Guess who’s back? It’s Johnny Damon
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- August
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The lineup hasn’t been posted yet at Yankee Stadium. But it would be a surprise if Johnny Damon wasn’t batting first and playing left field.
.347/.407/.545 – that’s what Damon has done since July 20 over 30 games. For some, those are too few games to erase the sins of his first 83 games. But this is a different Damon. For lack of a better word, he’s healthy.
Damon showed up at spring training out of shape, rushed to prepare himself and then suffered what in hindsight was a predictable series of minor injuries. Sore calf muscles, tweaked hamstrings, balky ankles, etc.
Damon has a little of the boy who cried wolf in him, talking at length about every minor hurt. So the Yankees kept playing him. Again, in hindsight, he belonged on the disabled list at some point.
But now he’s healthy, having worked himself into shape and forced Joe Torre to play him. In a way, it’s like the Yankees obtained a different player at the trade deadline.
Damon is the team’s best leadoff hitter. He works counts, finds ways to get on base and can run. As last night showed, he also has a knack for collecting big hits in big games.
Look at this way: Damon has 162 postseason at-bats and Melky Cabrera 3. Who do you want leading off in a future Game 1? Melky is a better weapon hitting ninth than first.
Playing Damon in left also will serve to keep Hideki Matsui upright and mashing into September as he deals with a sore right knee. Matsui sits in front of his locker after every game with ice bags larger than his noggin wrapped around both knees.
This leaves Jason Giambi on the bench. But Giambi hasn’t complained and probably won’t. Given all that has happened to him this season, he seems to realize it could be much worse.
Damon in left, Melky in center, kids barely old enough to drink in the rotation and a fist-pumping reliever named Joba holding the crowd in the palm of his hand.
This is not what anybody expected when the Yankees left Tampa all those days ago. But it’s exciting.
Meanwhile, Mad Dog Russo just said Andy Pettitte, “pitched OK.”
Time to put on some music.
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on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 at 1:28 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
I agree, Damon deserves to play pretty much every day…Giambi should play 1B as much as his health allows and slot in at DH to give Matsui some rest…Giambi is too good to sit on the bench this much.
Do you think that Damon has learned his lesson and will work hard and show up in spring training next year in shape? Or will the Yankees trade him?
Wanna hear something odd? the Yankees have the oldest pitcher in the majors (Clemens) and the youngest pitcher in the majors (Hughes).
Pete, you’re a smart guy, why do you listen to those two knuckle heads?
This influx of youth is fun and it’s great to combine it with winning. I only wish they could have realized the team could have been doing this years ago. It seemed they learned almost nothing from the Jeter, Posada, Mo, Pettitte arrivals. It certainly is better late than never though. Cash-man is King!!!!!
Damon in LF I unfortunately because I don’t like him but besides that point YES Damon should play LF from now on.
Giambi does not belong at 1B stop w/ that garbage he can’t field the position and we have a SS/3B that make alot of pressure throws , Giambi is either DH or PH off the bench period.
Well, Pettitte’s clearly not having the year Zito’s having. Russo’s New York accent irritates the hell out of me and I grew up in Brooklyn.
Mad Dog, what a total joke. Hey, Peter, do us all a favor and don’t quote that jerk anymore….that’s almost like mentioning some of the negativity that kasey subjects us to every day….
Agree.. Cashman clearly may have made some mistakes, but getting Pettitte on a short contract while the kids are growing up was a huge move for this team. I don’t know how far they will go this year (I think they make the playoffs), but you’ve got to like this team’s future….
Damon’s resurgence has been terrific to watch. He is playing like 2006 Damon again. There’s no question he should lead off every day.
The question is whether Giambi should sit. And I refuse to believe that he should. He has 5 HRs in 41 ABs since his return (.659 SLG) – how can you sit that? He should play 1B every day unless he physically can’t.
Pettite pitched ok??? pls ask him how is the 15 game winner matt cain doing in SFO ?
ALL IT TAKES IS FOR JOHNNY TO BE AROUND THOSE “BAND OF IDIOTS” AS THEY CALL THEMSELVES IN “BAWSTON” AND HIS BAT COMES TO LIFE AGAIN I GUESS A LITTLE “BOTOX “IS GOOD AFTER ALL!!!!!!!
Giambi better be in the lineup today. Play him at first. At the very least, he’ll work Beckett and Schilling’s pitch counts.
He should be in the lineup the majority of the time. Let Phillips be the late inning replacement.
Giambi can play 1B just fine, he isn’t much worse than Phillips to be honest…Torre stopped playing Giambi at 1B this year to protect him from injury, not because he’s a terrible fielder. Only his throwing is really terrible, and Phillips’ throwing isn’t great either. Giambi should play 1B as much as his health allows.
For once, I agree with you Pete. Except Giambi or Betemit should be playing first. Maybe start your boy Andy Phillips once every five days when Wang starts. There is simply no way that his defense makes up for his futility as a hitter. No power, no walks and he makes easy outs early in the count. And his defense is really not that good. Tough to measure D of course, but his 2007 Range Factor per 9 at 1B is below league average (8.4 to 9.2) and below Giambi’s 2006 mark (8.8).
At the plate, and putting the hgue difference in power aside he is 10% more likely than Giambi to make an out. No way that difference (1 out every 2.5 games) can be made up with first base defense. Maybe people just don’t realize how infrequent a first baseman has to do anything but catch a thrown ball. Andy Phillips has played 411 innings at first this year and has a whopping 28 assists. That is about 1 every 1.6 games. You would have to assume that Giambi only makes less than half these plays to offset the extra out that AP gives up on offense. Is this really that hard to comprehend?
Russo once again revealed himself the fool yesterday by arguing that Joba Chamberlain has been a superfluous luxury for the Yankees, who has had no meaningful impact on the Major League roster and who have better served the Yankees by remaining in AAA. It’s one thing to antagonize Yankee fans to entertain. It’s quite another when you’re animus for the Yankees prompts outrageous arguments and peremptory assertions the facts do not bear out.
Incidentally, Pete I have no idea how close you are to Sweeny Murti. But please commend him for the job he did yesterday in both refuting Russo, refusing to be cowed by Russo. Sweeny, finally, stood up for himself and refused to buckle to Russo’s habitual irrational harangues and gratuitous browbeating.
I’ve been waiting for Sweeny to stand up to Russo and Francesa for six years now. Say what you will about Suzyn Waldman on Yankee broadcasts, but when she covered the Yankees for WFAN she never would have tolerated a FranDog berating. She was smart, articulate, fast on her feet, industrious, had contacts inside the clubhouse and front office few reporters enjoyed, and she was no milquetoast. She also had this disarming ability to elicit confidences and admission from player they probably never would have revealed to a man.
Nothing against Sweeny– he’s a great guy and as I can attest, he always responds to fan E-mails– but sometimes I miss Suzyn on WFAN.
Still, I hope yesterday marked the birth of a new Sweeny– a re-birth as the pugnacious, thick-skinned, and implacable reporter who gives to FranDog as good as he gets.
Three cheers for the New Sweeny.
I agree, Pete. I always thought, just from watching, that Melky was a better #9 hitter than leadoff hitter. It always felt like he pressed when batting in the 1 hole and was more successful in the back of the lineup. I just checked the numbers and it holds true:
Batting Leadoff: 113AB, .263/.361/.386 with a .747 OPS
Batting 9th: 133AB, .331/.363/564 with a .897 OPS
Keep Melky at the bottom of the order.
Mad Dog Russo also said he likes to sit on his own thumb, minus any tighty-whiteys or boxers.
Great article about the future of the Yankees on ESPN.com right now, I recommend the read:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=2994858
I am glad I do not get Mad Dog Russo show. To say Andy pitched OK last night or for that matter over the month of August is crazy talk. I suppose he thinks Dice K was spectacular last night.
Unbelievable. When people hate the Yankees they will find anything negative to say about them. Steve Phillips, Mad Dog, John Kruk (although now somewhat a waffler), Buster Olney, and on and on…
Pete, you are around these types, what is the criteria to become an announcer or “analyst”. Seems like it is the same qualifications to get elected – knowledge not required just likeable. Do you think these guys would know quality or how to read stats if they hit them in the face?
I have to admit — thankfully so — that I was wrong last night thinking Mo would blow it. Varitek owns Mo! Please don’t take my frustration with Mo the wrong way. I have watched him for years and he is one of my favorite Yankees of all time, but there is going to come a time where Jeter’s performance faulters from age too. Not everyone can play as old as Rocket.
Seriously, if Mo can get hot right now that would be great! I just don’t have the comfort in him anymore. When I hear “Enter Sandman” I buckle up because I don’t know what to expect anymore. I used to hear it and think the game is over as most of us did. I am just excited to watch Joba as I used to be with Mo. If Mo doesn’t finish from here on out near perfect.. I wonder what Cashman will do with him next year. I mean if he will still have the exclusive closer role.
I have tix for Seatle vs Yankees Wed the 5th which is Hughes’s slot! I’m florida, so it will be nice to see the Yankee’s play someone other than Tampa!!
Lets go Rocket!!!
Hey as long as Shelly Duncan gets some time at DH and in LF, I think all of us will be happy. Hah
“Mad Dog, what a total joke. Hey, Peter, do us all a favor and don’t quote that jerk anymore….that’s almost like mentioning some of the negativity that kasey subjects us to every day”.
Thank God for the internet. We don’t need to rely on a bozo like Russo for information, we can just listen to him for laughs.
As for Kasey, after reading some of his posts, I think I’m going to attend some of his shows just so I can heckle him.
Pepper Brooks,
I couldn’t agree more with you re: analysts/announcers.
Why does Steve Phillips have a job at ESPN as an analyst when his own analytical repertoire (or lack thereof) failed at the major league level? Kruk, well, he was a decent ballplayer and all, but his waffling analyses don’t contain the breadth of knowledge that Harold Reynolds and Peter Gammons flexed day in and day out. I don’t listen to Russo and never will. I prefer to waste away time by masturbating as opposed to listening to no talent a$$ clowns.
There is nothing wrong with hating the Yankees if that is how you wish to direct your anger. But bad analyses is bad analyses.
So Peter, this begs the question yet again, what is the criteria for becoming an analyst? I don’t care if Harold Reynolds grabbed a coworkers buttocks, boob, nostril, or whispered ’sweet nothings’ in to his/her ears. The man knows his SH!T and I respect him more than anyone else on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight (or any other ESPN program for that matter). Gammons is older now and simply had to step down, not his fault, but rather Father Time’s fault.
You know who Kasey reminds me of? Randy Quaid’s charecter in Major League II. Once they clinch the wild card and or division he’ll say, “AH They’ll blow it in the playoffs!!” And then he will be turned around by the sight of Wild Thing(Joba) coming in to face Parkman (Ortiz) in game 7 of the ALCS.
Let’s go to the tape for the Sox execs and owners who are so publicly congratualting themselves for not signing the Damon deal. For 2007, an admittedly bad year for Johnny D:
Damon .357 OBP/.386 SLG/101 OPS+ (OPS+ is park-adjusted)
Coco Crisp .333/.387/88 OPS+ (and he was worse last year)
Nancey Drew .359/.390/97 (more $ than Damon and 2 more years)
Those 2 Major League films were great, I think I may watch them today to bring back the memories. How could you not Love Wild Thing!
good scouting report of kennedy i found:
he Yankees selected right hander Ian Kennedy in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft out of the University of Southern California. He does not have a blazing fastball, and what he lacks in overall stuff-he makes up in sheer intelligence. Thanks to his presence of mind on the mound, and tremendous control, Kennedy was always on the fast track to the big leagues. In his first full season in professional baseball, Kennedy has compiled a 12-3 record and 1.91 earned run average with Tampa, Trenton, and Scranton. He has dominated every step of the way.
Kennedy has a fastball, curve, changeup and slider to his repertoire. He’ll never turn any heads with his velocity, although he can top out at about 93 MPH. Velocity is not Kennedy’s game though-ridiculous pinpoint control is. He can jam his fastball into all the corners with ease, and his two-seamer has improved dramatically over the course of the 2007 season. Kennedy’s off-speed stuff serves as his out pitch, his changeup is by far one of his best pitches thanks to it’s great movement. Aside from that, his curve and slider are both quality pitches that he can also use as an out pitch. He has great control of both, and both pitches have terrific movement.
Kennedy does not have Hughes’ curve of Chamberlain’s slider-but like I said before: what he lacks in stuff, he makes up in everything else. His control and intelligence are top notch, and his attitude on the mound is even more encouraging. He is very confident and competitive, and is a real gamer on the mound. He is able to read into a batters’ swing and adjust to their weakness helps make him one of the best pitching prospects in the game . All this, and he has four quality pitches. Kennedy is a guess-hitters nightmare.
Thanks to Kennedy’s intelligence, control, and attitude-he ironically compares favorably to Mike Mussina. If he has a career even half as good as Moose’s, the Yankees will have one hell of a pitcher on their hands.
http://pinstripespa.blogspot.c.....eport.html
Tim Kurkjian is good though.
From last nights post-
“The Yankees are 13-2 when Johnny Damon starts in left field.”
That is quite the stat. I’d like to see him in the lineup there tonight as well as Giambi. I’m fairly sure the big slugger has pretty good numbers against Josh Beckett though do me a favor and don’t quote me on it. Nonetheless the Lefty should start against the right handed Beckett.
Beckett/Clemens should be an interested matchup tomorrow. I’m really hoping Clemens rebounds from his last outing, he’s got a 2.79 ERA at home compared to his 5+ ERA on the road so I’m fairly confident he will do so. The old guy probably feeds off all the energy at home and it shows.
While many Yankee fans don’t want to hear it, Beckett has really emerged as an ACE for the Red Sox after last years horrid season. 16-5, 3.21 ERA, and great 1.13 WHIP.
Yankee fans shouldn’t be afraid of Beckett though, he’s got an over 8 ERA against the Yankees during his short Red Sox tenure(6 Starts I believe).
Did everyone forget that Andy was in the middle of the go ahead rally?
And to Chris Russo
Also he said Joba was superfluous, hmm did he say that when the Soxs got Gagme? I suspect he was laughing cause he thought that was the nail in our coffin.
And shall we take a look at how his team is doing.
61-72, in last place. 17 games out. His boy Matt Cain who was supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread is 7-13. And Barry Zito who they paid a zillion dollars for and he would cry and scream if the Yankees did is 9-11. LOL Someone should tell Chris to stuff a sock in it. He doesn’t have a voice for radio, which makes me wonder what he did to get the job.
“Damon showed up at spring training out of shape, rushed to prepare himself and then suffered what in hindsight was a predictable series of minor injuries. Sore calf muscles, tweaked hamstrings, balky ankles, etc.”
I’m glad this is becoming the accepted story of what happened to Damon this year. It’s the first thing I thought when he was suddenly sore on Opening Day. I think his “decline” is more that he has to change his offseason workout as he gets older rather than he can’t play anymore. So I’d bet he will improve next year (though maybe still in left).
That said, to me he doesn’t look to have much power at the plate yet, last night’s pop fly HR aside.
Are we having an understatement competition with the “Petite pitched ok” comment? I wanna play.
Mad Dog Russo is slightly unintelligent.
I think I win.
even when i don’t post in a thread, i’m getting bashed in the thread. some of you folks need a hobby. is my opinion really worth that much? shouldn’t be.
come out to the shows and heckle, if you’re that petty. either way, i get your money, so who wins that one?
imagine damon’s season if he’d gone ahead and showed up in shape like most of his teammates. there’s a novel idea.
well, you can’t expect the criteria for a TV analyst to be higher than that for an active GM. So a failed GM is not necessarily underqualified for the analyst gig. But their crew is all terrible. The new people are even worse. And when are they going to ditch the goatees and 4- and 5-button suit jackets? It’s been years with that look.
Giambi should get the start at 1st tonight.
Career versus Beckett:
10 at bats: 4 hits, 2 home runs, 5 walks, and 6 RBI’s. (3 K’s)
Need all the offense we can get tonight. Hopefully Clemens can keep it under 3 runs and we should be in a good position to gain another game in the Wild Card.
Do they Yanks have good pitching matchups against Seattle?
Who listens to the Maddog? he can’t pronounce anyone’s name… despises every New York sporting team, talks about the SF Giants as if they are any good, doesn’t have a football team and talks about tennis whenever he can. I have no idea how this guy has a sports talk show at all
also, let me see if i’m getting this straight: i’m negative about the BASEBALL TEAM you like (not own, not play for, not invest in, but follow. you’re a fan.), so you’re going to come to my show, heckle me personally, and try to disrupt my ability to make a living. i criticize and am negative about your FAVORITE TEAM, so you’re going to attempt to make my JOB harder.
and you wonder why i’m disdainful of most people around here. i’m criticizing the BASEBALL TEAM you’re a fan of. you want to make it even? start posting negative stuff about “the master and margarita.” that’s my favorite novel. love it.
or, hell, post something negative about my music. oh, wait.
gotta love the passion here, but come on. they’re a BASEBALL TEAM. that’s it. it’s not life or death. it’s not, oh, i dunno, your OCCUPATION.
nice post pete. for anyone who didn’t see it linked earlier, here’s olney’s piece today about the “new” yankees:
http://tinyurl.com/39tcg9
one minor thing, kase-dog. you did get a plug about your occupation, your job, etc., on this blog about our favorite team. it’s not like we tracked your IP address or something and used black magic and google to find out your occupation. and you link to your occupation via this website, so you’re kind of opening yourself up to it. not that i agree with it, but it’s to be expected.
kasey…you’re famous, that’s why !…or should I say infamous ? anyone that would REALLY come to one of your shows is a knucklehead to start with, right ? ( JOKE…I am totally joking ! ) Seriously though, if someone did heckle you because of your Yankees Blog opinion ( as much as I personally often disagree with them ) then THAT person is LORD OF THE IDIOTS ! LOL ! Roll with the punches, kasey…if you stick to your guns on your opinions, they will be coming at you in bunches !!! have a great day, Yankees Fan !
kasey…calm down….breathe, relax, no idiot will actually do that, and if they did, just have them taken out back and beaten to a bloody pulp ! LOL !
Giambi is a much more dangerous hitter than Phillips. But the Yankees seems to win when he plays. 31 wins and 16 losses
kasey relax and get over it. its part of the job of playing in front of audiences. get a grip. If you can’t handle it you shouldn’t be playing.
To say that Steve Phillips failed at the major league level is just stupid. He assembled a METS team that went to the World Series that included an starting OF of Derek Bell, Benny Agbayani and Jay Payton. Credit also should go to Bobby V but getting to the WS is a great accomplishment.
I am a huge Yankee fan and I love listening to Mad Dog. At times he is obnoxious but you have to have someone there who isn’t just going to go along with everything the fat man says. I find it entertaining and occasionally he does have some great points.
Thanks for reminding me of Major League II. Rube Baker was the guy that made me laugh! “You mean you want the pitcher to pitch from second base?!?”
Anyone else going to be at the game tonight? I’ve got tickets and I am JOBA’ED! (see: Chamberlain, Joba, reaction after getting J.D. Drew swinging on the 3rd strike for the 3rd out).
BTW I hate Steve Phillips because I disagree with most if not everything he says
I do hope kaseys music is much more upbeat than his postings and feelings on the Yankees.
Mad Dog was praying for a Boston win last night.
He would have had that and the Phillies beating the Mets to kill 5 hours of radio.
“The savior is summoned from the bullpen. As he begins his journey across the outfield grass, the crowd in Yankee Stadium rises to its feet. It’s a murky August day, but with the Yankees trying to haul themselves into contention, it feels like October. The full house is in full throat, and when public address announcer Bob Sheppard introduces the pitcher, the roar gets even louder.
Four infielders and catcher Jorge Posada wait on the mound with Joe Torre, all of them watching the pitcher, because his entrance is always a can’t-miss event. He reaches the apron of the mound, and Alex Rodriguez nods at him. Torre gives him the ball. There are more eyes on the pitcher than on Tiger at the 18th hole of the Masters, and even greater expectations.
Joba Chamberlain
Dave Sandford/Getty Images
Joba Chamberlain has 17 strikeouts and has allowed just four hits in 10 innings pitched thus far for the Yankees.
Mariano Rivera watches from the bullpen as the savior, Joba Chamberlain, warms up for his seventh inning in the big leagues. ”
Nicely done by Buster Olney.
I am!!! Leaving work at 5 heading up town. woo hoo
Chris Russo = congenital idiot.
I think Giambi is hitting really well right now and should be worked into the lineup — he is 4/10 against Beckett with 2 Hrs, 6 bb’s, and an OPS of 1.600
I would let him play first tonight — Phillips against Beckett is not favorable…and I’d rather have Matsui, Damon, Giambi — insert Phillips late for defense
Enough about Russo. The Yankees are gonna sweep this series and make the playoffs no matter what that yankee-hater says.
It’s so convenient to say Damon was out of shape coming into spring training this year but it’s also easily forgotten he had a broken bone in his foot and a bad shoulder at the end of last season. Did everyone forget those little tidbits ? He was recuperating from those injuries so you had to figure he wouldn’t be in his best shape going into spring training.
While age is a factor and his workout is probably different now that he’s getting older, doesn’t mean he didn’t do anything at all to keep himself in any kind of shape in the off season.
Keep on bashing and guessing about him all you want to but the fact is we are a better team with him in the 1 spot than without him. He’s been good in left since he’s been there as well.
Some people just need to bitch about anything they can find. Ridculous.
Kasey –
For what it’s worth, (which is nothing) I’ve found your comments generally insightful and reasonable. From what I’ve seen, I’d rather have a baseball conversation with you than a lot of the people on this board. Your criticism is fair and that of an actual fan – not the knee-jerk overreactions that are too common. I’m very much a Yankee optimist, but I appreciate when people point out worrying trends or stats – that way I know more about the team, and sometimes get more out of watching a game.
I’ve been reading since the off-season, and posted maybe 3-4 times. (Once someone wrote back to me saying “Robert…” as if it was my actual name…so not all fans on here know the yankees and their recent history that well. Granted it could be a real name, so maybe that’s not fair) Anyway – good luck with the album and tour, and enjoy the bizarre attention of being criticized on an internet comment board when you’re not even in the conversation!
Why is Chris Russo on YES? Get that show moved to SNY
Mad Dog doesn’t behave when Mike isn’t there to keep him in line. His biased hatred of the Yanks makes him one of the biggest trolls on radio, although I have to say his dad is a riot.
Gimbi at first not a bad idea…me on the foul pole, I can do that for free
OK, quick question for everyone, and I’ll repost later but I have to leave in 15 min.
I’m going to the game tonight and I am going to wear either a Clemens shirt or a Ruth shirt. Reasons for the Clemens shirt: I’ve worn it to 3 games this year, all have been wins; Clemens is pitching tonight.
reasons for ruth: Babe Ruth, Boston Red Sox, the Curse. I understand it’s defunct, but still, maybe it could summon the Babe’s ghost.
Thoughts, recommendations?
Frits-
Clemens hands down. Lets live in the present, as this is going to be a good season,
Clay Bellinger,
If Steve Phillips was so successful at the major league level, why is Omar Minaya the GM of the Mets and why is Phillips making an a$$ out of himself every night on Baseball Tonight.
Honest to God, I don’t watch Baseball Tonight with biased feelings. I loved watching Gammons and Reynolds discuss EVERY team. I don’t feel the same way about Phillips and Kruk.
And what is with all the constant debate on all ESPN programs now. I feel like PDI and Stephen A$$hole Smith have ignited a bunch of shows where the audience sits and listens to arbitrary arguments that could be discussed as opposed to argued about.
Anyone else feel this way?
Pete,
Mad Dog also went on a 2 hour rant yesterday how there was absolutely no way Mussina gets yanked from the lineup. Further, he concluded that there was no conceivable way Kennedy gets the call up.
That program has become a bit of a freak show of late. The two are capable of meaningful baseball insight, but that primary objective has left them years ago, in favor of unsubstantiated sensationalism. They make pervasive and enduring judgments about players they know little to nothing about designed purely to create a ruckus.
Yesterday Russo had a guy on there who ripped him to shreds armed with a modest amount of facts. It was the most entertaining segment of the entire day.
BJ
Joe is doing the right thing not starting Giambi over Phillips in every game. Giambi will break down quickly if he plays daily. Phillips has done an admirable job at 1st and has done his share of hitting. If you expect him to have Pujolus or Giambi power numbers, it’s your loss. He’s not that type of hitter. He’s done just fine at .290. Could someone hit better ? Sure but he’s also made up for it with his glove and they are winning more with him in the lineup than without him there.
And for all the Betemit fans, just how’s he doing at the plate ? 1-15 ? And he is not yet the 1st baseman Phillips is. Both Phillips and Betemit will be sitting on the bench as soon as Minky gets here if they don’t hit.
Deep down Russo wants them to make the playoffs because it is better radio.
frits clemens…no question, bring extra peanuts for me??
i would not trade damon he is a really good lead off hitter everytime melky get put in the lead off spot seems like he struggles its shows that when damon goes we go
Clay, I agree. I don’t mind listening to Russo because he is an unabashed Yankee hater, however he is realistic. He takes joy in Yankee misfortune, but he admits when they are good and you can tell he is scared that the Yankees are coming back, he has lived through it many many times. Phillips just bashes and predicts doom but never admits that he is a Yankee hater. He pretends to be an objective analyst, that’s the difference and that’s why Phillips is a phony idiot. Russo is honest, I give him props for that.
Wear both. duh.
frits
you should wear the squirrel shirt. Im sure those will start popping out soon enough
You’re out of your mind if you don’t think Phillips has a HUGE axe to grind with the Mets and NY in general.
As long as Damon’s healthy there’s no doubt that we’re better with him in the lineup. He’s swinging much better and he can still cover ground in the outfield. He had a rough patch that was well documented, but when healthy he adds an extra swagger to the club and he plays with a lot of confidence. It’s not an arrogance, just confidence that he knows exactly how to get the job done. That kind of confidence is something that can rub off onto the kids as well.
All those who wanted Damon shipped out are eating crow right now.
Since they are the same group who wanted A-Rod traded, Cano demoted, Vizcaino DFA’d, etc
There mouths are pretty full.
Parker,
Good point. Not only was his 2000 Mets team man-handled by the Yankees, but he was driven out of NY due to poor management skills.
He is a joke and no one takes anything he has to say seriously.
I am surprised that more kudos haven’t been thrown out to Harold Reynolds and Peter Gammons. How easily we forget.
Kasey-
LOL I;m sorry but that isn’t even as bad as going to the Stadium to DO your JOB to the best of your ability and REALLY getting heckled for it. No?
If you are on the radio, newspaper, internet or any where else that you make your ideas and thoughts PUBLIC and then ALLOW for feedback you have to realize that you are going to get people that disagree from you….that’s part of the game. How did someone get on your show and heckle you??
Warning Extreme Viewpoint Follows:
The Yanks are now 7 out of the division race with 30 something to go.
The common company line is there is no way they can get the division. While it is unlikely they can do it, unanimously deciding its over is still a bit premature.
The Yanks can get the division by winning 5/6 of their outings with the Sox. This would effectively cut the 8 game lead in half. Not a small task, but also not out of the realm of possibility.
At 4 games back, the yanks have to pick up one lousy game a week to make the division win a reality.
If the sox continue to play strong, it will be tough to do, but dismissing this possibility completely is still quite premature.
Teams may not have made up 8 games in 4 weeks in september often, but that deficit has been nullified many many times at various points in a season since baseball’s inception.
The Yanks need to get hot now. They did it once before THIS season.
Its easy to dismiss the unlikely as a possibility. These kinds of predictions will usually be right, and the prognosticator is certainly not a genius for offering this sophomoric wisdom. It doesn’t mean that the unlikely is the rule. This season alone is replete with examples of unlikely occurences actually being realized.
The Yanks can still get the division, but they will have to play like a playoff team to do it. Last night was a terrific step in that direction.
BJ
Phillips was there for 6 years and took over a horrible team and had them in the WS after 3. His time was up, the Mets needed to go in a new direction so he moved on. I read that he drafted David Wright too. I don’t think he is great as an anylyst or a GM but I wouldnt call the guy a failure.
I used to love Gammons but I can not stand the constant Red Sox/Billy Beane analysis. Gammons picked Bobby Crosby to win the MVP in 2006. That should say enough about him. Yes that Bobby Crosby, over Vlad, Arod, and Big Papi.
I think Harold reynolds has signed on to work for the new MLB TV channel. I love his work.
steve phillips is the same a$$ who said that when the yankees were 1/2 game out it was to little, to late. This guys sucked on the mets, sucks on tv and sucks just even talking about him on this board. I rather have happy thoughts, like, gee, i dont know, a squirrel maybe?
I couldn’t wear any Yankee gear.
I’m leaving from work, and I didn’t think it was approriate to wear a Yankee T. After all I am already wearing jeans and sneakers. I will however be wearing my yankee hat!
I’m surprised Russo knew the word superfluous.
“And for all the Betemit fans, just how’s he doing at the plate ? 1-15 ?”
Betemit is still useful for what he is. Nobody expected him to continue that torrid offensive production aside from the ‘kill andy philips’ crowd. Further, Betemit has shown he is a tremendous liability with the glove of late.
Fielding is more important than hitting. Its one of the reasons the Sux are still leading the league in terms of raw record.
There simply is no logical reason to bench Andy at this point as he continues field flawlessly at first and contribute with his bat as he did in a timely manner last night.
BJ
Guys I’m actually still on the pole, too afrai…err dont want another squirrel robbing my seat. yea…
migames,
Squirrels it is. That was hilarious. I bet it wishes it was on the Left Field pole so that it would have easier access to that rats nest on Manny’s melon.
Clay, good point on Gammons. I’m not saying he should still be on Baseball tonight because he did lose his marbles to some extent (what is he, like 80 now?), but I do think that the program could have benefitted from better baseball minds than Phillips, Kruk, et al.
jennifer, i love how you say that its not approriate to wear a yankee t at work but being on this blog all day is? If only our bosses knew what we did with our days….
“All those who wanted Damon shipped out are eating crow right now.
Since they are the same group who wanted A-Rod traded, Cano demoted, Vizcaino DFA’d, etc”
One thing I have learned about the crowd that frequents this community is that it tends to be reactionary. It is extremely difficult as a fan to look past rough stretches, even extended ones to realize a diamond quality player still lurks.
The end result is most will crucify any player once he goes into a slump. Heck I even read recent comments stating Jeter should get benched because he is hitting into too many double plays. Unless he is legitimately injured, that guy plays through any kind of slump.
BJ
Ok, the squirrel jokes are getting old.
Larry,
I think the best BBTN lineup they have is Karl Ravech, with some combination of Kurkjian, Olney, and to a lesser extent Jayson Stark. All of the former players they have now are horrible. harold R got the short end of the stick. One thing I will say about Kruk though, he is 100 times better than Tino Martinez was on TV. That was unbearable.
atleast olney is accepting the fact that melky is under-rated and understated..
The Pettitte comment by Chris Russo is part of his schtick. He has to keep at least a slight counterpoint to Mike Francesa, even though Mike is on vacation this week. The long running schtick is Mike pointing out the good things about Pettitte, and Russo saying well I just don’t think he’s as good as you do, and moves on. If someone called and got into the stats with him he’d do it. He goes into detail about other players if someone wants to get into it.
migames LOL SHHHH I’m doing both. I can multi-task.
Big Johnson…I am with ya…although I am holding out hope for the Yankees sweeping Boston both here in NY and in that playground they call Fenway.
“One thing I have learned about the crowd that frequents this community is that it tends to be reactionary…The end result is most will crucify any player once he goes into a slump.”
the very next post:
“Ok, the squirrel jokes are getting old.”
I love this site!
I appreciate the latest offensive outburst from Damon, but haven’t we heard that “he is finnaly healthy” already this season?
“also, let me see if i’m getting this straight: i’m negative about the BASEBALL TEAM you like (not own, not play for, not invest in, but follow. you’re a fan.), so you’re going to come to my show, heckle me personally, and try to disrupt my ability to make a living. i criticize and am negative about your FAVORITE TEAM, so you’re going to attempt to make my JOB harder.
and you wonder why i’m disdainful of most people around here. i’m criticizing the BASEBALL TEAM you’re a fan of. you want to make it even? start posting negative stuff about “the master and margarita.� that’s my favorite novel. love it.
or, hell, post something negative about my music. oh, wait.
gotta love the passion here, but come on. they’re a BASEBALL TEAM. that’s it. it’s not life or death. it’s not, oh, i dunno, your OCCUPATION”.
Kasey,
Relax. I was only joking, I’m not going to heckle you.
I agree with the surprise that Russo knew the word superfluous. I am not sure exactly how Joba could be considered such, has he seen the Yank ‘pen before Joba’s arrival.
Kasey, why no shows down near DC? There is a decent alt-country scene here and I think that your music would be appreciated.
1) taking crap here about my opinions is no problem. i express them here, i expect to catch flack here. entirely different thing to say, “i’m coming out to your shows to boo you because you criticize the yankees.” rebuking my points here should be enough for people. clearly, it’s not.
2) getting heckled because somebody’s drunk or thinks my music sucks is part of the job. having people come to shows and heckle me simply to “get back at me” for criticizing their favorite baseball team – MY favorite baseball team – is beyond childish and beyond asinine.
robert o’kelly. hilarious. thanks for the support. i’ve said this ad nauseum and will continue to do so, there are people on this blog who i really enjoy going back-and-forth with. plenty of them disagree with me. but, those people seem to be the minority. i hadn’t even posted in this thread yet and people were already jumping at the chance to comment on my negativity or whatever else. it’s absurd. is it really that big a deal?
It’s hard to tell which posts are being responded to. My post was in support of Damon coming back stronger next year. I like him, which is something to say about a guy who put the nails in the Yankees’ coffin in 2004. But whatever offseason regimen he did before this year, it was not effective. He still doesn’t look 100% to me, especially power-wise, and seems like a liability in CF when Melky is an option.
Guys, its just baseball, relax. There really is no need to attack Kasey, or anybody else, for that matter.
Except Red Sox fans, of course!!!
Seriously, let’s not eat our own. Just relax and keep the personal attacks down to a minimum.
Kasey is a good dude, loyal reader of the blog, which helps Pete (whom we should be thankful for having this forum available to us), and is as much of a Yankee fan as any of us in this forum.
We reduce the quality of this blog with needless namecalling. Let’s not go that route.
So from what I have read about Russo, he is the equivalent of a cross between Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly. Non factual based blowhard who sees the world in complete darkness (because of where his head is at).
The comments about Joba alone crack me up. Sure the kid is riding a high streak and may come back to earth but so did Verlander and Zumaya last year. Sometimes these things happen in sports and there is actual talent there to support why someone is so dominating.
My guess is that without the free gift of Hanes underwear from Michael Jordan, Russo probably thinks that John Stark was a better guard that Jordan.
I really wish being an idiot was a punishable offense. Can’t the FCC fine him for trying to formulate an opinion that is nothing more than confused plagerism and non based facts done soley to boost ratings. Never a good “Soprano” around when you need work done.
Vince Lara
August 29th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I’m surprised Russo knew the word superfluous.
Word of the day toilet paper. Also gets daily emails from Dictionary.com with new exciting words.
Kasey,
Some of my favorite posters on this forum are from negative and reactionary, yet incredibly insightful personalities.
By responding to the trolls you are only feeding them, guaranteeing them a rise. While I generally consider myself one of the more optimistic fans here, I am interested in discussion with anyone who has something insightful to add including those who I regularly disagree with.
We all know who the meaningful contributors to this forum are, consider yourself one of them.
Don’t feed the trolls.
BJ
“The comments about Joba alone crack me up.”
Yesterday Russo tried to minimize what Joba has done here by citing the fact that the Yanks have only won one game he pitched in. This kind of statement borders on broadcaster malpractice. Clearly his goal is purely to galvanize and sensationalize. Unfortunately this kind of claptrap is devoid of any kind of meaningful insight.
BJ
“Except Red Sox fans, of course!!!”
I think Sux fans are beyond the effort of attacking. They really deserve our pity for being so bad for so long. Winning the division this year will be one more in a long line of historical collapses.
BJ
I’ve been a regular listener of Chris Russo and Mike Francesa for many years and I’ve listened to a lot of other sports talk stations. Certain people get to say, “I just don’t think he was very good,” or “I just think so and so was better,” and the result can be millions of dollars and immortality. I refer to the voting members of the BBWAA whose newspapers still allow them to vote, in particular for Cy Young and MVP. Mike and Chris don’t vote in those awards to my knowledge. Fortunately for baseball fans, New York is one of the few radio markets where you can talk about baseball almost all year.
Kasey:
Good luck on the tour and with the new CD. I’m going to try my best to catch the NYC show – - and cheer. By the way, the NYC venue (Oct 6) has a neat website: http://www.lakesidelounge.com
People: When arguing with someone, attacking the speaker instead of the argument is an ad hominem digression. It does not advance your argument, prove you right or your opponent wrong. But going to your opponent’s place of business and trying to disrupt his work because you are having an argument with him about baseball, well, that’s like stalking.
Sorry, guys, but somebody had to be the one to tell you.
Thanks for the link to the Buster Olney article. A very enjoyable read.
Big Johnson – great point. It’s baseball 162 games. You have to stay even keeled. Weather some storms and ride some hard times out.
damons foot from last year, is likely the reason he wasn’t in to p form. i don’t believe he is stupid or lazy, had to be a reason, likely that. sure he had to rest that foot a great deal.