Today in The Journal News
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- March
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Melky Cabrera has claimed center field. But Brett Gardner and Austin Jackson have their own ideas.
Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes were impressive. This notebook also has some fightin’ words from Hank, a bad job by the K-Man, an update on Bobby Murcer and a new manager for the Staten Island Yankees.
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on Saturday, March 1st, 2008 at 7:43 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
i don’t like the idea of igawa having a nickname, and if we do it should be something like, AAA-Kei. what an absolute waste. they really should trade him to a west coast team, he might draw some fans. and the yankees could always use a new bag of baseballs….
“This is a Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order”— Hank Steibrenner, NYP, 03/01/08
Obama? Hillary? McCain, PFFT.
Hank for President.
Our boy Hank’s just keepin’ it real.
You gotta love this quote by Cashman
“We need athleticism like that, especially when you have a bunch of these old farts filling the roster out.”
old farts as in Posada, Jeter and Damon. ??
this is going to be a fun team to watch now and into the future.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Damon getting some games in CF.
Umm….you said Melky’s powerful right arm Pete….lol
did he really call them old farts? that is hilarious! i cant imagine gardener being the yanks cf though, as much as i like him i think he goes to the NL in some trade this year. i cant see the yankees putting him in the lineup this year and if he’s still in scranton next year, he’ll be in jackson’s way. i see the yanks extending abreu another year and keeping thier current OF until Jax and tabata are ready.
I think Melky’s gonna have a very good year and Jax will spend this year and most of next in trenton and scranton. after that, its on between the 2 of them for starting cf.
if abreu should end up on the dl this year, will the yanks consider moving melky to right and bringing gardener up for look in center?
I’d rather put Tabata in Abreu’s spot if that was to happen…
Is it possible the 4 Yanks OF in ‘10 would be Melk, Jackson, Tabata and Gardner?
Normally, I would expect 2 or 3 of them not to make the majors, to get hurt, or to get traded for either a costly veteran who will his prime under contract or an over-priced geriatric who passed his prime before signing his contract.
Damon, Matsui and Abreu are all off the books by ‘10 if not sooner. With the new philosophy Yanks in mind, how many / which of the 4 kids are likely to actually play in pinstripes for longer than a September call-up when the rosters go to 40?
a costly veteran who will PASS his prime under contract
( .. edit option, anyone?)
they may well go to tabata or even jax in RF if abreu is hurt, especially since they wont have to move melky then, but it’d be interesting to see melky in RF with his arm.
if that’s the ‘10 OF, and the rotation is joba, franchise, wang, kennedy and horne, the yanks payroll will be below $150M. (and i figued $20M for 1B
sorry ranting guy that was me and i have no idea how that happened.
“I’d rather put Tabata in Abreu’s spot if that was to happen…”
What? A 19 year old who’s not played a game above A ball?
That’d be a perfect way to destroy his confidence and stunt his development.
Overall I have to say that the Yankees looked hungry yesterday.
I kinda feel bad for Melky, he is overmatched offensively. Especially when you think about who has played CF in Yanks history.
Melky is and will continue to be a great Defensive CF, but no way does he “have that spot” I’ve always felt that it is temporary for him. Can he get better? Sure! However, that doesn’t mean he has the raw natural talent of say Cano ..
My heart goes out to Melky, he loves being on the Yankees, as anyone would.. but I would be willing to give Gardner/Jackson a shot .. I really can’t wait until the day the Yankees have someone with speed like “Mick The Quick” making pitchers uneasy .. and putting the pressure on.
I always loved Juane Pierre, this guy never strikes out, if only JP had an arm like Melky! George has always loved JP and his hustle. I tell you what, I thought we were going to get Ichiro last year before he signed his contract.
There are some rumors though that Ichiro will be on the Yankees within the next 3 years.. Seattle loves Melky and a certain pitcher who I won’t mention .. (Probably not who you think)
Ichiro on the Yankees would just be awesome!
i guess we’d just see damon, melky and matsui cover it in some way.
Old farts?! LOL.
I hope Melky takes a step forward this year. Be a little more patient.
Big Gardner fan. I hope he does well in Triple A. I like his on-base/base stealing combination.
Kei Igawa is done. The Cardinals can come and get him. LOL, they’ll have to give up Colby Rasmus though.
i LOVE iciro, but i dont see him in NY, and i even kinda hope he stays a Mariner till he retires.
I can see Melky taking LF over when Jackson is ready and Damon’s contract is up. I see Gardner as more of a roving 4th OFer that comes in late in games to steal a base, ala Dave Roberts.
Congrats on the anniversary, Pete, but if Sheff ever threatens you again, please let me know. I have “people.”
Austin Jackson needs to make plate discipline a priority this year. At times he swings at bad pitches but can overcome the problem by waiting for his pitch.
good for Hank, it’s so true though! someone had to say it eventually, and ESPN created it and Sox fans just went with it
i just bought a ticket package for the thunder this year, so ill be going to at least a dozen games this year, ill be keeping a close eye on the dynamic duo in the OF.
Y’s Guy: Somehow I know exactly what you mean. I’m also a big Ichiro fan, but I just don’t think him and the Yanks would be a good fit, especially with all the young OF prospects.
Pete, doesn’t Melky throw with his left arm?
Old farts? Them’s fightin words!
I’m quite dissapointed to see Cashman doesn’t have a whole lot of faith in Melky. He’s developing. Give him time, and he’ll be an essential part of the team. How quickly does Cashman forget Melky was a large part of their 2nd-half turnaround last year.
with the exception of a stronger arm (gardner’s arm is average), gardner is/will be able to do everything melky does, and better.
Wow great articles today. That quote by Hank was really something. He talks like a fan writing on Pete’s blog. That tells me that Hank is staying in touch with the fans via blog comment. And everyone knows that this blog is the best, therefore I assume Hank regualrly reads this blog. Hank, welcome aboard. Good job bashing ESPN and their ties to the Red Sox, we do need to restore order to the universe. Once Bush is out of office, the world will be right again.
“I always loved Juane Pierre, this guy never strikes out, if only JP had an arm like Melky!”
Career: .301 .348 .374 (84 OPS+)
Fleas – not surprised you like this guy as he may be the worst offensive OFer in all of MLB… with the arm of a noodle to boot. And that massive career OPS+ of 84? He hasn’t beaten it since 2004… meaning he has declined the last 3 years.
I don’t think Melky has a chance of staying with the Yankees unless he can regularly post a .780+ OPS, as well as take better routes to balls. He has misplayed a number of outs into hits. I like the kid, but he is ideal trade bait as he is young and cheap. We will see how much power Tabata has, but an OF Melky, Gardner, AJax and Tabata seems pretty weak. I can see AJax, Tabata and a FA slugger. Melky could be a 4th OFer, but he may need regular play to be (even) as effective as he is now. Vets often make better 4th OFers as they can often adjust to limited playing time and still be effective.
AJax had an excellent year last year, but was on nobody’s radar until then. I think we need to see another full year of above average production before we bequeath him CF.
Ichiro Suzuki is now 33. He is signed through 2012, when he will be 37. I don’t think he will ever play for the Yankees unless he wishes to extend his carrer as a 4th OFer/LIDR.
“with the exception of a stronger arm (gardner’s arm is average), gardner is/will be able to do everything melky does, and better.”
———————————————————–
Not so. Melky averaged 7 HRs/yr in the minors, and the same in 2 years of MLB. Gardner averaged 2 HRs/yr in the minors. His OBP was HIGHER then his SLG. Melky has gap power and might get stronger.
Since Melky is a year younger, and has 2 yrs MLB already, I don’t think Garder (who is 23 now) will develope much more power.
Gardner is more disciplined at the plate (higher OBP), faster and probably better at D. Melky is stronger with a much better throwing arm. I think Melky has more upside. Gardner looks like Juan Pierre… which is at best, just barely MLB material. One never knows what the future will bring, but I believe Gardner is trade bait.
without Pierre, the Florida Marlins do not defeat NYY in the world series.
ok we will see.
thankfully, Cashman and Girardi will be deciding what Gardner is and isn’t. And not us.
I love that quote from Hank. Epstein took a shot at the Yankees/Mussina, Hank retaliated. I completely agree with him too.
I have not read any comments as of yet but I think it’s safe to say that Melky doesn’t have to worry about Gardner. Gardner is older than Melky and doesn’t have any Major League experience as of yet. The player Melky does have to worry about is Jackson however. Jackson is probably a year and a half away from the show. I’m hoping this year Melky proves that he is worth of being a Yankee for years to come.
I’d much rather have an outspoken owners than a shut-in who pockets his millions and doesn’t care about the team (see Twins).
If Gardner can keep a high OBP, his lack of power will be overcome. His extra base hits will come from putting the ball into the gaps and legging out doubles and triples.
“Gardner looks like Juan Pierre… which is at best, just barely MLB material. One never knows what the future will bring, but I believe Gardner is trade bait.”
Thing is that Pierre would be a legit major league CFer if he’d get on base. If Gardner can have an OBP of .370, his speed makes him a legitimate MLB CFer and leadoff hitter. Not necessarily for the Yankees, but if Melky regresses, Jackson doesn’t build on his good half year, and Gardner shows good plate discipline, he could certainly provide a solid few years until someone better comes along in FA or trade.
And, Gardner knows that his job is to take pitches and get on base, he’s stated that his goal in to get and keep his OBP north of 37%. So that’s good too.
Either way, if Jackson realizes his potential BOTH these guys are trade bait…which is great for the Yanks. Packaging a solid MLB CFer and a AA pitcher with some upside can get you back a darn good return. A year from now, the Yanks could have an embarrassment of riches in both those departments.
In the 45 games he played in AAA last year Brett Gardner had a .343 OBP, a .331 SLG PCT and an overall .674 OPS.
A .331 slugging PCT with a .343 OBP is not just bad, its abysmal. Overall Gardner only played around 100 games last year so he was at AAA putting up those numbers for half of his season.
Yes he had a nice start at AA but that was only 52 games. He had much more trouble hitting at AAA. Being 24 after having played in college 3 years and doing well at AA is one thing. He was largely over matched at AAA.
With a guy who is a marginal hitter, AAA is an important step. He’s not a guy with the hitting tools where you can project his AA numbers.
I think he’s a decent prospect who could be useful in a specific role. I’m not sure why so many people are so excited about him however, especially while downgrading Melky at the same time.
If Jackson realizes his potential, he isn’t trade bait. He’s the starting CF in NY in either 2009 or 2010.
Folks have to realize the Yankees aren’t developing Jackson and Tabata, as well as a great deal of their high end pitching prospects, to deal them.
Those days are done.
I’m not saying guys won’t be traded. Some will be dealt.
The high end guys? Not gonna happen. Even if a new GM is in place next year.
The Yankees are serious about building their core from within and supplementing it via trades and the free agent market.
If by next spring training, Austin Jackson is a 22 year old, 5 tool phenom, he isn’t getting traded.
Juan Pierre isn’t the reason why the Marlins beat the Yankees. Geez, never has a couple of bunt basehits been so overblown.
They got OUTPITCHED in that series. That’s what beat them. Not Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre is not a difference maker and hasn’t been for years. Don’t let one good playoff series five years ago cloud your judgment. The Dodgers did and they wasted 45 million bucks.
I like Gardner better than most. That said, he is still a 4th OF (at best) with the Yankees.
Unless Austin Jackson falls flat on his face, or Melky for that matter, I can’t see Gardner overtaking either of them.
Melky? Folks keep doubting him and he keeps getting better. Take a look at Bernie Williams first two full years as a Yankee and compare Melky’s first two years. Melky’s numbers are actually better.
I don’t know what his ceiling is. I do know that if he keeps improving, he’s sticking around.
A lot will depend on him holding physically during the year and how he hits from the right side. If those two facets of his game come together, as Joe Sheehan for one seems to think, he has a chance to be a very, very good player for years to come.
Seems like Hank’s nose is bent a little out of shape over alleged favorable treatment and unwarranted publicity of the Sox. Is this a NY thing? He sounds like Hillary re: Obama.
Seriously, I think it’s neat that Hank speaks his mind. I’m assuming that he’s not totally serious when he lurches into knee-jerk hyperbole.
Who knows which “Nation,” or “brand,” is truly dominant? NY and Boston fans should be glad that we’re not Milwaukee, or KC, etc.
For what it’s worth, Boston’s away games in 2007 were before an average crowd of 38,641. The Yankees average away crowd was 37,227. (For the statistically inclined, I’m aware that the greater capacity of Yankee Stadium [compared to Fenway] may skew these numbers. On the other hand, the Sox don’t have an equivqlent “traditional” NL rival to counterbalance the Yankee away games with the Met.)
I cite those numbers to suggest that the Sox may indeed have more cachet nation-wide. So maybe Hank doth protest too much.
oops “Met” = Mets.
SJ44
I would say that this is a big year for Melky in terms of his long term future with the team. He’s shown the ability to get on base but he needs to improve his power output.
Last year was a step backwards for him offensively.
Brian, the puny amount of people Fenway park can hold significantly decreases the away numbers for the Yankees (and is one of the biggest contributors to the BS “sold-out” streak. I can’t honestly remember the last time the Yankees didn’t sell 35,000 tickets to a game.) Be assured that the Yankees are still the leaders in that area, this has been discussed and completely debunked ages ago.
“We think he could be a Juan Pierre who takes a walk. Here’s a guy who can steal bases; he can get on base; he plays the short game. We need athleticism like that, especially when you have a bunch of these old farts filling the roster out. Those young burst-of-energy, athletic guys really stand out on a team like ours.”
predicition there is no way Melky holds that CF position one more year. Action is gunning for that spot, Brett is a gamer he’s been that way all his life. Melky stay on your toes and I love the Cashman quote it’s about time players earn thier spot out there !
that’s a really funny quote.
“Along with [Melky Cabrera's] powerful right arm, his energy has become important to the Yankees over the last two seasons.”
Ummmm, Pete? Melky’s a lefty thrower.
Prayers and healing thoughts going to Bobby Murcer on Monday. Hurry back to the broadcast booth Bobby.