1. Miguel Cairo- SS
2. Andy Phillips- 1B
3. Clay Bellinger- 3B
4. Bubba Crosby- CF
5. Kevin Thompson- RF
6. Sal Fasano- C
7. Homer Bush- 2B
8. Melky Cabrera- LF
9. Luis Sojo- DH

absolutely. which is why i object to Pete’s characterization of the Phelps supporters as being some group of delusional morons who think Phelps is Albert Pujols.

no one thought that. but he was a good right handed bat, and Torre should have given him more ABs. that’s really all anyone was saying.

and after Giambi went down, Phelps wouldn’t have been a bad DH option against LHP. but Torre wouldn’t play him and then Torre told Cashman he didn’t want Morgan Ensberg either, so we could have Andy Phillips. it was absurd.

this was in the star ledger in July:

“And there are also many in the organization who worry that manager Joe Torre could stand in the way of the improvements they try to make. Torre was opposed to the team’s efforts to acquire outfielder Milton Bradley when the A’s put him on waivers, and he opposed a possible deal for Houston infielder Morgan Ensberg. “

He doesn’t belong on a major league roster, which is why every time the Yankees DFA him nobody touches him. In the major leagues you can’t have a 1B who hits worse than a shortstop or catcher.

Everytime this guy is waived we hear about how much of a class act he was when he packed up his locker and how he tipped the clubhouse attendant 10 bucks.

I don’t care about how nice any player is. I want to see a guy rake. I don’t care if ARod steals an 8 year old’s lunch money, as long as he hits 40 HRs a year.

Maybe i’m overreacting cause those plays stick in my mind the most, but that was my biggest memory of Phelps. Guy that couldn’t catch anything in the dirt.

thanks for the link!

Andy Phillips couldn’t hold Josh Phelps’ jockstrap. Phelps probably would have started hitting for the yankees if Torre had actually played him regularly. the guy can hit. the yankees could STILL use him as a right handed bat off the bench. Phelps has a better track record than Shelley Duncan, although i like Duncan too.

i can’t tell you how happy i am to see a manager here who is going to play guys based on performance on not by who are his favorites.

but hey, Andy Phillips was a nice guy. so everyone pretended that he was actually a major leaguer for a year. that how far being nice to the press can get you.

whatever. the Phelps’ bashing is ridiculous and is based on the biggest strawman ever: the people that wanted him to play more NEVER THOUGHT HE WAS AN ALL-STAR. so stop implying that they thought that. all they thought was that he could make one good half of a platoon. that’s all.

it’s so obvious that you never forgave him for making the team over everyone’s favorite son Andy Phillips in spring training, and everyone held that against him.

i am so tired of this argument, yet Pete feels the need to just keep bringing it up over and over even though he KNOWS it pisses people off. i don’t get it.

But if I told you that tomorrow you’d be the GM of the Yankees for 3 years, wouldn’t you be like a ray of sunshine around everyone since you just got a job that you weren’t qualified for?

Buster didn’t say that Detroit is the best team in the AL. He said they improved and could challenge other teams, but also added that he thinks the Indians are the solid leader in the central because of pitching. Phillips on the other hand cut Buster off and said that Detroit is now the BEST team in the AL, but we all know how credible Steve is.

They did both say that Detroit does have a powerful lineup that could rival any in baseball which is true. Alot of it will depend on how healthy Sheffield is and stays as well as how J Jones adapts to that pitchers park. Pudge is on the decline but still a formidle hitter.

I am not a big fan of Willis and think he will struggle in the AL just as he has in the NL the past few years. It seems alot of his succes, much like Hideo Nomo, was in the deception in his delivery. So, he could have some success early, but I wouldn’t expect it to hold up long term. There was also talk they could spin him off in a seperate trade, perhaps for bullpen help. The Mets have always been interested.