Postgame chatter from the Rogers Centre
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Podcast on Aug 06, 2007 
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The postgame chatter involved three aspects of the game:
The energy Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano have given the team. Melky is 21 of 51 over the last 12 games with 11 extra-base hits and 18 RBI. Asked whether the arrival of Jason Giambi could result in Cabrera losing time, Joe Torre shook his head. “He’s our center fielder,” he said.
Cano struck out his first two at-bats before getting the biggest hit of the game, that two-run double in the sixth. He said Don Mattingly has impressed upon him the need to forget about poor at-bats and not give away opportunities.
There also was a buzz about how great Mariano Rivera looked. His cutter hit 97 mph as he struck out Alex Rios, Vernon Wells and Frank Thomas on 16 pitches.
“You have to live up the challenge,” Rivera said. “That’s my job.”
It also seems fairly sure that Kyle Farnsworth is now a forgotten man. When the opportunity to win the game presented itself, Torre leaned on Luis Vizcaino get five outs.
Can that strategy work for 50 more games? Torre says they’re, “taking care of Vizcaino.” But he has now made 58 appearances and thrown 59 innings. The Viz pitched 65.3 innings in 70 games last season.
His career highs are 76 games and 81.3 innings back in 2002 with Milwaukee.
The Yankees need Joba Chamberlain and soon, if only to use him in the seventh inning. Vizcaino can’t keep this up.
Here’s Torre’s postgame press conference:
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As of right now, here are the wild-card standings:
Tigers 61-49, .5545
Yankees 62-50, .5535
Mariners 60-49, .5504
It’s pretty much a tie. The Tigers host Tampa Bay tonight. The Mariners are idle.
Peter,
Any idea who leaves when Giambi is activated tomorrow? Cairo is going to get DFA’d, right? Looks like Betemit can be the utility guy and Duncan is an intriguing right-handed option off the bench. Your thoughts?
Personally, I think DFAing Cairo is the right call, but I feel certain that Joe will want to keep him. I don’t think Duncan is destined to be anything more than a career minor leaguer, but that he’s enough of an unknown that he can surprise pitchers for at least a little while longer, and those hits are FAR more valuable than having Cairo as a bunter and pinch runner on the bench. Once Jason comes back, Johnny or Melky or Bobby will probably be on the bench whenever he’s in the lineup. There’s your pinch runner.
So I’m saying I think they should keep Duncan, but that I think they’ll send him to AAA and bring him back when rosters expand. They’ll say that they like the flexibility that Cairo gives them and that they love how he does all the little things well, and also talk about how this way they get to keep both players.
I think it might be time for Cairo to go when they activate Giambi. Somebody will have to go when they bring up Joba because he isn’t on the 40 man roster. So I’m thinking that Brower goes down, Cairo gets DFA’d, then and Giambi and Joba get added. They could send Duncan down instead of dumping Cairo but with Betemit, they really don’t need Miggy any longer.
It is fun specualting!!!!
I think Karstens will be sent down to activate Joba.
Some one will be put out on DL to activate Giambi. It could b Cairo. He will not be DFAed and he will be on the playoff roster if Joe is still the manager, which he will be.
I agree that Cairo is the one who should be sent down, temporarily. I have my fingers crossed about Giambi – we’ve done so well without him.
Cairo can’t go on the DL, you don’t get injured on the bench. lol.
What’s with all the Cairo hate? Duncan goes down before him.
“He’s our center fielder,� he said.
THAT’S WHAT AHM SAYIN’! WOO MELKY!
You can’t release Damon, but there is no question that he needs to be the odd man out when Giambi comes back as far as playing time. It was different last year when Damon was having a good year at bat and in the field, but Cabrera is simply a better player than Damon is now on both sides of the ball. And Giambi certainly should get first crack at the lion’s share of DH at-bats, until Damon shows he can “H” better than Giambi can.
Broken news !!!!!! (flash) The Boston Socks signed OF Bobby Kielty. “Blunder Boy” Epstein up to his scrap heap moves – - – again.
“I agree that Cairo is the one who should be sent down, temporarily.”
Cairo can’t be sent down. You can’t just send any player to the minors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.....ns#Options
They have to either send someone with options to the minors or DFA someone. I think they should DFA Cairo. But I don’t think they will.
How can you DFA Cairo? Betemit is close to 240 pounds. He can’t play SS. He’s too big.
Cairo is a valuable guy off the bench. Its a tough call but, Duncan may be the odd guy out. At least until September 1.
If you DFA Cairo, and Jeter gets hurt (he’s hurting as it is now), you have a real hole at SS.
Gonna be a tough call. Its why I wish they put it off for the rest of this roadtrip (even though I know they won’t).
Supposidly Susan Waldman had an interview with Torre.Torre had a long talk with Giambi and told him that he would be playing occasionally. He also mentioned that Duncan was here to stay.Which leaves Cairo the odd man out.
Oh and Melky would be his center fielder.
That sounds good to me.
If Cairo didn’t accept the assignment and signed with another team, Chris Basak could be called up if necessary. A month ago, nobody figured the team would be faced with these kind of complications. The Yankees lack bench strength no more.
Now for the bullpen ……..
Peter,
Any idea whether Damaso Marte has cleared waivers, and what the Pirates would want? I know they have a bad reputation of asking for the moon in trades, and the Morris trade doesn’t help.
DFA Cairo, A-Rod at short if Jeter hurt with Betimit at third. Cairo is a dime a dozen type player with a lot of heart and toughness. He hasn’t really been playing and anyone can warm the bench.
Betemit can play SS. He did it for the Dodgers.
How many games is Jeter going to sit in the next three weeks anyways – especially against the tougher competition in the middle of a pennant race?
Sure, there is a chance Jeter could get hurt. But his odds aren’t any greater than anyone else.
Cairo is the odd man out when Giambi comes back.
“How can you DFA Cairo? Betemit is close to 240 pounds. He can’t play SS. He’s too big.”
He can play there fine. He’s been doing it for years. He’s not the slickest fielder there, but he’s got a good arm. And he can hit well enough that we’re not adding an automatic out to the order. Cairo has a mediocre arm and bat. He’s got decent range at SS, but nothing great. We’d be a LOT worse off with Cairo at SS for a week than Betemit. In fact, I think Jeter should sit at least one of the next two days to rest his various aches and pains. His slump is hurting the team.
I don’t know who I’d chop, but I have to say that I was extremely impressed with Cairo when he was playing a lot earlier this season, and even the other day when he subbed for Jeter and made 2 excellent plays at SS. The guy is always ready and often comes up clutch. He played excellent 1B, except for the last game he played there. I’m not saying I would never DFA him, but I’d be sad to see him go.
And I really wish Torre would have the balls that Willie Randolph showed with LoDuca and sit Jeter for a couple of days to heal a bit. It actually is NOT up to the player to sit; Torre could just do it for 2 or so days and it might do Derek’s knees and shoulder a world of good. And it would keep Betemit active.
That’s a pretty significant statement coming from Torre (about Melky being the CF). I have to believe Damon is gone in the offseason, or they are really going to try to move him yet this year.
There’s no “Nancy” Drew types on the Yankees. Pavano is gone. The Captain would have to be brainwashed out of the lineup for anything more than a game or two.
“taking care of Vizcaino” = “trying to see how many consecutive blowouts he can pitch in”
Cairo should go. Betemit will be OK at all infield positions for a game or two. Although his stats are a bit worrisome at SS:
-Betemit 3B, 204 games, .956 FPCT, .788 ZR
-Cairo 3b, 88 games, .894 FPCT, .713 ZR
-Betemit SS, 58 games, .947 FPCT, .750 ZR
-Cairo SS, 50 games, .983 FPCT, .831 ZR
Betemit is a better 3B, and Cairo a better SS. For the amount of time Betemit will be in the field, though, I think his bat makes him a far more valuable player.
Jeter needs to sit for a few games. Sitting him for the next two before we enter “The Cauldron” of tough games would be a good idea. A healthy Jeter during games in which we can control our primary opponents’ outcomes makes sense.
Glad to hear that Melky is apparently going to remain the CF. Giambi, Damon and Duncan should be rotated in and out of the lineup. With Duncan, the HR that Shane Spencer hit against the Indians in the playoffs comes to mind. We need a right-handed power bat like Duncan off the bench.
Joba seems very level-headed, and should be given a good look as a 7th-8th inning man.
Anyone hoping for Marte, stop dreaming. The D Rays or some other team would claim him or a comparable reliever in a second. We are only going to have a chance at someone like Farnsworth (bad contract, underperforming). We aren’t getting any help through the waiver wire unless we are able to unload Farnsworth through that process, which would be addition by subtraction.
Betemit has made Cairo useless, he should be DFA, even though he’s a good guy and a professional. This is a business. Duncan’s bat off the bench is more valuable than Cairo’s defense, which is league average at best. Betemit can play SS, 3B, 2B, 1B, and even the outfield in a pinch (anyone remember Cairo in LF in spring training? it wasn’t pretty).
Doug M is also useless before the rosters expand, his return should be delayed until Sept. 1.
The next move should be to move Farnsworth in a salary dump and call up Joba. I don’t like the idea of moving Karstens back to AAA, we need a long man and he’s a better option than Henn or Igawa.
SJ — I think your Cairo logic is a little flawed. In fantasyland, if Jeter goes down with some season ending type injury (god forbid), than I wouldn’t be shocked to see Arod move over to SS and Betemit and Andy Phillips play 3rd. If Arod’s the better defensive SS over Betemit and will help win games playing SS, the team will make the move to win.
Unless that doomsday scenario comes to pass, spotting Betemit at SS for Jeter isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Not to mention we got that Alberto Gonzales kid (I think that’s his name) who’s a UTIF at Scranton who can come up in a pinch.
I think Cairo’s days are close to over unless he slipped in the shower or pulls an oblique fast.
Bob from NJ,
I’m glad you have your ear to the ground. The Devil Rays would not claim a LOOGY making almost 3 million dollars when they already have Wheeler tying up their bullpen payroll.
With that said, I do agree Marte would be a longshot making it through waivers, but I was just wondering.
Where are all those people who a month ago were arguing Cano and Cabrera should be sent to the minors?
No matter what happens to Jeter, the Yankees will avoid at all costs using A-Rod at shortstop for more than a few innings, or a game at the most. I think it’s a way of protecting Jeter; he’s the Yankee captain and is a fixture at short for as long as he wants to be. Leave A-Rod here for too long and fans/media might just start to realize that he’s actually the best shortstop on the team, creating an uncomfortable situation everyone wants to avoid. Just my opinion. Any thoughts?
You are absolutely correct Providence.
“The Captain would have to be brainwashed out of the lineup for anything more than a game or two.”
Even if him healing would be best for the team?
You sit him the next two days, he gets three days off. I think it’d be the right thing to do, even with Wang on the mound Wednesday. The team needs him hitting like he has been all season, and he’s not going to get back to that form until he rests his shoulder, knees and hand.
Let’s say Cairo is d.f.a. then Jeter goes on the d.l. whenever after that: Chris Basak and/or Betemit holds down SS a la 2003 Eric Almonte, or A-Rod SS (Betemit/ Basak 3B). 50 games left, how many days off is Jeter taking from SS? I say 5 starts tops & maybe not even (he’d probably DH in 3 of them, the gamer he is).
What if the Yanks signed Royce Clayton to a minor-league contract and assigned him to AAA-Scranton with a good-faith promise that he will be called up in September? Unless someone else picked him up. Ken Singleton mentioned Clayton was released when Jason/ John (?) McDonald took SS from him.
*Martin August 6th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Bob from NJ,
I’m glad you have your ear to the ground. The Devil Rays would not claim a LOOGY making almost 3 million dollars when they already have Wheeler tying up their bullpen payroll.
With that said, I do agree Marte would be a longshot making it through waivers, but I was just wondering.*
“And they could continue to add relievers, now that we’re into the waiver period. The Devil Rays have the worst record in the majors, which means they have the first shot at every reliever placed on waivers this month. If you’re a contender and you’re hoping to get a decent middle man to help you for the stretch drive, well, you’re at the mercy of the Rays.”
From Buster Olney’s blog today: http://insider.espn.go.com/esp.....ney_buster
BREAKING NEWS: Former Husker pitcher called up to New York Yankees
BY MITCH SHERMAN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Joba Chamberlain has been summoned to the major leagues and is scheduled to pitch in relief of Roger Clemens Tuesday night as the New York Yankees visit the Toronto Blue Jays.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php.....d=10101017
Jim clark:
I beg to differ with your chronology!
No one was arguing a month ago to send Cabrera and Cano to the minors; that talk was heard abou two months ago, when they got off to very slow starts. Both players have done a lot better since. Cano has shown himself over the past two seasons to be a slow starter and an exceptional second-half performer. Next year, when he stsrts slowly, we’ll know better and be patient. The man is now a hitting/rbi machine. We can certainly live with a guy who hits .240 through may and ends the season at .320!
Kastens will be sent Scranton wilkes Barre, Joba up. Cairo will be Waived goodbye Giambi takes his roster spot.
It would be cool to see Joba blowing away red sox while his dad watches from a luxury box. Actually, it would be cool even if his dad stays in Nebraska.
Toronto is a relatively laid-back place to get Joba’s feet wet. Cleveland, followed by Yankee Stadium, will offer a bit more of a challenge intensity-wise.
Congrats to Joba on his promotion. Let’s see what the Nebraska kid can do.
Who will be sent down? Not Brower after being added to the 40-man. A DFA? Cairo? Farnsworth? Can’t imagine Villone will go considering he’s the only lefty out there. I can’t wait to see what happens. Giambi and Chamberlain come up and two must go.
There’s certainly a lot of excitement about Joba. I just wonder what they’re going to do with Farnsworth now.