Today in the Journal News
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Feb 06, 2008 
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Melky Cabrera is thrilled he didn’t get traded. Brian Heyman has the story.
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Meanwhile, new Journal News columnist Sam Borden took in the Giants parade. New York, he writes, is back on top.
Very glad Leché is still with us, too.
Now, deliver, Punk!
Melky will be happy as long as Joe lets him jump up and down in the dugout.
we’re so close to good things again, football season is over but it’s national signing day (UCF got all 18 of their verbals to sign and are waiting on a 4 star guy – sorry i’m excited) and pitchers and catchers are just around the corner!!
Haha, the best part of that article is the Guiliani card.
Way to jump on that bandwaggon Rudy! =]
Joe T: You’re UCF guy? That’s where my brother is. He was in love with Kevin Smith, till he decided to leave early (Smith, that is)…
We just got a copy of the card from Topps and posted it.
NOT A JOKE! (well, it is a joke on Rudy Redsocks, but it’s the REAL card…
http://johnsterling.blogspot.com/
Sam Borden is back?
yes i am Rebecca – finishing up my 4th year
and how can he not love Kevin Smith? everyone should love Kevin lol
the world cannot be a small enough place that i know your brother can it?? lol
I would imagine that it is difficult for players who are involved with some trade talks. Imagine if you are a decent player who gets traded from a team like the Yankees to a team like say, the Royals. That has to take away a good deal of enthusiasm. On the other side is a player who might have been somewhat special to a club to being just a face in the crowd type player.
For some it might be a nice change, different pressure, but for some it has to be tough to take.
I would think that Melky would have done fine in the Twin Cities had it gone that way, but its not the same as being a Yankee.
Heck Joe might get up and jump up and down with him. And he might bump forearms with Shelley!
“For some it might be a nice change, different pressure, but for some it has to be tough to take.”
And, for some, it might actually be a good opportunity, if they’re blocked on their current team, or that team can’t afford to deal with a young player’s struggles while he’s figuring out the league or something.
Whozat, of course that is true, I was thinking mainly of players who are already up in the majors, not strong prospect. I didn’t think of those who are busying trying to learn how to play in the major leagues either.
Those prospects might prefer that the current player in their position gets traded so they have a spot to play in, though.
‘Photoshop’ is a noun AND a verb. The Rudy Red Sox card is obviously a “shopped” joke from someone at Topps.
Rudy may not like it (especially if it was done w/o his permission) but it IS funny.
Briefly going back to one of yesterdays topics – whether the Pats taping other teams is right or wrong.
Most defensive linemen aren’t Rhodes scholars (although there have been) but they and a football team’s coaching staff will still learn what happens after a QB calls out certain signals on the field. Throughout the history of the game that’s what’s happened. Throughout the history of the game, part of being a good coach and a good QB has been mixing up the signals effectively.
Don’t teams (practically all levels, all sports) have scouts sitting in the stands and watching their upcoming opponents, often taping, taking notes and keeping all the info in files and on their computers? Some scouts are better than others but as long as everyone is doing it, that’s about as level a playing field as you can get.
I don’t think the Pats did anything that other teams haven’t been doing all along, and I’m not even a Pats fan. Where to draw the line is so small an issue, it’s a complete waste of time for Washington politicians to get involved.
Jumping back from the comments on the previous post about the empty locker in the new YS. Can you imagine seeing all those deceased players fighting for space in there? Haha. Mickey and Billy pulling pranks on Babe Ruth?
Happy Chinese New Year (Eve)!
My wife is Vietnamese, to-night is the night that the whole family (She has 4 sisters)get together at “The house”. With her family and friends, it is about 100 +/-. Damm, that’s a lot of people.
Back to baseball! Melky Phil, IPK must feel good with ST starting in a few days. The good thing for us is…we can argue about all the trades, or lack thereof, who is in the pen and who is going to start, etc. The next few weeks will be great, now we have something to get our teeth into.
There is always the chance of a trade going down. 27/08.
Didn’t TOPPS Photoshop Bush into the stands on a Jeter card? What a brilliant marketing move. Those funnies add interest and value.
Old Ranger,
Kung Hee Fat Choy! How do they say the Lunar New Year in Vietnam?
I still think the Yankees would have been better off with Cameron. Melky always brings the offense down.
Joe T: If you know a Freshman by the name of Dan Glass…
i guess the world isn’t that small then
Hmm, it would be New Year’s about now in Asia, eh? ~12 hours and more ahead of us in EST
I was looking at pictures at this award cerimony in another thread. Why is Arod bowwing to Christy Yamaguchi? She’s as much of an american as he is.
People will contine to call him a fourth outfielder or a light hitter, but when seeing him play every game allots Melky a certain respect which goes beyond the numbers. This may be the season which dictates what the Yankees and their fans think of Leche, but his value with the veterans appeared last season. A spark isnt always tangible in statlines, but whatever it is, Cabrera has it.
Maybe it is a I”m not worthy thing?
That Giuliani card is pretty hilarious. Click the link for a picture.
Bronx Liason,
I do agree that Melky brings an energy to this team like that beyond his stats. He always seemed to be in the middle of ralleys or throwing someone out on the bases for a rally killer. I think we have enough offense on this team not to have to rely on his bat. If he continues to bat 270-280 range and work counts like he did in 06. I would be more than happy of having him patrolling our outfield. Maybe even moving to right or left next year if the young guys are ready to go and his power numbers rise as i would expect them to.
I’m not sure exactly what about Melky makes him a “spark plug”. He doesn’t have power, didn’t demonstrate very good discipline, doesn’t steal a lot of bases, and hits worst when it matters most. He had an OPS of .741 with the bases empty, .655 with RISP and .582 with RISP and 2 out.
I mostly remember him being a rally killer last year.
Jennifer,
Your probably right. A picture doesnt always tell you the whole story.
Pete,
I’m a Hokie here at Virginia Tech and I was wondering if you knew of or could find any details about the Yankees coming to VT.
Peeking under her skirt?
Melky has time to develop into a better hitter. He’s also a switch hitter, the hitter’s equivalent to a pitching lefty. Adds some value there.
I remember when Melky made that unbelievable catch to steal a Manny Ramirez HR from just over the top of the LF wall.
There’s no way Matsui, Damon or Abreu has a shot at that ball if they’re the LF on that day. Even Damon couldn’t believe Melky could get it. Ramirez couldn’t believe it either.
He looked like he wasn’t ready on his first call up but he played well enough and added a spark his second call up. He established himself as good enough for NY last year, so he would have been plenty good enough in Minnesota. I think everyone realizes he’ll never be like Griffey Jr in his prime, but I’m glad the Melk man’s staying too.
Think back to Jeter … he was never THE ABSOLUTE BEST shortstop in the game at any time (there were always a couple better SS out there – ARod to mention just one) but he’s obviously been an irreplaceable player ever since he put on pinstripes.
And – no no no – I’m not saying Melky’s going to be the next Yanks captain after Jeter, or that he’s the Jeter of the OF. All I’m saying is that he doesn’t have to be the best statistical OF in the game to be where he is now, or to be part of the team’s long term plans.
He’s fun to watch too. I hope he sticks around.
Kyle- You’d be better off emailing Pete. Have you tried contacting your school for information? I know I’ve read that it is only open to students and the are having a lottery to get tickets.
Did everyone read this?
The YES Network will introduce David Cone today as the newest member of the Yankees’ broadcast team.
There the Yankees go again trying to upstage things, (Johan is introduced today!) I’m suprised they didn’t announce it during the last 2 minutes of the Superbowl.
Kyle, check out this link, from RAB yesterday:
http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.....;itemno=72”
“BLACKSBURG, Va., February 5, 2008 — The Virginia Tech athletics department has announced some preliminary plans for the upcoming exhibition baseball game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the New York Yankees, which is scheduled for March 18 at 3 p.m. at English Field.
There will be 3,000 free general admission tickets made available for students. Those tickets will be awarded through an online lottery system similar to how students have obtained football and basketball tickets in the past. General admission seats will be located on the left-field/third-base terraces, and in temporary bleachers that will be brought in along the first-base/right-field areas.
Students enrolled on April 16, 2007, and all current students will be eligible to sign up for the lottery. An e-mail describing the lottery process will be sent to those students on Feb. 25. Sign-up for the lottery will begin on Feb. 25 and will run through Feb. 29. Students who are selected to receive tickets will be notified by e-mail on March 10, and pick-up dates for the tickets will be March 13 and 14.
In addition, 1,000 free general admission tickets will be available for full-time faculty and staff. Faculty/staff will have its own separate lottery, which will follow the same time frame as the students’ schedule.
The remaining tickets to the game will be distributed to individuals and groups who were affected by the events of April 16, 2007. No tickets will be available to the general public.
For those not fortunate enough to be awarded a ticket, plans are in the works for the game to be televised and broadcast throughout Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region, pending clearance.
A valid Virginia Tech ID will be required at the admission gate for all general admission ticket entrees, and no re-entry to the field will be allowed.
Additional information on the event will be released at a later date.”
Doesnt Melky have better or just as good of numbers as Bernie had at his age? Again,if he reverts back to 06(patience), he will be fine.
Ranting, that was actually two years ago. And Manny Ramirez has robbed home runs in Yankee Stadium as well, so I wouldn’t say it means much about his fielding.
He’s fun to watch, I can give you. But the idea that he somehow outperformed his numbers last year just doesn’t appear to be the case. He wasn’t much of a spark plug with the bat, he hit badly leading off, close and late, and with RISP. He’s not really a home run or stolen base threat either.
The numbers were what they were. He was an average or below average offensive player, and that’s when you compare him to other CF who play a weak offensive position. Can he improve? Sure, he’s still young. But the fact of the matter is that he wasn’t very good last year.
…Why can’t they come play up here at Syracuse?
Or did they do that in 1988 and I just not know because I was only two at the time?
Rebecca? Are you talking the Yankees? The Yankees are only doing it as a gift to Virginia Tech for what they went thru last year. They normally don’t play college teams.
“There’s no way Matsui, Damon or Abreu has a shot at that ball if they’re the LF on that day. Even Damon couldn’t believe Melky could get it. Ramirez couldn’t believe it either.”
i was at this game, and i have to say it was one of my favorite moments of the season.
that said (and the only reason i say this is because i had this as my wallpaper for several months), look at the picture of “the catch”. Damon is only about 5 feet from Melky. and he came all the way from CF.
if Damon was in LF, i think he would have got there as well.
i don’t want to take anything away from Melky, because i LOVED the play, but i also LOVED the fact that the Yankees had TWO OFers capable of making such a play after 3 years of watching Bernie patrol CF in a wheelchair.
here is a good picture:
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepa.....nks.1.html
Kind of an odd sight on YES this afternoon. Mike and Chris are on location at Shea and so the Yohan Santan press conference is being boradcast live on YES.
fran that is awful!!
I’m sure I’ll get a phone call about that from my uncle. He is a die hard Met fan.
Jennifer – I was quite surprised. I’m sure that the Steinbrenner family is thrilled!
“Doesnt Melky have better or just as good of numbers as Bernie had at his age?”
Their numbers at the same age are comparable, yes. However, Bernie had a MUCH different frame and much different swing that used his lower body more and was much more projectable for power.
Yes, if Melky’s plate approach resembles his 06 more than his 07, he should perform better this year than last. But I don’t think he’ll ever be much of a power threat.
hmmm(like the *),
That was an unbelievable catch. I do agree that Damon could have made it if he were in left. The thing i notice in that picture is how pudgy Melky looks. He is much slimmer now than he was then. Hopefully that will transpire to more stolen bases and getting to more balls. Dont forget he’s one of our best bunters on the team. With Girardi at the helm, he might be more valuable than last year.
Heat trade Shaq to the Suns? Anybody see this?
Question,
Assuming we got Arod via free agency years ago,instead of a trade. Who would you want to be your second baseman? Cano or Soriano? One obviously is better defensively/avg.and the other has more power and speed.
In other news, Nolan Ryan to become President of the Rangers.
And Eric Bedard is still an Oriole. Do you want Bedard out of the division, but making the Mariners a viable WC threat? Or would you rather face him more times in the division on a non-contender? (he also helps if he beats the Sox)
Melky will be one of Kevin Long’s special projects this spring. It’s time for Melky to emerge as a hitter.
Why trade THE MATRIX for a broken down Shaq? Bad trade imo for Pheonix.
“Why trade THE MATRIX for a broken down Shaq? Bad trade imo for Pheonix.”
This trade might not be as bad as you think on first glance. In the playoffs you need more of a half court game and Shaq immediately gives them that threat. I could see them doing a similar thing to what the Spurs did with Duncan/Robinson. You have Shaq playing the high post since he’s such a good passer, and you have Amare playing the low post since he’s dynamic around the paint.
Shaq will also be motivated since he hates the Lakers.
On the Miami side they should get better quickly next year. They’ll probably draft the best point guard available in the draft and they’ll be able to run like the showtime Lakers. Good Times!
raymagnetic,
Your assuming that Shaq can stay healthy. Which he hasnt done all year long. It also slows down the Suns and cloggs up the middle for Nash to penitrate. Im a Spurs fan, so im happy they pulled this off.
“Cano or Soriano? One obviously is better defensively/avg.and the other has more power and speed.”
i would have to go with Cano.
Soriano is a better offensive player, no doubt. but he really was atrocious on defense. about as bad as it gets.
one interesting thing to note though is that he has turned into a very good LFer. which is to his credit, since he was very reluctant to vacate 2B.
still, Soriano is 32 and Robbie is 25. that makes the decision a bit easier as well.
I guess the question to ask yourself is if his offense makes up for any defensive flaws that he might make. I have to go with Soriano’s offensive talent. Tough call though.
Whitey – thanks for posting the info on the Topps card.
I’ll be hitting the stands for these coming out this week as it is.
mel – yes, they do add some fun and value to the cards, but as a collector, I’m a little torn because they lampoon things without having a correct version available (until later in the year, when they usually print a “correction” that you have to hunt down). As long as they release a corrected version that is easy to get, I think the spoofs are fun. As for the Jeter card w/Bush and Mantle in it, here’s a link (along with “Poley Walnuts” and a Joba Chamberlain “mistake”): http://www.clubbronx.com/weblog_entry.php?e=4
It’s good to have Sam back, I enjoyed his old Yankees blog. He really seemed like a good guy. I hope he does well.
The payment situation is also conducive to spending more than you’d planned, because rather than seeing what you’ve bought all in one cart and, at the last minute, removing that one container of berries or piece of cheese that would really put things over the top, it’s only at the end of the trip, when you compare how much money you had on you with how much you’ve spent, that you get your total ‘receipt’ for the day. ,