Joe Girardi audio from today
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Podcast on Feb 25, 2008 
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Here is Joe Girardi’s post-practice press conference:
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A couple of other little tidbits picked up from today:
* Andy Pettitte received a loud cheer from the crowd after he was finished throwing BP today. He’ll get a standing ovation at the Stadium after his first start. HGH? What HGH?
* Kei Igawa still wears his sunglasses on the mound during the day.
* George Steinbrenner, Hank Steinbrenner and Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal were all eating lunch today at Max’s Cafe. George’s other daughter, Jessica, was there for a while as well. I don’t think they had to pay $5 like everybody else. Hammerin’ Hank shook hands with all the writers. We love Hank, needless to say.
* Mike Mussina, Mr. Stanford, had a John Deere t-shirt on today.
George has two daughters named Jessica? Kidding. Must be a typo.
You need to watch YES, Pete. Mussina has a huge tractor collection (to go along with his huge car collection).
Moose has the best tshirts. I love his Bad News Bears one.
Pete was that you that woooo’d after Joe said Hawkins
Jay: Fixed that, it’s Jennifer and Jessica. and I only watch YES when Kim Jones is on.
Igawa still wearing sunglasses now I thought that would change with being in the states for a year already.
Wait, so Mussina’s into interior decorating and landscaping? Someone’s gotta get him a lifetime subscription to Home + Garden.
Pete, I’m on my cell and I can’t send you an email with my questions for Phil. Do you have another way to get questions?
Whatevered, you can also post questions at Phil’s blog.
Any stupid comments from Hank in the past 5 minutes?
What the heck happened at 8:50 in that audio?? Haha.
Phil’s blog is not on mobile like Pete’s. I can’t post there unless I have a computer or maybe a better phone.
You can take the pitcher out of Pennsylvania, but you can’t take Pennsylvania out of the pitcher.
Action, Nunez, Cervelli and Brett got some praises from Joe today, Pete we need more updates what stood out w/ Jackson and Nunez today
You can’t just post something like that, what happened to the audio? I can’t listen till tonight.
Jennifer, I have no idea, haha. It sounded like one guy screamed like a girl, then another guy screamed like a girl, and Girardi said “got me”, and the reporters started laughing.
Haha at around 1:04 somebody cheers when Joe says “Hawkins was there with them”
I found that funny.
If only Phil would have thrown a little worse. I guess he will actually have a great year. I hope he doesn’t get injured.
Continuing something from the last thread………
I really hope Brackman turns out to be a stud. But giving him a major league contract out of the draft when he needed TJ was INSANE. He’s already going to burn an option while taking up a 40-man spot in ST (I think he may also start his service time clock early). He’ll do the same next year. 40-man spots will start to get very tight next year if our prospects continue on their current track.
Doesn’t anyone watch Yankees magazine on YES???? Mike Mussina collects plows, farm vehicles, whatever you call them. He has Deere and another kind, too. Vintage. Old. Antique. Whatever you call them. And you call yourself Yankees fans!
Kids On Deck also did a feature with Mike Mussina shopping for vintage t-shirts, etc. He even donned a mullet (spelling?) wig for the show.
See, this is the side of Mike Mussina no one knows, and one of the reasons I’ve always liked him.
Me too DMan. That was totally random.
Heh. And I thought collecting swords was out there.
Moose’s tractor collection that he showed off on Yankees Hot Stove a few weeks ago creeped me out a bit.
He lives in the next town over from my girlfriend’s hometown and apparently does a lot for the community over there.
Unfortunately, my girlfriend’s only experience with him was when she was a young girl and he wasn’t very friendly. Therefore, she isn’t too big of a fan. I, however, have never met him, so I am holding out hope that he is a good guy.
Anyway, I digress. Moose collects tractors. True story.
Pete…how about letting the whole Andy HGH thing go ?..Ya Know, you could have just reported that he got a good round of applause without taking a shot…..( I know, but what fun would THAT be ? right Pete ? )….then you DON’T Take a shot at Igawa and his stupid sunglasses ?…come on now !
I saw Moose’s tractor collection on YES…too funny..what a boring guy, LOL.
Pete,
1. Did Girardi actually rub his hands?
2. Have you achieved a certain status as the Grand Poobah where you ask the first and last questions?
Moose is a great guy, but his sarcasm gets him into trouble sometimes. He also does have a tendency to make excuses. Even the biggest Mussina fan can admit that.
Hopefully Michael Kay can let his Moose grudge go already, it’s really gotten old.
“He’s already going to burn an option while taking up a 40-man spot in ST (I think he may also start his service time clock early). He’ll do the same next year. ”
he won’t be starting his service time. you can only earn major league service time being on the major league roster.
he has 4 option years. he’ll use one this year to rehab. he’s already had the surgery and is throwing. this year will be his first option year.
after this, he has 2009, 2010, and 2011.
by 2012 he needs to be with the team in the majors.
if Brackman, who will be 26 in 2012, is not ready by them, then he will probably be a bust anyway.
the major league contract was a little bit of a risk, but it’s been a bit overblown. he’ll be moved to the 60 day DL as soon as he can and that will clear his spot on the 40 man during the season.
Giving Brackman a ML contract was dum, as the yank knew that he needs TJ surgery, still don’t get it. (guess he’s got a good agent someoned named BORAS)
Alot of little tidbits on Mussina this season, huh?
“I really hope Brackman turns out to be a stud. But giving him a major league contract out of the draft when he needed TJ was INSANE.”
Not sure if its insane, but it is highly problematic. I think the underlying issue is a larger one involving the yankees and their 40 man roster.
They have so much talent in terms of depth they will almost invariably wind up losing a valuable player to the rule V draft over the next couple of years.
Having Brackman (and Miranda) on the 40 man doesn’t make matters easier. During the season they can put Brackman on the 60 day DL and take him off the 40 man but if they put him on the DL his service time starts, I believe. Also, in the off season he can’t stay on the 60 day DL. He has to be on the 40 man.
This year a guy like Christian Garcia will be eligible for the rule V draft. Now I highly doubt anyone would take him given how far away he is, but the idea of having to leave an arm with that much potential off the 40 man roster at all is concerning.
Ultimately, I think the major league contract will only hurt Brackman. With a guy who has that kind of talent and is injured the key thing is to make sure you develop. If Brackman stays healthy and develops there’s no question he’ll be a major league player. It’s a question of getting his devlopment right.
Forcing him onto the 40 man just to use up his options and getting him onto the 25 man roster as soon as possible (or forcing him to get cut) doesn’t seem like a benefit to a guy with a bad elbow. The yankees negotiated a few options into his deal, but overall Boras’s only concern seemed to be to get the clock moving to set up Brackman’s free agent years.
I think that was short sighted on his part. The yankees have more experience developing high end arms with TJ surgery than any other organization. Brackman should feel lucky to be with the yankees. Signing a contract that could in someways box the yankees into making a decision that isn’t in Brackman’s best interest in terms of development doesn’t seem to me to be a good thing for either side of the deal.
How Boras got a major league deal from Cash with no leverage whatsoever for Brackman – I have no idea.
When Brackman is healthy, he is a force.
My nephew plays in the ACC and faced him last year. He said the guy was nasty. He’s so big, it feels like he is throwing right in front of your face.
His fastball/curveball combination is very, very tough.
He’s also a very hard worker. Really into conditioning. That’s important because he is a very big kid.
He’s first or second pick of the draft level talent. If he makes it back from TJ Surgery, the Yankees have themselves a #1-type starter. He is that good.
Kennedy, Hughes, Joba, Melancon, Sanchez and Brackman. That’s six kids who could comprise half the pitching staff as early as mid-season 2009. That’s pretty impressive.
Is Tabata healthy?
It wasn’t dumb because other teams were going to do it. Its the price you pay for getting a kid of his talent that late in the first round.
He isn’t affecting anyone of consequence being on the 40 man roster. All it really does is accelerate his development.
In a way, that’s a good thing. As Hmmm pointed out, if he isn’t in the bigs by 26, its not going to work out for him.
I don’t see that being an issue. If healthy, he is an elite pitching prospect.
At least we know that Brackman take a charge while on the mound.
Doreen – I’d watch YES if I could. Not available in Virginia. I try to get my fix whenever I visit family back north.
The other kind he has might be an International (if they’re red, that’s what they are). No, I’m not a tractor fan myself but yes, I actually know someone who does tractor pulls. Oy.
“George Steinbrenner, Hank Steinbrenner and Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal were all eating lunch today at Max’s Cafe.”
Sounds like the start of a joke.
SJ: That rotation gives you chills, doesn’t it, if it pans out?
There’s a lot of risk involved, that goes without saying, but the biggest risk, the worst thing the Yankees could do would be to take none.
Another little update; Sams liver enzymes were up which indictes an infection or inflamation of his liver. She doesn’t think it is a tumor. So as long as he continues to improve he should be in the clear.
becca, your so hot…i am going to ask you to marry me at the stadium this summer
“This year a guy like Christian Garcia will be eligible for the rule V draft. Now I highly doubt anyone would take him given how far away he is, but the idea of having to leave an arm with that much potential off the 40 man roster at all is concerning.”
That’s not going to happen. Pavano will be leaving the 40-man next year, Moose will, and some guys like Chase Wright and Steve White will show themselves to be useless. We’ll trade high on some of the righty bullpen candidates, and it’ll be just fine.
“How Boras got a major league deal from Cash with no leverage whatsoever for Brackman – I have no idea.”
he did have leverage. He could have refused to sign. It happens plenty. They talk before the draft, you know. That’s how teams find out a guy is a “signability concern”.
Rebecca- I totally agree with you. What a refreshing change to see the Yanks taking the (relatively inexpensive) risk with young arms rather than relying on more-and-more expensive free agents. This could be the beginnings of something great. What an exciting season this can turn out to be!
Jenn: Wishing you the best of luck with Sam!
“if Brackman, who will be 26 in 2012, is not ready by them, then he will probably be a bust anyway.”
I’m not so sure about that. Brackman has a world of talent but has very little baseball experience and also has the elbow. He only threw 76 innings total in college because of basketball and the injury.
That’s not a lot of innings against college competition as it stands. He also split time in high school beteween baseball and basketball.
I know he’s very athletic but at 6’11 I’d guess he has a substantial amount of work to do on his mechanics. He also didn’t work on a third pitch that much. His change up was a work in progress.
He’s not going to face real competition until 2009 – he’ll be 24 at that time (Brackman turns 23 in march I think).
Will the three option years be enough for him in the minors? I’d guess they will but it really gives him and the yankees limited flexibility before they need to put him on the 25 man.
Look at Horne. He had TJ in 2003. It wasn’t until four years later that he finally got back into shape – and even now his command may not be fully back. Horne was a very polished pitcher coming out of high school. He doesn’t anywhere near the talent of Brackman – but he had more polish and isnt’ 6’11.
Given Brackman’s injury, size, and limited experience it would not be that unlikely for him to need 4 or 5 years in the minors. That would be very disappointing and is a near worst case scenario, but its possible.
I don’t think that will be the case, but I don’t think you can rule it out because of the extenuating factors.
The talent is unquestionable and I think he’ll move fast. But I don’t think forcing the issue with him being on the 25 man by 2012 is going to help his development.
Say Brackman in 2012 is where Horne is now or a little behind. Sure they’ll put him on the 25 man roster and bring him up but that’s probably not the best solution. It just doesn’t help in case Brackman needs more time.
Jennifer – I’ve been off comments for a few days, so I’m not sure who you are referring to, but hope gets better soon!
“How Boras got a major league deal from Cash with no leverage whatsoever for Brackman – I have no idea”
i agree that the major league contract is not ideal.
but one thing we are forgetting is that Brackman did have some leverage: his leverage is that the Yankees REALLY WANTED to sign him.
apparently they are VERY high on him. whether they are right or wrong, i don’t know. time will tell i guess.
but the Yankees weren’t willing to just let him go unsigned. they were not willing to not sign him.
when you want something that badly, you give up leverage.
now, i understand your argument that b/c Brackman’s elbow was hurt, he would have been crazy to not sign with the Yankees. but i don’t think it was 100% determined that he needed TJS at the time of the draft. i thought they were saying he might just need rest or whatever.
whatever the case may be, i agree that it was less than ideal. but for whatever reason, the Yankees HAD to have this guy. if their scouts are correct, in 2-3 years no one is going to care that the Yankees lost TJ Beam b/c Brackman was taking his roster spot.
how did you know?
I still don’t see the benefit of signing the ML deal for either side really. Paying the big money, I get, but you could have done that without the ML deal. Far too big a risk now in this affecting his development, IMO. Sure, it might get him to FA earlier than another deal would have. But, what does that matter if his development is thrown off trying to make up for the ML deal. Normal development and progression would have allowed him to get paid just fine.
Lori
It is my bird, he has been sick for the last two days. Thanks for the well wishes.
Jennifer – you have one lucky bird to have such a dedicated owner!
18 year old catchers. Wow. That’s young.
“Say Brackman in 2012 is where Horne is now or a little behind. Sure they’ll put him on the 25 man roster and bring him up but that’s probably not the best solution. It just doesn’t help in case Brackman needs more time.”
all of what you are saying is very reasonable.
but you also have to look at it like this:
if Brackman were willing to take a regular contract for
less money, is he still available at #30 for the Yankees to pick him??
it’s a chicken and an egg thing.
THis is no place to discuss the liver of a bird…find a new place to air out your problems…
Mel: I happened to ask the first question because some people were late getting in the room and I had a question.
Don Vito: I think you may be too sensitive for this blog. Try and toughen up a little.
There were 3 elite pitching talents in the last year’s draft. David Price, Rick Porcello and Brackman.
If the Yankees didn’t give him what he wanted, the Red Sox, Tigers and Mets would have done it in a heartbeat in the next round.
There was some talk that even the Phillies or Brackman’s hometown Cincinnati Reds would have taken a shot with him in the second round.
Its just one of those deals where you are in the draft room, and you see either Porcello (whom the Yankees also loved) or Brackman are going to fall to you. You know what its going to take to sign him and you have to make the call…..up or down.
From the Yankees perspective, its really a no brainer. They get to oversee his rehab, they have him under control financially for years and its another elite arm stockpiled in the organization.
The strange (in a good way) thing about Brackman is, despite his size, he doesn’t have mechanical issues. His windup isn’t herky jerky. Its actually very smooth and doesn’t need a lot of work. Over the top, great finish. The windup of a guy much smaller than 6-10.
What he needs are innings. That’s where he is light on the development scale.
Once they can build his innings, its going to be exciting to see how fast he can come through the system.
“That’s not going to happen. Pavano will be leaving the 40-man next year, Moose will, and some guys like Chase Wright and Steve White will show themselves to be useless. We’ll trade high on some of the righty bullpen candidates, and it’ll be just fine.”
Look at the Yankee drafts from 2004, 2005, and 2006 and the international signings over that time.
Sure a number of guys are going to come off the 40 man with Pavano, Moose, Giambi,etc.
But there are going to be more younger players to fill their gaps over the next several years than there are spots. Their depth of talent while a great luxury to have will create issues on their 40 man roster over the next 2-3 years.
Do I think they’ll lose any high value prospects? No I don’t. But they will wind up leaving talented guys they would rather protect exposed.
Most of those guys exposed will be pitchers and I think teams will take a chance of some of those pitching prospects.
This year from the 2004 draft Brett Smith, Jason Jones, Jesse Hoover and Christian Garcia will all be rule 5 eligible. Marcos Vechionacci will also be elligible. None of these guys are blue chip prospects but I’m sure the team would prefer to protect guys like Garcia and Vech rather than leaving them exposed.
They have a lot of talent in the minors with much of it coming from guys they signed at the age of 16 internationally.
That will create 40 man roster issues.
Pete, I know you’re not a gossip columnist. HeeHee. But is the divorce not final? I’d drop the name Swindal the second it was legal to do so.
O/T, but there’s a Daniel Girardi (born in Canada) that plays for the NY Rangers. I bet he’ll get a lot of “Related to Joe Girardi?” questions.
We heard how well Hughes threw today in BP, but how did Pettitte, Bruney, Igawa and Britton look? How is Bruney’s velocity now that he’s lost so much weight? Was Igawa throwing strikes for a change?
I used to collect tractors. Its a really tough hobby to keep when you don’t have a farm or any use for farm equipment.
Pete,
Thanks for the reply. Was just teasing because the moderator made a big deal at Andy’s presser.
I know your voice and Mark’s. I assume the female voice was Kat O’Brien? You’ll have to give us a primer. lol.
From what little I’ve read about TJ surgery, some of the success rates are due to the rehab itself. If what SJ44 says is true (and of course I don’t doubt it
), and Brackman is a hard worker, then I would think it’s a risk worth taking. And like he said, the Yankees get to oversee the rehab.
mel: Wouldn’t surprise me. I mean, Paul O’Neill’s related to Mark Twain, right? Anything’s possible!
Fernando,
Matchbox had some great ones!
“But they will wind up leaving talented guys they would rather protect exposed.”
Then they’ll have to be proactive with trading some guys.
My point is that there are still a number of guys on there that are fringey enough that you wouldn’t be terribly upset if you had to move them.
Yes, giving Brackman and Miranda major league deals was suboptimal. But, the other choice was to not get them at all. So, you roll the dice.
“but one thing we are forgetting is that Brackman did have some leverage: his leverage is that the Yankees REALLY WANTED to sign him.”
I agree. That’s what I was trying to imply before. Brackman didn’t have leverage because of basketball – he wasn’t very good and had already given the sport up to play baseball only his junior year. He also couldn’t really go back for his senior season with a bad elbow.
So in the end the yankees gave him what he wanted because they thought the world of him.
I was very happy when the took him. Once Porcello went off the board there was no doubt that they had to take Brackman. So my comments aren’t knocks on Brackman in any way.
It’s just an interesting part of baseball. I do think it will lead to some issues down the line. If nothing else it sets a precedent – the Yankees were known for not budging on major league contracts for drafted players. They never do that.
Again, this just speaks to how enamored they were with Brackman.
I hope he does move quickly. The idea of a healthy Brackman in the same rotation with Joba and Phil is something else. Imagine that three game series for the opposition on over a cold weekend in September with the AL East on the line!!
I’m still not buying the Brackman having enough leverage to demand a ML deal thing. You’re telling me if the Yanks offered the same money, but without a ML deal, he would have gone back to the draft? I just don’t see it. No freaking way he does that.
For instance, if Horne is having a good year, consider packaging him and Britton or someone like that to the Rangers for one of their intriguing young catchers, or find someone who has an elite AA/AAA SS who’s blocked and flip a pair of young pitchers for that kid, and then move Jeter to 1B in a year.
Mel,
Eventually that’s what my hobby degraded into, and I just felt strange as a grown man walking into toy stores looking for play tractors.
Whozat,
Jeter will not go to first, and any other position switch is still years away. Believe me on that. As for young catchers, I say we see whether Romine or Montero can perform.
I don’t think we will be looking at other teams organizations for catchers.
From having zero catching prospects a few years ago, the Yankees have now have several very nice catching prospects.
Cervelli, Montero and Romaine are very impressive. I’m even interested to see what Weems can do behind the dish.
Just goes to show you, when you use the draft and the Latin American FA Market wisely, you can fill your organizational needs quickly.
The idea is to stockpile talent because stuff happens. Players don’t develop, get hurt, are involved in trades, etc.
The Yankees would love to have a 40 man roster problem. It would mean the organization is briming with high level prospects.
At the end of the day, this 40 man roster stuff always seems to work itself out.
“My point is that there are still a number of guys on there that are fringey enough that you wouldn’t be terribly upset if you had to move them.”
There are right now. I agree with that. Moving forward however, it will be an issue. Again, that’s a very good thing because it speaks volumes for how much talent they are acquiring through the draft every year.
I think the point you made on making trades is an important one. At some point they are going to have to make a trade where they take decent to good prospects and package them together.
Teams are so desperate for pitching and the yankees have so much of it in the minors people will take some chances.
“Jeter will not go to first, and any other position switch is still years away. Believe me on that.”
Then he’s more interested in being The Yankee Shortstop than making the Yankees the best team they can be. And that sucks.
“Cervelli, Montero and Romaine are very impressive. ”
I suppose my point is that none of them have hit AA yet, and I’m not sure how convinced I am by Cervelli. And I think Jorge isn’t going to be able to be a full-time catcher inside of two years. I’d much prefer to have a kid in AA or AAA that could come up to split time with Jorge in 09 and then take over the next season. If Montero or someone else is ready in 2011 or 2012, wonderful. Trade your other solid young catcher with 2 years of MLB experience for a great return.
But, I’d be fine with moving pitching for an elite AA SS.
“You’re telling me if the Yanks offered the same money, but without a ML deal, he would have gone back to the draft? I just don’t see it. No freaking way he does that.”
you may be right. but we’ll never know that.
one *theory* that i had at the time, was that the Yankees threw Boras a bone on Brackman b/c they knew they’d be sitting down with him to discuss A-Rod at the end of the season and they wanted to play nice.
take that for what it’s worth, which is not much.
Whozat,
Derek Jeter being a first baseman does not make the Yankees a better team. First baseman, as a general rule, hit homeruns. Derek Jeter as a general rule, does not. I think a switch to left field would be more likely for him, and he’s still a few years out from that happening.
Don’t we have an SS in the system? Carmine Angelli or something like that?
And I was impressed just by seeing that picture of Montero. That guy’s jacked.
“It’s just an interesting part of baseball. I do think it will lead to some issues down the line. If nothing else it sets a precedent – the Yankees were known for not budging on major league contracts for drafted players. They never do that.
Again, this just speaks to how enamored they were with Brackman.”
you are 100% correct.
i believe the major league contract issue was one of the reasons they did NOT pick Craig Hansen. they didn’t want to give him a ML deal and the Sox did give him one.
you are right, it shows exactly what they think of the guy.
and speaking of the catching situation, Romine is another guy the organization must be in love with.
They also loved Hughes and thought enough of Joba to push him through the system rather than seek a trade. Odds are someone’s going to pan out and earn their ML contract.
BTW. Arizona had a chance at Wang and passed. You just never know.
Better to have guys to protect than not.
Fernando – Jeter’s bat plays at first base. He does enough other things outside of hitting homeruns that his bat will play at 1B. Whether or not that’s where he ends up, I don’t have the slighest idea. I could see a move to LF or CF as well. Also, just because Jeter is saying he wants to be a SS for the life of his contract and doesn’t envision playing anywhere else doesn’t mean that’s necessarily what will happen. I mean, come one, what do you expect him to say? My days are numbered there? My skills are slipping? No way I’d want him saying things like that. As a professional athlete you can NOT doubt you’re abilities or you’re screwed.
Cervelli will be in AA this year. Defensively, he is a AA-AAA calibur level catcher right now. How he hits determines his future. If Montero hits like I think he will, he may be in AA by 2009.
Austin Romaine may have the best overall skills of any catcher in the organization.
Its a nice problem to have (too many catchers) for a change.
No question, some of these prospects will get packaged for help down the line. Its especially good to have options at the trade deadline. An organization with a lot of prospects allows themselves the ability to be active at the deadline.
CB, I agree with what you’re saying about the 40man roster this coming year. Its possible the Yanks will have to leave some valuable guys exposed BUT I highly doubt Garcia will be one of them. His upside is in line with the likes of Brackman, Joba, Betances, etc If he gets healthy and matures he could easily be our best pitcher 3 years from now.
I read a posts saying if Brackman doesnt cut it at 26 than its likely he wont. I just cant help comparing him to Randy Johnson 6-10 and all. When did johnson get it together and finally start dominating? There is also Lowe from the Pads. At 6-10 i would be a little more patient than usual.
“i believe the major league contract issue was one of the reasons they did NOT pick Craig Hansen. they didn’t want to give him a ML deal and the Sox did give him one.”
As I remember that was an issue with Hansen.
Hansen is a really interesting case study for how not to develop a pitching prospect, almost from start to finish. The Red Sox just seemed to pigeon hole him into their theory that a college closer could make the transition to pro ball seamlessly. Easier than any other position – they wound up rushing him with very bad results. I’m sure they’re not real happy about that major league deal now. He could be ready for the pros by next season but who knows.
I don’t see the yankees having catching difficulties for the foreseeable future. Again, their depth of talent there is terrific.
Cerevelli might not be great but he’s probably a top 10- top 15 catching prospect. If you look at catchers in the minors its really not a pretty sight. There’s just not a ton of talent there. And the talent that is there doesn’t get traded often. Look at how the Mariners did everything they could to keep Jeff Clement out of the Bedard trade.
Again, I think this focus on catching is the right way to go. If you don’t grow a catcher you’re not going to have a good one.
“At 6-10 i would be a little more patient than usual.”
Sure. But, their point is that, since Brackman got an MLB deal off the bat, he needs to be on the 25 man roster at that point or they’ll have to put him through waivers.
Collecting antique tractors is okay. It’s the people who collect things like antique dental tools that I wonder about a little bit.
whozat,
understood. Thanks.
Skippy: Would you worry about me? I collect swords. Real ones.
Has anyone got the email regarding Premium games from the yankees????
“I just cant help comparing him to Randy Johnson 6-10 and all. When did johnson get it together and finally start dominating?”
Randy was almost always an above average pitcher from after his rookie year, but he didn’t become RANDY JOHNSON until he was 29.
the point is that the Yankees should have a pretty good idea of what they have in Brackman by 2012. this doesn’t mean he’ll be a finished product by then. but he doesn’t have to be. all he has to be is #5 starter/long man by then. he just has to be good enough to pitch in the majors in some capacity.
if he still needs to be in AA as a 26 year old, then he was probably a bust.
or maybe not, i’ve been wrong before…
Bill–No, but I think the drawing’s tomorrow?
Rebecca – We wouldn’t worry about you. We just wouldn’t want to get you angry.
Lori: Hah! You should have seen me when the Yankees were playing the Red Sox last September, and I was watching with my friend who’s a Sox fan…I think he was terrified of me.
I think its today…The onsale is tomorrow for selected participants. I believe.
According to yankees.com, Bill is right. The drawing was today and the sale starts tomorrow. Strange that we have all these folks online here and NONE of us got the chance to buy.
I read in the last thread that no team that has won the World Series the past 7 years and made the playoffs the upcoming year. I guess this will be #8.
hmmm,
Got it.
Lori,
You are so right…Where the hell are the people that received the email………
So frustrating.
Lori: Dang. There goes my reasonable chance to catch a Yankee game this year.
What time was the drawing? This morning?
There was no determination on what time they would do it. Just today.
You have to assume it has gone out by now right…almost 6PM.
There was no time specified. They said today. Its 6PM, you would think they did the emails…?
I haven’t gotten an email.
Time to refer to the tricks of the trade in scoring Yankee tickets that I posted as a blog entry today.
Hey,
I read your blog post.
I want opening day seats, which is why I registered for this premium registration.
I now know that I am going to have to hit stubhub because Opening Day will sell out by the Friday Public onsale.
This priority registration is asinine.
jennifer:
i’m glad to hear sam is better. thanks for keeping us posted
“I read in the last thread that no team that has won the World Series the past 7 years and made the playoffs the upcoming year. I guess this will be #8.
Not true. The Red Sox went to the postseason in 2005 after winning the WS in 2004.
Yeah, I havent received an email either… friends here at work haven’t gotten it either. Tomorrow should be interesting.
The last game at Yankee Stadium – Sunday, September 21, will be a night game.
ESPN has gotten that as an exclusive Sunday night game. I heard it on Michael Kay’s show. Michael was complaining because he was looking forward to broadcasting the last game from Yankee Stadium.
This just in: Clemens being invesitgated for criminal charges.
sorry dont have a link.
Once Andrew Brackman has finished rehab he gets the benefit of the Nardi Contreras factor. That by itself is a plus.
Cox: For serious?
Fran: Which is the lesser of two evils? Letting Kay call the game or letting ESPN do it? I mean, neither are as evil as letting FOX do it, but that’s not the point.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02.....ref=sports
“Letting Kay call the game or letting ESPN do it? ”
Which is it that has Buck and McCarver? They make me want to die. Though…ESPN has Miller and Joe Morgan, right?
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=3264543
Boy, Hank opens his mouth and stuff just falls out.
Good stuff. Check out the last paragraph. The Big 3 scheduled to pitch the first game. OH, MY!
Guiseppe Franco,
I should have caught that. Im so busy doing other things at work that im not thinking while im reading or typing. That was the year that the White Sox rolled over them without a fight. Might of been better not making it that year.
Sorry guys for not being all in it today. Will try to bring my a game tomorrow(isnt saying much,but better).
Guys quick question,
What will get me more games. MLB package on cable or mlb.com online? Which one should i go with?
You guys need to read this, it’s hysterical.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....nds/080225
I think the online one gets more games.
Has anyone received any emails from the yankees on the drawing for premium tickets?
Rebecca – You’re right. Fox would be the worst possible option to broadcast that last game. But while I don’t love Michael Kay I understand how he feels about wanting to do the last game. It will be something special.
If anyone’s interested, I have Q&A’s with Alan Horne, Austin Jackson, Brett Gardner, Colin Curtis and will have one with Mark Melancon up soon. The address is http://www3.allaroundphilly.co...../blog.html
Enjoy
Speaking of Bonds, look what I found:
http://www6.comcast.net/sports.....ays.Bonds/
Re: Last game at Yankee Stadium
I’m not trying to stir up a hornet’s nest here (I’m just showing my age), but wasn’t the real “last” game at Yankee Stadium somewhere in the early ’70s (or thereabouts)? The makeover of the “old” Yankee Stadium was so complete that the dimensions were entirely changed.
Some older fans can help me with this, but I recall 296′ and 301′ down the lines, 344′ to right, 401′ to left, and 457′ and 461′ to center (with the only 3 monuments being in the field of play – neat). Also, the height, and composition, of the fences was entirely different, changing radically from foul line to foul line. I loved that old ballpark. The new one is OK, but is pretty standardized in comparison to the idiosyncracies of the “old” Stadium(especially the outfield fences – boring).
So I’m a little surprised at some of the nostalgia. This Yankee Stadium is on the same piece of land, but it isn’t the same facility at all (and it’s less than 40 years old). To me, the true soul of Yankee Stadium left during it’s do-over. Even the collonades seem to be modern adaptations, losing the original classical effect.
I guess what I’m saying is that the timbre of “The House that Ruth Built” was irreparably changed, and replicating today’s stadium on adjoining land will represent a seamless continuation of the status quo.
Again, don’t take this as criticism of today’s YS – “It is what it is.” But the “real” old Stadium was unique, and iconic.
Brian: You’ll find a lot of people that support your argument, but alas, I am not one of them.
Yankee Stadium as it is now has seen it’s own fair share of history as well…
The way I see it with Brackman having options until he’s 26 is … if he’s definitely going to be a bust it’ll be clear by then. If he’s not a bust and also not the second coming of the Big Unit in his prime, some bloggers who only see black & white may disagree but there’s a lot of ground in between. You have to determine where he is at that time, how he’s come along at that time, and what his upside is at that time, because that’s something you can’t predict this soon.
Sure, Randy Johnson didn’t become The Big Unit until he was about 29. If a 26 year old Brackman is better than halfway up from our version of Pavano the Great (… failure) to the ‘Big Unit’ version of Randy Johnson, he could be at least a back of the rotation starter and that would be of value to the team. If he keeps improving after he’s 26, then great. But if he isn’t ‘Unit Jr’ then he’s not necessarily a bust.
From what SJ says Brack has big upside potential if he can work through the TJ thing. To me it’s a roll of the dice worth taking because it sounds like SJ has a better view than than any of us.
I doubt 100% of all NY’s TJ recovery room guys will live up to their potential but if a couple of the current crop do, then great. With all the other talent in the system maybe they don’t need to be rushed like they probably would be if the talent pool were thinner.
If the ’10 NY rotation has Joba, Phil, Ian plus one more who’s anything like them out of the half dozen-plus current top prospects, that’s pretty not bad. They may not be accomplished as Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery eventually became, but even those Atlanta guys started out like NY’s guys are now.
Maybe all the ‘half-empty’ doomsday ’08 bloggers should see beyond what they’re seeing. Unless of course they’re such good judges of talent that they’re CERTAIN Hughes & Kennedy won’t amount to anything. Somehow I doubt they are.
“I guess what I’m saying is that the timbre of “The House that Ruth Built†was irreparably changed, and replicating today’s stadium on adjoining land will represent a seamless continuation of the status quo. Again, don’t take this as criticism of today’s YS – “It is what it is.†But the “real†old Stadium was unique, and iconic.”
Actually the new stadium will be much more like the original “House that Ruth Built” than the one that exists now. The Yankees aren’t replicating the stadium as it exists now but rather the original before it was renovated in the 70′s. I’ve seen pictures, it looks fantastic!
Brian: I grew up with Yankee Stadium as it is. I was born in 1983. It’s a piece of my childhood going away. Regardless of what you (or many others, I’m sure) think of as the “true” Yankee Stadium, this is the stadium I know. Just makes me sad, is all.
Still no email.
I find it hard to believe that not one of the people that have posted today have not received one.
Weird.
Does anyone know if MLB.TV will be broadcasting the intersquad game on Wednesday!?
I’m sort of with Brian on the Yankee Stadium thing, considering the nostalgia factor, but only sort of. Maybe it’s not a purist’s last game at the OLD Yankee Stadium when you consider all that was changed in the 70′s renovation of it. I can see that viewpoint. But it is the last game at the CURRENT Yankee Stadium, where there’s a lot of history before & after the renovation, and a new stadium is going up.
No hornets nest Brian … a good point about the nostalgia but there’s more to it than the pre-renovation nostalgia.
I love the nostalgia. Now your park and Wrigley will be the last old ones left. Been to Fenway (which has had a few nips & tucks along the way), but I haven’t been to Wrigley yet. Camden Yards is the best looking new park but they’ve lacked the kind of team since Ripken retired to fill it with nostalgia. That place begs for it.
A John Deere shirt for the $12-million Moose? Either he’s trying to sell the Yanks as a blue collar team, which ain’t working, or, more likely, he owns stock.
For those younger fans who are mourning the “new” Yankee Stadium, I understand. It’s just that I went through that process already, for the “old” stadium (even though I’m a Sox fan).
Here’s a funny anecdote. Charley Finley, owner of the (then) KC Athletics, moved his RF fence in to 296′, saying that he wanted the same quirky advantage that the Yankees had. MLB forced him to move the fence back, citing some dubious “grandfather” provision. Finley relented, and moved the fence at the foul pole to around 350′, but then brought the fence directly in towards the infield, creating a 296′ marker only 3 feet from the foul line.
Very clever, but I believe that MLB wouldn’t allow that, either.
And his team stunk, either way.
Pete, great job posting the audio from Girardi’s press conferences everyday. It provides a very useful context for the day’s stories, and allows us to better appreciate the mood of the camp. Keep up the good work.
Nickname Break!
Bartolo Colon signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox. If he makes it back to starting rotation form, I dub him simply ‘Bartolo Colon’.
I know that’s spelled the same as his name was always spelled but now that he’s a Red Sox you have to pronounce his last name differently.
It will fit in with Bostons other ‘colorful personalities’ like Youkilis, Beckett and Varitek.
It would also be a metaphor for the team’s fan base.
Brian – Finley did that with the fences? What a riot.
Ranting guy …. that’s a true story, though I wouldn’t attempt to give you an approximate year. He was the P.T. Barnum of baseball, but then he went to Oakland, and his teams got good – VERY good. Go figure.
Finley was ‘colorful’ for sure. Yes his Oakland teams were pretty damn good to say the least. That’s around the time when I remember first starting to follow baseball. In fact, I remember following the stories leading up to Aaron’s 715th HR as when I really started to follow it. At the time, Oakland happened to be in a dynasty. I liked their uniforms. Hey I was 10 and it was the 70′s, what can I say.
Ranting Guy ….. then you’ll remember that “Catfish” Hunter was a big part of that dynasty, and A big addition for the Yankees.
Another anecdote ….. when Finley signed Hunter, he was just Jim Hunter. But Finley wanted a snazzier moniker for promotional purposes, so he dubbed him “Catfish.” And the name stuck.
Hunter died much too young. Classy guy, big game pitcher. ALS, I believe. Sad ……
Peter…you are quick with the shots…Yes, I MUST be soft because I disagree with you taking what IMHO are shots that you need not take. ( Is this where I say ” I know you are, but what Am I ? ” )” Lighten, Up Francis !”….coming directly from the BIG TOE !…
Yes, I remember Catfish, that story, and some guy named … Reggie.
A couple of summers ago at the Little League World Series there was a booth for raffle tickets for Moose autographed balls and jerseys and such… and the grand prize was John Deere riding lawnmowers. My nightmare was that I’d win a tractor instead of a nice autographed ball. Good thing I’m not lucky, since I didn’t need a riding mower for a 40 square foot patch of lawn.
You love Hank?
Probably in the same sense that the detectives on Law & Order “like” a guy for a particular crime.
Rebecca, my dad collects guns. Swords are just part of the family.
there are some kids that just have a kind of mental and physical maturity “beyond their years” and the yanks see that quality in andrew brackman.
he’s not going to do much of anything apart from rehab in 2008, but watch…
andrew brackman will throw his first major league pitch before the end of the 2010 season.
I might be the first to say this but but i dont think there is many of us. I want brett gardner as the outfield back up.