s job right now.
4. Last and least, he is a nice guy and Kyle pisses me off.
So in a way I’m not happy about this move. I wish it were Kyle who got dropped. But at least it’s a start…
I agree, we should’ve DFA Farnsworthless.
Or maybe they’ll both go. Heh…I kinda liked Myers
Myers? That’s puzzling to say the least. Total team player and not the worst in the ‘pen by a long shot.
So as of now, Villone is our only lefty? Other teams get by with one, but wow.
“NEWSFLASH Melky is there everyday CF. NO friggin doubt. He can hit, run, and play D.. The dude is 23 yrs old playing for the New York Friggin Yankees at CF are you out of your mind.. He is the CF no if ands or buts…”
NEWSFLASH, stuart, he was the same player last year and he ended up being the odd man out when sheffield came back because, “you can’t sit gary sheffield.”
melky was red hot, playing with a ton of energy, and it didn’t matter because gary sheffield was a name player who had contributed over the course of his long career. sound familiar? sound a little like jason giambi?
either you forgot what happened last year or you don’t follow the new york yankees very closely. thanks for the NEWSFLASH, though, genius. very insightful.
Jordan…bullpen ERA is immensely overrated…so a guy comes in and lets all inherited runners score, yet the guy he faces is stranded…his ERA is 0.00.
Myers was a disgrace. It cracks me up to see these guy get hammered all year long…then they get cut and people come out of the woodwork in support of them. Myers was a nice guy…good for him, go be nice somewhere else. We need nice guys who can get lefties out!
Scott Proctor is another example of this.
Myers, proctor, Farns all have to, are, need to go…they are replaceable with in-house solutions.
BTW- whatever happened to TJ beam? Since his ST demotion I haven’t even sen his name. Too bad JB Cox is hurt- he woulda been here by now.
A bullpen of: Mariano, Vizcaino, Joba, Villone, Ohlendorf/ Edwar, Henn is as a good as they’ve had all year. If Farns stays then Ohly/Edwar are in SWB.
The rules governing free agent compensation are complex and go beyond the player’s performance. Here are a few elements in the process: To receive compensation, the player’s team also has to offer the player arbitration. The, for a period of time, if the player then signs with another team, his original team receives one or more draft choices.
Rest assured, no team would sign Myers in the window in which compensation would be required — this is what happened to Ron Villone this year. If the Yankees cut Myers loose, they are not really giving up the chance at a compensatory pick, no matter what Myers’s rating is.
Melky won’t sit. he’s the starting CF. He may sit some days, but his bat is way too hot and he’s been producing way to much to be sat. Damon, Giambi, and Phillips are the odd men out. They will be rotated around, with Matsui and Abreu sitting at times, and Melky as well. Joe will make it work. I predict Giambi to play some first base, which honestly doesn’t hurt us as much as it helps us. If we can have him in the field and rest Matsui or Abreu as DH, we can still play Damon, too.
YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I thought Yanks would make big push for Tori Hunter in the offseason, but the way Melky has been progressing, he looks like their CF of the future! Put the Tori money into bullpen…re-sign Mo, Jorge, and A-Rod. When Minny is ready to trade for Santana next July, make it happen, and Yanks will be on their way again….
no way Matsui sits…ever. You kidding? Maybe the 2nd most productive hitter on the team.
From your tone, Pete, this sounds like a scoop for you and your paper. If so, congratulations.
I’m sorry it didn’t work out for Myers here, but it clearly did not. This should be Joba’s spot. What else are you saving him for?
I know Giambi is on the way, but reported as not until Tuesday. Does this mean that another move is iminent?
Tough call between Cairo and Duncan. Cairo has played well in spots this season, and seems to be the backup SS; Duncan brings a power righty bat, something we need. Duncan having options might make the decision.
Melky is staying in CF – that’s why they didn’t make the move for Gagne. If they were going to not play him, they would have made that trade. Andy Phillips has done more than they expected, and is clearly the best 1B on the team. I know Minky is starting to work-out, but he should be a September callup, at best. Andy has won the position. That’s tough for Minky, but that’s the way it is.
Cairo will be the one released from the roster. He doesn’t play all that often anymore anyways. Damon and Giambi will share the time as DH. Melky is already established as the everyday CF and Phillips is the everyday 1B. They have Betemit that can be the back up for the other infielders and if you had to choose between Duncan or Cairo coming off the bench, I think that Torre really really likes what he sees from Duncan. He has shown he can produce in a pinch hit situation. I like the idea of Duncan, Molina, and Giambi as our bench… even though I would prefer not to have Giambi come back and potentially mess up the steam roller that is the Yankees right now. I am not upset about seeing Myers go. His job was to get lefties out. Obviously not doing that. Once they moved his position on the pitchers mat, his whole thing changed. I am satisfied with using Villone as the lefty for the stretch.
Kasey and Stuart both make good points. It’s 4 guys for 3 spots….Cabrera, Giambi, Damon, and Phillips. You say, “Phillips has his spot locked down…you can’t play Giambi at first, there’s too much of a defensive dropoff”. Well, is there more of a defensive dropoff if that happens at first or if Damon takes over in CF? I wonder. I think it will be interesting to see how this ends up.
The other possibility is an uber-platoon whereby with creative use of moving Melky, Phillips, Damon and Giambi around, and with creative use of the DH position, you really have 10 guys playing 9 spots. I wouldn’t favor that and prefer a set lineup and set bench roles, but remember, the dynasty team basically treated LF, 2B and DH like rotations also, and they did pretty well.
Myers and Farnsworth both stuggle to get the important guys out…
Myers has a great ERA and he’s always ready to be called upon, unlike Farnsworth… but the confidence that he was going to get the big out just wasn’t there, especially against lefties.
Farnsworth..has the stuff..has no idea where it’s going, and can’t really get a consistent out.
The difference: Farnsworth is virtually non-tradeable without the Yankees eating his huge reliever salary.
QUICK SOMEBODY PINCH ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
asburyboss,
I wasn’t talking about ERA as a stat proving Myers to be a good pitcher. It was in regard to compensation saying there was a possibility in getting some.
T.J. Beam is a joke. Was terrible last year and is terrible this year. Injured for a part of the year, but still laughable.
Agree that Andy should stay at 1B…he’s earned it at this point. If Giambi can show some of the power, he’ll be good addition at DH (although Yanks lineup as it currently is is head and shoulders above any other team in AL or NL….really showing their might finally !)
Asburyboss…no one out of the woodwork here. I have posted quite a bit on my disappointment that Farnsworth is on the team. I really want him gone, and it seems odd to me that he was not the first head to roll.
By the way, for all the NY and Boston sportswriters who buried the Yanks in May from the playoffs….if they beat Toronto tomorrow afternoon, they are TIED FOR WILDCARD LEAD ! If Detroit loses tomorrow night, they will be alone atop Wildcard. Seems like a 12 game wildcard lead in May ain’t what it used to be !! That should shut up Lupica for a few days, anyway….
Myers was a LOOGY with lefties hitting .312 vs righties hitting .182. Problem is, most of the time, Joe uses him only to get lefties out and then pulls him out of the game. Perhaps if Joe used him properly, he would still have a place on this team. But you can’t keep the guy around with the way things have been going…
Doug, I agree. Defense is huge. I think Andy and Melky should stay where they are. Plus, isn’t it obvious that the team is rolling? Why would you mess withtwhat’s working?
The competition SHOULD be between best buddies Damon and Giambi for DH. Both do different things, but when they’re right, both can be incredibly valuable (obviously). The question is, which one is better NOW, because that’s who should play. But, because of status, Melky and Andy are going to have to fight to stay in the lineup as well.
Id say between cf dh and 1b you would rank the 5 players in order of importance and likelihood of being in the lineup Giambi Melky Damon Phillips Duncan(if hes not in AAA).This can work and I dont see how its like last year.Sheff didnt come back until Sept and Giambi wont be an a hole like Sheff.
I think when Joba is activated, Karstens will be sent down. When Kyle’s situation is resolved, they will either get a pitcher via waiver line trade or promote someone from AAA.
NEWSFLASH: Duncan goes down to AAA before Damon, Cairo, Melky, Farnsworth or anyone else goes anywhere. They will not just release multi million dollar players at the drop of a hat like Damon, Giambi or even Farnsworth, no matter how bad you think he is. They will be rotated in the lineup according to how well they play against certain teams and certain pitchers they will be facing. Farnsworth will be put into minimal pressure situations until he proves himself or they find a viable trade for him, which isn’t likely. They won’t just eat his full salary at this time. They’ll go with one less pitcher and one more bench player to compensate for now until the time comes roster expansion. Then they’ll sort out the best players to keep for the playoffs when that time comes.
Miguel….Right you are. Both Andy and Melky have earned their way into starting roles, and should stay there until they “earn” their way out of starting roles. Yanks are on a roll, and their line-up of hitters are raising eyebrows all over AL (you should see some of the Boston stuff !). This is the line-up we all knew was there back in April!
Make no mistake, Farnsworth will be leaving the Bronx, but not until offseason. Yanks will have to eat some salary, but he won’t be in NY come New Year’s Eve. The look on Jorge’s face when Farnsworth hit him with a crossed-up pitch told it all !!
*It’s about time*
Already our bullpen has been greatly upgraded. One more guy to go…
u said it right about sheff joeysdadjoe
Kind of a spillover from the last thread, but it’s Phillips at 1st and Melky in the outfield. Everyone else who wants to be on the roster just has to deal.
Like I said, this team brought in a man with a broken back because he was a good defensive 1B. Betemit is good, but he’s got one start at 1st and is too big to make those stretch plays at 1st. What will complicate things is Minky’s (remember him?) return. He’s already taking dry swings.
We were worried about Torre sitting Melky when Giambi comes back (effectively taking the DH from Damon). But this is not your father’s Yankees. Look at what they’ve done in recent months.
-Passed on big trades at the deadline
-Held onto their prospects
-DFA’ed a VETERAN pitcher who by most accounts is a great guy
-Sent a good young arm away (who pitched 2 no-hit innings today for LA)
-Sat a veteran in place of a young player in CF
-Planning on bringing up young, unproven arms at the speed of light
No matter what happens this season, it’ll be good to know that the Yankees are no longer living in the dinosaur age. They’re recognizing the benefit of sprinkling some youth among the -dead weight- veterans.
Can Bruney be send down?
I think Fransworth will go,but it will happen in offseason.
Joel Sherman (for once) is right – I can’t believe I said that – but in “today’s article (link)”:http://www.nypost.com/seven/08.....herman.htm he states that Damon and Giambi should be the only two players contending for the DH spot with Melky out there permanently. I wholeheartedly agree. If Torre hasn’t learned his lesson from last year, then he should go at the end of this season.
Also, I’m all for DFA’ing Farns and bringing up Ohlendorf. I’d much rather take my chances on a rookie who may or may not be the next best thing, than on a known failure like Farnsworth.
When I was adamantly maitaining a month back that Yanks will make to the playoffs, many never believed in this team. It was a good team, specifically offensively, but did not perform up to the potential. Now we are almost tied for WC lead and playing well.
We will certainly make the plyoffs as WC. At this time, I will not rule out division as well. We have six games with Boston. If we win both series (four out of six), we will gain two games. Then we have to gain 5 more rest the way in the next two months. It is difficult, but possible.
Hard to know what to do with Myers. His job was to get lefties out, and he couldn’t do it. At the same time, he was doing a great job getting righties out this year.
Regarding the roster moves, personally I have little use for Betemit. He has very good power lefthanded and is a subpar defensive infielder. We have enough lefthanded bats. The bench needs some righty alternatives like Shelley Duncan. Personally I would keep Cairo and Duncan, but since that seems unlikely, of the two, with Betemit here, Duncan would have the bigger role.
So I like Cairo but would rather see him go than Duncan at this point.
The only way to keep everyone would be to dip down to 11 pitchers. Could that be possible with Myers gone?
Starting 9: Matsui, Melky, Abreu, A-Rod, Jeter, Cano, Phillips, Jorge, Giambi
Bench 5: Damon, Shelley Duncan, Cairo, Betemit, Molina
Pitchers 11: Petitte, Clemens, Wang, Moose, Hughes, Mo, Viz, Villone, Joba, Farnsworth, and one of Bruney/Ramirez/Karstens?
One thing is for sure…I don’t want to hear any Sox fans whining about the Yanks making playoffs through the WC…Boston has made a living going to the playoffs that way. If it wasn’t for WC, Sox wouldn’t have been in the playoffs that last 9 years !!
so is it a forgone conclusion that Joba is taking Myers spot ????
Doug,
They have selective memories, and nothing happpened in the 86 years before 2004. They only played football in New England and basketball didn’t exist after the 80′s.
For all the speculation about who takes Myers spot, given that Giambi will be activated on Tuesday, it is possible there is a waiver line trade for a bullpen arm? You never know!!!
Mel….LOL ! You are right on! And I love to watch Sox fans worry and fret over Yanks, no matter how big their lead is. The last thing they want are those thumping Yankee bats in the playoffs, especially now that they are looking every bit as good as Detroit, Cleveland, Seattle or Angels! If Yanks stabilize bullpen to get to Mo, it could be very interesting.
Kasey you and Latham Joe are real pieces of work and not too bright either.
Kasey break open your piggy bank, I will bet you Melky is there everyday CF. Big difference Moron, Damon stinks this yr. and was real good last yr. Minor point but you should consider.
Latham Joe, yeah shrewd remark 3 hours ago that no way Myers goes.. For all you people that want to get rid of Krazy over mike because he is a nice guy!!!!!!!!!!!
First of all none of us know these guys personally so as far as we know they may all be arsonists after there day at the ballpark… I think they should DFA Kyle also but 1 big difference other ego maniac GM’s all think they can rehab guys with talent)ie Krazy Kyle) so the market for him with 1 yr on his contract may be better.
Again I think they should all go except viz and mariano and I think whomever they brought in would be no worse and probably better then what they have..
as far as the lefty goes, irrelevant a good relief pitcher either righty or lefty is better then a terrible lefty… The angels have not had a lefty in the pen until this yr and it is darren Oliver not exactly sparky lyle…
yeah a good lefty shut down guy is valuable the problem is the yanks have been searching for one for minimum 5 yrs with zero success….
Yankeejosh:
I think Betemit was gotten to get rid of Cairo. It was supposed to happen last year but he was traded before we could get him so they picked up Cairo instead. He has more upside than Cairo does, with more power and is younger. It’s more a move for the future than for this year per se. It also gives them more of an opportunity to see what he’s got to offer. Duncan is a fall back guy to have when Giambi gets hurt, which is inevitable for next year as well. But Duncan is a sub par fielder so his value is more a DH than anything else and they have a lot of DH’s as it is.
For now Cairo gives them more as a bunter and PH plus a defensive replacement than Duncan does. They don’t need Duncan’s bat when Giambi comes back as much as they did before.
Jay Destro makes good point–if Giambi joins roster, someone else has to leave. As of now, it’s Myers. Therefore, can Giambi pitch at all, maybe in the bullpen?
Hey, Meyers is a great guy and I’ve always pulled for him. But winning is what it’s all about. I hope the best for him but I know Chamberlain will do what meyers hasn’t been able to do. Help win games. We need that going into the stretch.
not crazy about the myers move.. but not the worst thing. if it is so easy to DFA a guy, then why isnt Kyle gone!!!
i really hope joe sticks with whats working and doesnt try to tinker with giambi..we get the same power threat from duncan anyway… let giambi come off the bench and get a few hits as a ph first before giving him a rotation at dh.
you gotta appreciate the flexibility guys like phillips, cairo , betimit and even duncan provide. Giambi is purely a 1dimensional player now
Vinny one problem with you evaluation is Giambi and Betemit(much better lefty) have lefty power.. the yanks need right power off the bench that is why Cairo should go not DUncan.
Bunting the Yanks do not need a pinch hitter at this point who’s best quality is he can bunt.
Cairo is a good player but his total lack of any power makes him a real bad option off the bench.. Just the potential of power off the bench helps…
When the Yankees signed Myers, they gave no compensation to the Red Sox and that was a couple years ago when Myers was somewhat effective. Nobody is going to give up compensation picks on him now.
Yanks are preparing to load up the bats for likes of Detroit, Cleveland, Angels, Boston. However, Detroit, Cleveland and Angels aren’t scaring anyone lately. If pitching can look like anything halfway reasonable, Yanks then have fairly easy Sept and WC should be ours…..
“-Sent a good young arm away (who pitched 2 no-hit innings today for LA)”
He wasn’t a good young arm. He was a 30 year old reliever who couldn’t be trusted in a spot. He came in, walked guys, and gave up homers. He’s also thrown 150 innings since the beginning of 2006.
Chris Britton is 6 years younger and can do everything Proctor can do, and can maybe do it better. And he’s not a HUGE wear-out risk. Betemit is WAY better than Cairo. He can actually hit. It means that Jeter can ACTUALLY rest his shoulder, hand and knees for a day and he won’t be replaced with a useless offensive player that’s actually not that good a fielder anymore. Also, Betemit is young and other teams want him. If we don’t, he’s an interesting piece in the offseason.
GUYS AND LADIES,
ANY NEWS ABOUT THE YANKEES DRAFT PICKS?
Cairo is a pesky hitter who has good at bats, even though he is not an above average hitter. He is also a good fielder. I like having what he adds to the team. However, if it’s a choice between Cairo and Duncan, Shelley’s done enough to show he deserves to stay. He provides a legitimate threat against lefty pitching, and let’s remember how this team has struggled against lefties this year.
GUYS AND LADIES,
ANY NEWS ABOUT THE YANKEES DRAFT PICKS? ANY NEW SIGNING?
THANKS FOR ANY INFORMATION.
“However, Detroit, Cleveland and Angels aren’t scaring anyone lately.”
I hope the angels scare boston this week. Lackey pitched today, sadly. Hopefully Weaver can turn it back around and throw a good game tomorrow. The last guy they face is the kid who’s spot-starting in Colon’s place. He doesn’t give me a lot of hope:-/
Sitting Damon in the playoffs would be a huge mistake. He is a GREAT clutch hitter and clutch player and will do great things for us in the post season. We will need to find a way to sit Phillips and keep Damon and Jason in the lineup. Our bench in very solid, Betemit showed some promise defensively and offensively since he’s been here. Duncan, i still believe, is a fluke and only does damage in blowouts (given thats the only time he plays). Duncan will go down until we have September callups. Cairo is not going down in place of him. It just isn’t happening.
I knew it. Today when he was left in for as long as he was, I said he is being tested and if he doesn’t get outs they are going to DFA him.
Myers never stays in for that long and I knew something was up.
Hello Joba. Welcome to the New York Yankees!!
I’m hearing that Joba Chamberlain will join Yanks either tomorrow or Tuesday. Assume he’ll take Myers spot in BP. Can’t wait to see him in action ! He comes with pretty high marks from other AL scouts…..
Damon’s got a better chance of taking Jeter’s spot than he has of taking Melky’s. Barring injury, he DH’s or plays left when Matsui DH’s, and he’ll keep his trap shut while doing it if he knows what’s good for him.
Duncan will have to go, unfair as it is, and Joe will start using Giambi part time at 1st where he’ll promptly reclaim his “Worst Fielding Player in the Sport” title, while f-ing up team chemistry and undermining Philips’ fragile confidence at the plate.
Joba has to replace Myers (what the hell else has he got to prove?) and Ramirez or Britton have got to be next when the Farnsworth madness finally ends.
Where is all this Ohlendorf love coming from, by the way? Just cause some hopped-up, cowtown Triple-A gun had him at 97 last week doesn’t erase 4 months of absolute crap pitching. He’s garbage and will never be a successful major leaguer.
I still don’t get Cash standing pat on this bullpen, and when we stop scoring 8 runs every night things could get ugly fast.
Cairo is a pesky hitter who has good at bats, even though he is not an above average hitter. He is also a good fielder.
He’s below replacement level. And his D at SS and 3B isn’t so great. His arm isn’t that strong, and his range isn’t that great. Sure, he fouls off some pitches, and he can bunt just fine…but unless he fields like Orlando Hudson and runs like Chone Figgins, he’s just not worth more than Betemit…Wilson can actually hit, and fielded 3B just fine today.
They HAVE to lose Cairo and keep Duncan. They need righty power options.
Doug,
Who is your source? Who are you hearing it from?
Not in the playoffs Stuart. I have made the assumption the Yankees will be in the playoffs already. They will only have 25 players locked in players then. I’m talking in the playoff run.
It will be against the better pitchers in the league as well don’t forget, when every run will mean much more than it does now. They won’t be scoring anywhere near as much against top quality pitching and will be scratching for runs. Bunting will be very important then. Cairo is a much more proven guy when it comes to grinding out at bats at crunch time. He has that experience over most of those guys and does well at it.
You’ll find power rarely wins games in the playoffs over fundemental and tactical baseball.
Bruney looks to be safe. Torre knows he has good stuff and is turning it around.
Has anyone else noticed that Mike Lupica only writes about Yanks when they are doing badly and he wants to tell everyone that he told us so? After he buried them (totally) in May and advised us they absolutely wouldn’t be in playoffs this year…they can now tie for WC lead tomorrow afternoon. Think there’s any chance we’ll hear from Lupica saying maybe he was incorrect in his earlier proclamation ??!! I doubt it.
I’m still in shock that the Yankees, notoriously benevolent towards veterans, did this to Mike. I mean if you’re going to have to send down two players anyway, why send the vet down first? NOBODY would’ve cared or been shocked if they sent down Krazy Kyle first. (HoHO, that’s a good one)
There’s got to be something behind the story. Quick, Pete, get the real dirt!
myrtlebeachfan
I actually agree with you about Duncan. I think he’s a player that the league will catch on to eventually, but he has had some good at bats. The bigger issue is that with everyone coming back the Yankees will be too lefthanded again. Betemit is another player who is much better as a lefty. If Cashman was set on trading Proctor, I’d rather he’d have gotten Wigginton back. That would add a right handed option.
If you option Suncan back down the only righty off the bench is Cairo. Molina and a weak hitting right handed Betemit who don’t exactly inspire fear in anyone.
Vinny Playoffs are another story.. In my opinion the playoffs are in absolute doubt for the Yanks..
Cairo will not get picked up and will spend 3 weeks in SWB then come back to NY…
Mel you are right the Yanks are so far from cutthroat and so deferential to age it is a joke but hopefully that will change over time.
The DOdgers in a lefty maybe they want Myers???
Send all these guys to the NL…
Lupica has had two original columns about the Yankees in 10 years.
Column 1: This isn’t the same Yankees team as last year that won and money can’t replace that. He used this a lot from 96-01 too.
Column 2: The Yankees spend far more than anyone and it’s terribly unfair when they win.
I try and just skip his columns now.
randyhater – you’re…not very smart. Ohlendorf CAN and DOES throw upper-90s heat. He had a back injury at the beginning of the year and pitched like it. Now, he’s healthy, dealing, and is a groundball machine: think Chien Ming Wang. He could be very, very useful out of the bullpen, and could further make Cashman look like an absolute genius for dealing away a guy with 10 starts left in his career.
well put, randyhater.
Myrtlebeach yeah DUncan probably will turn into Kevin Maas but so far he has played great..
His sluggin % and OBP is also quite high. they need to keep him around until he proves to be Maaslike..
He is aright with power they do not have many of them.. I would sit Abreu against tough lefties he appears to not do well against those type and can get aq day off here and there….
RE: Joba
Heard chat on call-in radio show short while ago that Joba could be on the way. Also, NJ Star Ledger had this to say (and said all that is left is for Gene Michael to give the go ahead).
“Joba Chamberlainpitched two innings of relief for Scranton last night, possibly his final test before being called up to fortify the Yankees bullpen. Chamberlain gave up one hit, struck out five and hit 98 mph several times on the stadium radar gun. Of his 27 pitches, 17 were strikes.”
No ANdrew Randy Hater has scouted Ohlendorf in his dreams and knows he is no good..
ALso I assume being a pitcher and knowing you need to only get 3 outs is different then being a starter. they can rely on less pitches and do some other things differently..
THE FATMANBINO COMING BACK IS VERY VERY BAD FOR THIS TEAM…. GOING TO SCREW UP THE WHOLE VIBE…UNLESS HE CAN ACCEPT A LIMITED ROLE – PINCH HITTING – DH ONCE A WEEK… GOING TO BE A TRAIN WRECK WITH HIM BACK.. SLOW PLODDING FATMAN WHO CANT GET AROUND THE BASES… UGGGHHHHH – HIS BEST DAYS ARE WAY BEHIND HIM…ENOUGH ALREADY !!!!!!!!!!
Everyone is worried about how the team was hitting lefty’s when it was in a slump as opposed to how it can normally hit them. Most, most of the lefty’s on this team, hit lefty pitchers as well if not better than they do righty’s. They had a bad 1st half a year. No more, no less. Now we are seeing what their capable of. Still guys will slump but to say they can’t hit lefty’s is incorrect. They just got off to a slow start, slower than normal but slow none the less.
Worry about Damon, Arod and Giambi hitting 200-250 like they did for a couple of months this year. That’s what worries me.
Here’s a thought. Duncan gets shelved this year when Jason comes back. Jason/Johnny share DH duty. Johnny sees the writing on the wall as far as his playing time so he requests a trade in the off-season (it’ll be much easier to move Damon than Giambi) He’s already got one foot out the door as far as his attitude goes, and boy did he look like a dad with a headache sitting next to the kids on the bench. The kids where whoopin’ it up after Melky’s homerun and Damon looked like a fish out of water. O.K. that’s taking it a little far, but there may be a grain of truth to it.
Next year they bring in Shelley to platoon at DH with Jason.
I know, fairy tale, fairy tale…
Stuart. It’s August 5th. Cairo isn’t being sent down now for 3 weeks to be brought back in September. No way. As far as them not making the playoffs, they are 1/2 game out of the wild card. I find it hard to believe a Yankee fan would think they wouldn’t be in the playoffs in some fashion. Maybe not the Division winner but the wild card ??? I believe at least they will win that.
Posted this on BTF too:
What I don’t quite understand is the decision to DFA. I assume this means that: (a) The Yankees did not place Myers on waivers (since he wasn’t picked up by anyone); or,
(b) The Yankees did place Myers on waivers, nobody picked him up and now the Yankees are really going to release him.
I tend to think (a) is the most likely answer, since at least one MLB team surely would be willing to claim a LOOGY for $400K….. (yes, someone could be betting that Myers ends up released and proceeds to sign him for minimum wage with the Yanks paying the difference, but it’s not THAT big a difference in money if a team thought Myers was good for them).
Have we all flipped or what? Before the season 98% of us were questioning whether or not Melky could be our starting CF. Now we’re shuffling the lineup and re-shaping the bench on the assumption that he is? AND we’re dreaming of saving $$ by not going after Hunter? I hope this is not a dream…
Speaking of dreams, if we can totally ignore Bobby’s fear of the wall in right, he’s a dream come true for this team and should be resigned.
No one will pick up Cairo he has no value.. He had no offers in the offseason except from the Yanks for a reason…
WHy would the Yanks be scared of DFA this guy???Detroit or Boston or AZ will pick him up?
No way….
Try this scenario. What Twins all-star outfielder waxes poetic about the Yanks every chance he gets? Yup, the same Torii Hunter that will be waving bye-bye to find the big bucks in the big market (i.e. NY). Use the 15 mil per year that Abreu wants to get Hunter, and your outfield in 2008 and beyond is Matsui in LF, Hunter in CF, Melky in RF. Won’t be many balls dropping in with those guys, and the arms ain’t too shaby either ! Could very well happen…..
Edwar back to back with Joba would be awesome. An in credible change juxtaposed with 100 mph heat would be tough to deal with. only obstacle: pigheaded Torre.
If Torii Hunter will accept a 4 yr contract I am all for it.. If he wants more yrs which he will I pass.
The days of long contracts for older days should be over they are bad moves and basically nver work out…
Doug,
LOL on Torii. It always goes like this. Before a big series he’ll make a comment about our payroll. After they get waxed by the Yankees, he’ll be totally complimentary of the players & team, but slide in a comment about the payroll. I don’t know if it’s subconscious or what, but he is obsessed with Yankee $$$.
This Year….I think that Joe is so exasperated with Bruney/Farns/et al that he will do exactly that and put Edwar’s change and Joba’s 100 mph heat to the test! Joe’s learning bullpen stuff slowly but surely (and I’m thinking he wants to continue managing a few more years also!)
JRVJ, when a team DFA’s someone like this, they generally are getting him off their roster while he goes on waivers. It gives them 10 days to go through the waiver process, then trade him before they give him his outright release. This way, they don’t have to keep him on the roster while they see if anyone wants him on waivers or through a trade.
“What I don’t quite understand is the decision to DFA. I assume this means that: ”
DFAing him gets him off the roster so they can make a move like bringing up Joba or activating Giambi. If he hasn’t been on waivers yet, he is now.
I doubt anyone would claim him. That’s a good bit of money to pay for 2 months. He’ll clear waivers and MAYBE they’ll be able to do a deal for him. They probably just release him, though.
As for people whining about not DFAing Kyle…if they wanted to pay him money to play somewhere else, they’d have traded him at the deadline. They could have, if they ate most of the money. He’ll make it through waivers, I’m sure, because no one will risk claiming him. Then, maybe they can work a deal when someone gets more desperate.
And whoever said Bruney is turning it around didn’t watch the ballgame today. He’s still the same inconsistent guy we know and love. They should swap him out for Ramirez or Britton…if Joe would ever use them.
Mel….good point. But Torii is (finally) looking for his big payday. You have to like what you see in him, and he would fit very nicely into Yanks line-up and CF. If we can get him for 4 years, I like him over Abreu.
I assume this has been linked already, but i found it interesting.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08.....htm?page=0
whozat,
Boston will pick up Meyers, to block him from the Yankees. lol.
With the pitching/bullpen market this year, Meyers is a commodity, believe it or not.
RandyHater WTF are are you babbling about ? Ohlendorf not only improved his control, but is finally healthy, take today in AAA play all he allowed was a double then it was 2 innings of you can’t touch this. A 97 mph fastball that unlike Farnsworthless moves, then throw in a Wang like sinker, they’ll put him back as a SP but not this year we probably will see him as a relief pitcher in Yankee Stadium this yr.
“Hunter in CF, Melky in RF. Won’t be many balls dropping in with those guys, and the arms ain’t too shaby either ! Could very well happen…..”
Too bad you don’t need that much range in RF, Bobby has a cannon, and is a far better hitter than Torii…
Signing Hunter would really, really bad. He’s less good than Bobby, and Bobby would be a one year commitment. It’s kind of a no-brainer to take Bobby over Torii.
let me try again….
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08.....htm?page=0
Doug, I hope you are right. But Torre was so dismissive of Edwar’s first appearance (just striking out the side and then sitting him for 2 weeks), I am not sure to say the least. Btw, Edwar’s era is now 0.59. Maybe they are waiting fornitn to reach zero before they give him any respect.
Cairo should be DFA’d when Giambi is activated. There is no reason to keep Cairo on this team. He has a .618 OPS, has no power and is average at best defensively. With Betemit here it renders his role useless. Duncan can fill a role here. It gives us a legit power threat off the bench. When is the last time we had that? Duncan can be to this team what Strawberry was to the 98 team and what Hill was to the 2000 team. He can also start against lefties at 1B, DH or RF if Joe wants to sit Abreu, Damon or Giambi.
Not the point of who would pick him up or not. The point is why send him down now. It’s not like they won’t utilize him at some point in the playoffs. It’s not as though he has no value at all to them. And what if someone gets hurt ? He’s a better defender on this particular team and has played with these guys longer than Bentemit.
Duncan can’t play the field if someone goes down and since Giambi comes back on Tuesday, Duncan is the expendeble piece of the puzzle. They don’t need another DH over a guy that can cover 5 different positions.
Andrew,
Now Ohlendorf is Chien Ming Wang? Alot of guys throw in th emid-90′s and suck. Farnsworth proves that daily. It’s nice to dream that everyone on the farm is gonna blossom into a world-beater but alas, it’s just not so.
Stuart,
Here’s what I know about Ohlendorf: 5.33 ERA, 50 IP, 65 H, 22 BB.
I have no doubt that we’re making the playoffs. Never have. But if we get to a point where we need big outs late in a game and I see Torre mouth the words “Get Ohlendorf up,” even I might start to wonder.
Duncan will be sent down before Cairo, whether you guys agree or not. Cairo is liked and valuable. Duncan is liked and young and unproven. I know, I know, he has 5 HR. Just saying.
I’d rather have Rowand than Hunter. Hunter isn’t worth that much money and he’ll command at least 5 years.
No thanks.
I’d rather have Victorino than Rowand.
Cairo isnt valuable….he’s a terrible offensive player and an average defensive player. Its a waste of a roster spot to keep him on this team because he never will play. And thats a good thing because I dont want a .600 OPS guy getting any playing time.
again randyhater I know Ohlendorffs stats but there is context to stats… An example is Mike Myers his stats look good, but since iwatch basically every Yankee game I know he has performed poorly and has allowed a high % of inherited runners to score and is very innefective against lefties..
I have no idea about Ohlendorff and I also know you have no idea about his ability. he also was hurt and is becomming a relief pitcher like Joba. These are short term fixes and yes neither of these guys should be starting for the Yanks this yr…
Again if you have seen Ohlendorf pitch recently I would respect your opinion a lot more……………
The bullpend for playoffs is a different story from regular season.
In the playoffs, we need only four starters. Because of that we will most likely have Hughes in the bullpen. So, for the playoffs, the bullpen may have Mo, Viz, Joba, Hughes, Villone and another two. That would be a pretty good bullpen.
What needs to be done is to correct the situation for the regular season.
Mike, ITA with your assessment.
Vinny, the Yankees have alternatives if someone gets hurt. Basak is down in the minors and is a capable fielder. Abreu has shown that he struggles against lefties. It makes sense to have a good hitting righty on the bench. IMO a good hitting right handed bat off the bench is more important to the team now than having another back-up infielder.
Sure do like those 6 gold gloves in CF from Torii. He and Melky would fall all over each other seeing who could crash into the walls more to take away hits (something we won’t have to worry about Bobby doing anytime soon….)
Thanks, John L and Whozat: your explanations make a lot of sense.
I agree with Mel. Cairo is valuable, was good in the clutch for the team last year close and late, can bunt, steal bases, run the bases, etc. He’s a tough out at the plate and takes a lot of pitches. If you go by his numbers, you aren’t giving Cairo a fair shake. He’s good defensively and did a good job when Cano was hurt last year as well. He’s not perfect but he plays well with the guys on the team and knows how they play also.
I REPEAT – BROWER IS GETTING CALLED UP! NOT JOBA!
NEWSDAY REPORTS
My crystal ball says that Cairo is going to get hurt tomorrow and go on the DL
The first post didn’t go through but Brower not Joba got called up.
No Torii Hunter under any circumstances. Nor does anyone have to admit anything about him including he’d fit in nicely. He has been an agenda item for several years to fill up space in baseball media. Not least for the oppressive Minnesota whiners trying to use the Yankees as a wedge. No. The Yankees need to follow their own agenda.
As they need to carry only 11 pitchers in the playoffs, 4 starters and 7 bullpen, there willbe place for both Cairo and Duncan.
They can safely send Duncan to AAA and bring him back as September call up. Duncan can still be on the playoff roster as there are disabled players like Pavano.
Put me down in the “I would’ve rather this happenned to Farnsworth” camp. Myers sports a great ERA, although I would like to see his inherited runners allowed to score numbers. Truth is, Mikes is eh, nothing special.
I will be glad to never here the Jason entrance music anymore, that gives me the creeps. As for who gets the call tomorrow, let me just say, I think it’s good Joba got a passport last week.
Stay away from Hunter – the last thing we need to do is give a big albatross contract to a guy in his 30′s.
Cairo’s next to go on the DL or get DFA’d. With Betemit in the mix Miggy’s only value is as a pinch runner. With Damon, Jeter, Arod, Melky, and Abreu the Yanks have enough speed to get by.
By the way, I’m just home from seeing the police at Giants Stadium. Beautiful night for it, great show. My seats sucked, but there isn’t much more to see in the good seats. Ok off to bed.
YankeeJosh:
People under estimate the stretch drive and rookie players are not as skilled as veterans in that capacity, regardless of how they perform in the minors. It’s different at crunch time. Ask any major league player and they will explain that concept.
Duncan hasn’t faced any real quality pitching so far at major league level. He may be great but I wouldn’t bet the farm on him just yet. All players have certain pitchers who they have trouble with, that is not uncommon. The same way some great pitchers have trouble with certain batters. Does that make Abreu a bad player ? I think not. Does he struggle against every lefty he faces ? No.
BBFan,
That’s true but as good a position as this team is in now, it’s still not a lock they make the playoffs. Right now I’m just concerned with getting in.
Ofcourse the Yanks dont give Ramirez a chance. They have to bring up the “veteran” Brower. Since Torre loves his veterans. Hopefully Chamberlain will be up here after 1 more appearance in the minors. It is about time we see if he can get major leaguers out….because if he cant then the team is in alot of trouble.
Does nay one have a scouting report on Brower?
Is he a finnese pitcher or hard thrower?
The Yankees are continuing to remake their bullpen. Mike Myers will be designated for assignment today and veteran righthander Jim Brower will be recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Stuart,
Ohlendorf wasn’t moved to the pen because he was dominating as a starter (like Joba); he was moved to the pen because he sucked as a starter (like Igawa). He’s 25, he can’t hold a spot in the Scranton rotation, and his numbers this year are a horror show. What other context is there?
meh Brower new and improved pen excitment fading fast
“What other context is there?”
The context that he’s pitched WELL as a reliever? The context that middle relievers only need 2 good pitches instead of 3 or 4? The context that guys who don’t have the repertoire to start often become solid relievers?
Newsday reporting that Yankees will promote Jim Brower; journeyman , 33yr old closer from Scranton. You can’t be serious.
Stuart,
Please stick with your fantasy baseball league and stop pretending to have any real baseball knowledge.
Jason
RandyHater Ohlendorf had a bad back they’re going at a pace w/ Ross, as soon as they moved him to the pen he went from throwing 90 – 92 mph to 97 mph, eversince then check his splits as a relief pitcher, if all you’re doing is dismissing his ability w/o proof go ahead a keep on then when your proven wrong like the people that doubted Wang you can change your user name and pose then post I always knew he could do it comments.
Point is he’s finally healthy and has better stuff than he had before.
Jim Brower?? Are you freaking kidding me?? Jim Brower?? What the hell is going on here?? Is Edwar’s .59 ERA and 16+ K/9 rate not good enough? Is Cashman smoking dope?
Maybe they want Joba to get another week of work out of the bullpen beofre bringing him up? Jim Brower? I don’t get it. I’m sure we’ll here a lot about it tomorrow.
Ohlendorf in Relief:
4 A, 8 IP, 8 H, 4 ER
Thank God we didn’t give Mo the extension.
What the hell is going on…JIM BROWER?!?
Brower is probably just temporary, maybe just for a game or two. They needed another arm after using up the bp this weekend. I don’t think Joba would have been available after pitching two on Saturday. I think we may be seeing a series of call ups for the rest of August as they evaulate the available arms in AAA.
excluding Ross’s return on July 26th here’s his last 3 relief appearances.
Ross Ohlendorf tonight faced 5 batters
1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 1 k
14 pitches, 9 strikes
1 GO, 1 FO,
Ross Ohlendorf faced 11 batters in 3 innings
3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K
37 pitches, 22 strikes
5 GO, 3 FO
Ross Ohlendorf faced 7 batters in 2 innings
2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 k’s
35 pitches, 22 strikes
4 GO, 0 FO
————–
gee maybe this guy who is now throwing in the high 90′s is getting to his potential.
WHY????