Today in The Journal News
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- February
- 17
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Innings limits? Ian Kennedy don’t want no stinkin’ innings limits.
The Yankees haven’t given up on Kei Igawa. Good luck with all that. This notebook also has information on other things I can’t remember at the moment because I’m so tired.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, February 17th, 2008 at 9:07 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
PETE,
I’d like to get you honest feelings on how you think the following players will perform this year?
I’m a big believer in the “contract” and/or “bounce back” year myself, but not obsessed with it.
That being said, I see:
Mussina having a solid year and maybe coming up with a big performance in a spot or 2 to win a pivotal game. He’ll hold his own and do a solid job for someone of his age/makeup and not be a liability. He dos want to win a WS to boot at this point.
Farnsworth will be a pleasant surprise. I don’t see dominance out of him, but he’ll be a useful reliever that we can count on to get some outs. Sure he’ll give up some games (who doesn’t). But I think the boo birds won’t have too much to complain about this year.
Giambi could be a really big boost (barring injuries) and more consistent depending on hid playing time. I see good quality things from him this year with something to prove and the desire to win a championship in NY finally.
Igawa will be useful. Spot start, long relief. Will he be worth all the $$$ they spent? Probably not, but that aside I think he’ll have a useful role and won’t be a liability this time around.
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Do I sound a bit Pollyana about all of them? Yes. Simple fact that players who had some success generally tend to find it again and barring any health issues & desire to play for a new contract or feel there time is running out on a title, is a huge motivator. Alot of this is just my “gut feeling” as well.
And the last time Joe Giardi came to town and replaced a fan favorite good things happened
What’re the odds that Iggy makes a regular season appearance this year, let alone cracks the rotation? 100 to 1?
Iron Mike, one heck of a way to project Moose’s history in baseball. He is; not a big guy, he gets tired, he shows up, he pitches good/very good, been doing it for 17 years. One bad 1/2 a year, all of a sudden he is washed up? The man came back from injury (like Phil) and one expects him to pitch as before the injury? Not going to happen people! Phil had it happen to him last year, remember? Some of you got on him, saying he wasn’t as advertised…fastball 90/92.
One must remember; Phil is 20ish, Iron Mike is 38ish, big bounce back difference. Before we lay Moose to rest, let’s see if he is dead. 27/08.
I think a lot of Mike’s problems last year were his hamstring wasn’t right, and don’t quote me on this, but I believe I read he had some back issues. So as long as he is healthy I believe he will have a bounce back year.
I have to roll my eyes at Girardi’s quote about Igawa…something about day is night and night is day and he had to make different food adjustments…what is he, a baby? Sounds exactly like the way my sister talked when she flew from CA with her 2-yr-old to come visit me. Igawa is an adult professional and supposed to be a major league pitcher for god’s sake!
Okay Dee lets throw you in Japan and see how you handle it. Different language, different foods etc. Joe is right. You think just because he is a baseball player means he is different? Is he a robot? Give me a break.
Mussina is emerging as a mentor to Kennedy and Hughes. Kennedy was assigned the locker next to……Messina…….in a corner of the clubhouse at Legends Field. Hughes was moved into that corner yesterday at Mussina’s request.
Messina? Of the Loggins and Messina fame??
I love your blog Pete, but it’s spelled Allison JASKOWIAK…
Jennifer –
It’s funny you said that, because I actually have had to move to Asia for work before coming back to the US 2 years ago. My first night in Shanghai was insane, I was jet-lagged for close to a week, and yes the food was very different (no they don’t really eat dogs everywhere but it was still an adjustment). But I toughed it out, as did most other expats I know. We did it not because we were “robots” as you said, but we knew the challenge going in and didn’t use the relocation as an excuse for not performing what we signed up for.
Igawa knew what he signed up for (MLB starting pitcher, New York City, a Yankee, tons of pressure and expectation). And he got paid MILLIONS for it. In today’s world, he is FAR from the first person to ever have to adjust to a different culture to perform a job. A year later, little to show for, I think it’s a little lenient to blame time difference and food adjustments don’t you think??
Dee…
When you moved to Shanghai, did you have to try and pitch to major league hitters? Nuff said. 27/08.
Old Ranger,
No I haven’t pitched in the majors. But I didn’t sign up for the MLB, Igawa did. He’s not the first foreign player to ever move to the US to play. CMW moved here too and did well, he wasn’t making millions (until now) and I’m sure he had to deal with time zone, language and food adjustment issues too. How about Melky, Robbie, Mo and a long list of other Yankees and MLB players who have adjusted and performed?
And we don’t need to look to imported players for examples. There are plenty of “domestic” players who rose above difficult situations to perform because they know that’s what it takes for the big league. You don’t see Joba using his childhood circumstances or that fact that he became a dad last year as excuses to not perform.
Old Ranger, haven’t you ever had an opinion about any major MLB pitcher before? Or do you always censor yourself because you have never pitched in the majors…I bet not!
Dee…
Sorry, I never had the chance to pitch, play football or anything else in the big show(only collage). I was busy making sure you and others could do whatever you wanted…1961/1964, 1966/1969 in a place called V.N. 28/08.
Old Ranger,
This is silly. I respect that you served our country, and I’m definitely not here to pick a fight. But I don’t understand why your service has anything to do with whether I am allowed to have the opinion that Igawa should have pitched better for the Yanks last year. Please read my posts, my point was and still is, relocation to the States and time/food adjustments were not good enough excuses to justify his bad performance. Now how does that have anything to do with whether I can pitch in the majors, or where you were in 1961?
I am signing off this silly post. I appreciate what Pete is doing on this blog – but I don’t believe he meant for this to be a forum for people to take out their angst completely unrelated to baseball on other posters.