Girardi reveals lineup, love of Cano
-
- March
- 30
Here is how the Yankees will line it up tomorrow (thanks to Brian Heyman for calling me with this):
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Cabrera CF
So L-R-L-R-L-L-S-L-S. There’s some balance. I also like the idea of splitting up Giambi and Posada, who are both slow. It’s pretty frightening to see Matsui hitting eighth. … Andy Pettitte is now officially scheduled to pitch on Saturday. … Stunningly, Jeter said his right pinky (or pinkie) finger is fine.
As for the Jays, here is what John Gibbons had:
Eckstein SS
Stairs or Stewart LF
Rios RF
Wells CF
Thomas DH
Overbay 1B
Hill 2B
Scutaro 3B
Zaun C
So that completes the blogging for the day, barring something unexpected. Be here tomorrow for Opening Day and all manner of posts, interviews and other interweb excitement. I’ll be live-blogging the game as well.
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Peter Abraham
Interweb?
Pete, you’re officially a web geek. I’ll go order a gift basket.
I like that Canò isn’t hitting seventh any more, though there is something really odd about seeing Matsui eighth. That’s just…I mean, I would have had him switched with Giambi, but then I’m not the manager and what do I know…
wow, that lineup has to get the blood pumping for opening day.
just a sick lineup.
21 hours to go! FINALLY!!!!!
Is that lineup (Yankees’) half as good as the Tigers’??
I am surprised Girardi didn’t put Duncan in as Dh!
That is a deep lineup. It’ll be interesting to see how they come out of the gate this year.
“That’s just…I mean, I would have had him switched with Giambi, but then I’m not the manager and what do I know…”
Well…why? Giambi, if healthy, is a superior offensive player to Hideki. He has more power, and he gets on base more. I figure he protects Alex a little better. Sure, Hideki’s a very good hitter, but pitchers know Jason’s AB will probably be a war of attrition. Might make them come at ARod a little harder instead of nibbling, which gives him better pitches to hit.
I love Cano too, and this is a great vote of confidence…I might have kept him lower in the order because I figure Posada and Matsui figure to get on base more than he does, generating more RBI opportunities for Cano. But, he’s a really good hitter, and this way he gets more ABs over the course of the season, so I see the point there as well.
Frankly, the problem of assorting 3 hitters with OPS over .850 in the 6-8 holes is pretty friggin sweet
Wow! It’s great for Cano, and I agree, it is totally strange seeing Matsui 8th, BUT, that means that this lineup has a MATSUI hitting 8th, if you know what I mean.
I am so psyched for tomorrow. I have a few errands to run tomorrow and plan to be out and about early so I can get home and not miss a thing. To all of you who are lucky (smart, forsightful) enough to be going to the game, have a great, great day!
“I am surprised Girardi didn’t put Duncan in as Dh!”
Why? They’re facing a righty, and Matsui’s a far superior hitter in general, but certainly against righties.
It’s simple:
Cano hits .385 vs. Halladay. Matsui hits .206 v. Halladay.
Cano batting 6th?
but, but, but..
I thought Girardi was a Torre clone?
“Is that lineup (Yankees’) half as good as the Tigers’??”
You mean the lineup with Brandon Inge as the CFer?
I think so, yes.
Awesome! Thanks for posting :0)
It’s beginning to seem real!
That lineup is a perfect example of using the same ingredients to make a totally different dish!
Gonna be weird tomorrow seeing a Yankee manager awake during games again. lol
Cano had 103 PAs in the 6 hole last year.. opening day lineups are just that.. opening day lineups.
It’s really hard to believe that any baseball team could have a career .850 OPS player hitting in the 8th hole but that’s what the yankees have in Matsui.
That’s almost unfathomable. For many teams an .850 OPS player would be their single best hitter.
Girardi is making a real commitment to Cano with this lineup.
Where people hit in a lineup as stacked as this doesn’t matter in many respects.
But on average each spot higher in the order you hit you wind up getting 18 more at bats over the course of the season.
So by hitting Cano 6th instead of 8th Girardi is giving Cano an extra 36 at bats. Not a huge number but it could be around 7% more at bats for the season.
whozat: Like I said, there’s a reason I’m not the manager
But yeah. That line up is DEEP.
“That lineup is a perfect example of using the same ingredients to make a totally different dish!”
Guys…It’s wonderful to be excited, but let’s not be ridiculous here. Girardi moved one guy up a couple spots in the order. When all the players were healthy last year, we saw
Damon
Jeter
Abreu
ARod
Giambi
Posada/Matsui
Matsui/Posada
pretty much all the time. This isn’t HUGELY different from that.
“whozat: Like I said, there’s a reason I’m not the manager
”
Sure, and that’s cool. When someone puts an opinion out there, my first instinct is always to ask why. Gives us something to talk about, no?
whozat -
But it IS a slightly different look, for a change. I think maybe we’re all guilty of being a little psyched for the season to start??
“Gonna be weird tomorrow seeing a Yankee manager awake during games again”
I wonder if Torre will show up to the game during 3rd inning, like the rest of the Dodger fans.
I mean, imagine the reaction if the opening day lineup was 100% the same as last year? Especially given the vibe here that most people hoped that Cano would (should?) be moved up in the order.
Of course, day 2 could see something else entirely.
I had an argument with this guy I talk to a lot who is a White Sox fan. He told me that Cano is at the most the 4th best second baseman in the AL, behind Brian Roberts (isn’t he playing 1st base now or something or am i totally wrong?) Dustin Pedroia, BJ UPTON (and i explained to him that Upton is a CF now but his logic is that Upton still played enough 2B last year) and perhaps even Placido Polanco is i don’t count Upton…okay guy, we’ll see where that moron puts Cano when he hits 25 homers and drives in over 100 this year. Also Cano is a doubles machine and i expect his OBP to increase this year. Hopefully his defense does as well, i don’t think that his defense will suffer due to the loss of Larry Bowa, but it will get better because he is getting older/more mature.
not sure about cano hitting behind jason. cano hits alot of doubles gappers and jason walks alot where a faster player might score jason will end up on third. i’d consider switching cano and giambi so that when cano doubles, giambi can drive him in with a single.
Hey, anyone know why there’s some buzz in blogland about John Maine having a breakout year this year? What’s so great about this guy? Looked at his numbers, which look good…keeps his walks down, which I love, doesn’t give up a lot of hits, doesn’t really strike out THAT many. Looks like he’ll be a solid guy, but is there something I’m not seeing?
yes, i guess being a better hitter and a better fielder than Pedroia isn’t good enough. you also have to be taller and have a better head of hair. oh wait.
michael –
It looked like Jason was “motoring” this spring, so I guess we’ll see.
For Cano to hit 25 homeruns he is going to have to change his approach. This has been said many times but he is a groundball hitter. His GB% was at 52.2% last year which ranked up there with Ichiro, Jeter, Tony Pena, and Pierre. He will have to sacrifice BA points for an increased SLG. He’ll have to change his approach though.
whozat: Agreed. Amazing how the blog reads more like an AIM chatroom than a blog!
I saw Maine pitch last year against Arizona. He wasn’t very good. I don’t know why people expect so much from the Mets this year; the only noticeable difference I see is Santana, and Reyes is still too immature.
The biggest difference in the line up between this year and last isn’t the order of the names but the state of the players.
Overall, the team is just in much better shape this year than last year and I think that’s part of the reason why the line up looks so tremendous this year.
-There are no questions about ARod this year. Last year spring training was filled with Can ARod perform in NY coming off that disastrous playoff performance and of course the opt out.
-They are much healthier this year – Giambi, Abreu, Damon.
-Cano is a more mature hitter. Same for Melky (though to a lesser degree).
-Player are in better shape.
-Being able to play Giambi at first instead of Minky
The pitching is clearly improved from last year. The same is true for the hitters – the names are largely the same but they are in a better state of performance than they were last year at this time.
Anyone watching golf? I’m seriously disturbed by Woody Austin’s choice of shirt.
“jason walks alot where a faster player might score jason will end up on third. i’d consider switching cano and giambi so that when cano doubles, giambi can drive him in with a single.”
jason also hits a lot more homers, when healthy. That changes how pitchers will pitch to ARod, AND putting him right behind our best OBP guys increases the likelihood that those homers will score multiple base runners.
“Brian Roberts, Dustin Pedroia, Placido Polanco”
I didn’t realize players were ranked on hype
Roberts – great in 05, solid last year, mediocre every other year. He’s fast, and that makes him fun to watch
Pedroia – his one year not even as good as Cano’s last two years.
Polanco – doesn’t really walk and doesn’t really slug. Even with hitting over .340 last year wasn’t as valuable as Cano.
Hee Haw! We’re almost there.
I think that Matsui will be fine hitting with hitting 8th. No prima donna there.
No matter who the pitcher is, you’ll never see a Shelley Duncan start on Opening Day over a healthy Hideki Matsui.
CB -
From your keyboard to the baseball gods’ ears!
Its about time Cano got moved up in the order. I mean, this doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll stay up there the whole year but, as some of you said, its different and change is good.
20 hrs, 15 minutes till Opening Day…..finally…..was it me, or did this offseason feel like an eternity.
Pete, great job this spring. Your blogging efforts, in addition to your print duties, have been prolific, informative and last but not least, fun. Your work makes being a Yankee fan more enjoyable. Best of luck this season.
“For Cano to hit 25 homeruns he is going to have to change his approach. This has been said many times but he is a groundball hitter. His GB% was at 52.2% last year which ranked up there with Ichiro, Jeter, Tony Pena, and Pierre. He will have to sacrifice BA points for an increased SLG. He’ll have to change his approach though.”
Well…he hit 19 last year. Avoiding a heinous slump should help him tack a few more on, no? I think I agree that, to sit in the 25-30 range consistently, he’d have to trade some AVG for SLG, but I think to sit between 20 and 25 he won’t. Also…I’d like see him put together a consistent year and take some more walks before I’d like to see him worrying about homers.
I want to see this lineup socre 1,000 runs this season!
CB,
Seriously, are we a bunch of homers or what? I don’t know what it’s like at other sites, but it seems like the people here are the only ones that think this team is improved and can make a lot of noise.
mel: Of course we are! It’s the Optimism! It’s contagious!
“For Cano to hit 25 homeruns he is going to have to change his approach. ”
i don’t think he does. all he has to do is put together 2 solid halves in the same season.
he hit 19 HRs last year and basically spent all of April and May in a terrible slump.
if he starts off hot, and he’s been on fire all spring, he’ll hit 25 HRs with the exact same approach.
“Seriously, are we a bunch of homers or what? I don’t know what it’s like at other sites, but it seems like the people here are the only ones that think this team is improved and can make a lot of noise.”
Well…people here AND most objective ratings and ranking systems. Most prognosticators are assuming that every Yankee position player will decline, and the young pitching will be too inconsistent to make up the difference.
Yea but the same can be said of all baseball players.
The reality is that slumps do occur numerous times throughout the season, unless you are Rodriguez circa 2007. Saying a player should hit x amount of homeruns if he doesn’t slump drastically is like saying a team will do good if their pitching stays healthy. It’s a given, it’s nice to think it will happen but it rarely does.
rebecca,
I was going to ask you if we were crazy with optimism, but whozat put into perspective.
I wonder if Curry & Crew can break a lot of hearts? Go Davidson!
Let’s hope Torre doesn’t show up at the Stadium tomorrow…………..due to force of habit and/or senility..
If he stays healthy all year, there is no doubt in my mind that Robbie can hit 25 HRs, hit .315+, and knock in 100+ runs and, given his growing maturity, maintain a respectable OBP.
I know we all know what we have in Cano, we should’t be questioning what he can and cannot do and whether he should have to chnage is approach, hitting wise. Sure he could walk some more but look at his numbers. The guy hit 19 HRs last year with a horrible first 2 months. He basically did what he did all in the second half. Is it that much of a strech for him to hit 6 more this year?
“Saying a player should hit x amount of homeruns if he doesn’t slump drastically is like saying a team will do good if their pitching stays healthy. It’s a given, it’s nice to think it will happen but it rarely does.”
That’s not true…plenty of players go through a season without the EPIC kind of slump that Robbie had last April and May. And, sort of, June.
mel,
We sure are homers. But look at the other teams and where do you see major improvement?
Boston stayed pat and only finished 2 games ahead of us last year. There’s no reason to think that with a better start than last year the Yanks couldn’t win the division. Their starting pitching is over rated and features 1 stud and 4 question marks.
Toronto’s fate is tied to its health. They’ve already lost Scott Rolen for 6 weeks, AJ Burnett has a finger injury and couldnt throw a curveball in ST, BJ Ryan will open the season on the DL as he recovers from surgery and reliever Casey Janssen is out for the season. Vernon Wells didnt have surgery and is hoping his shoulder holds up.
Detroit has already lost Joel Zumaya, Fernando Rodney and Curtis Granderson to injuries.
I don’t think the Yankees have improved their team at all since being booted by Cleveland. I still think they are going to wish they had bundled IPK and Melky for Santana at the last minute.But the 2008 Yankees sport one of the game’s best lineups and are going to be very competitive.
Well, like I said, Optimism is contagious. Though I’m firmly delusional.
not that big of a deal as a matter of fact almost expected good luck to Robbie and remember you Fantasy League nuts Yunel Escobar & Jair Jurrgens sleepers in the NL
From the conversations I’m having files:
Me: Okay suppose I made you an ultimatum–you either had to write some of my thesis or root for the Yankees for one game–or I would never speak to you again, which would you chose?
Friend-who’s-a-Red-Sox-fan: Honestly, root for the Yankees.
Robi not Robbie I got to stop that ….
Maybe I’m a homer, but I’ll take the Yanks lineup over Detroit’s. Not by a lot, but I’m betting we score more runs.
1. CF Curtis Granderson .295, 125, 22, 60, 35
2. 2B Placido Polanco .325, 105, 8, 75, 5
3. RF Magglio Ordonez .310, 115, 25, 135, 3
4. 3B Miguel Cabrera .320, 100, 30, 135, 5
5. DH Gary Sheffield .295, 100, 25, 100, 15
6. 1B Carlos Guillen .295, 100, 15, 105, 10
7. SS Edgar Renteria .300, 95, 10, 60, 10
8. LF Jacque Jones .280, 60, 15, 70, 8 (Lower numbers due to platooning with Thames)
9. C Ivan Rodriguez .290, 55, 10, 60, 2
From
http://neorandian.newsvine.com/_news/2008/01/24/1253320-detroit-tigers-lineup-for-2008-season
(the #s are just that guy’s predictions, so fill in your own best guesses)
Brandon-
No, Robbie not Robi
Maine is not an exciting pitcher. He doesn’t have blow-you-away stuff, or a bugs-bunny pitch, but he’s a really solid pitcher in an inferior league. I don’t know if he’ll ‘break out’, but he has the ability to be someone like Dan Haren (in the AL), who fits that mold as well. Don’t discount him.
Boston has not improved from last year. In fact, they’ve gotten worse. Beckett has back problems, Schilling is out for the year, and they have made zero additions to their team. It’s going to bite Theo in the ass when he realizes that Lester is a back-of-the-rotation pitcher and Ellsbury just an overhyped speedster. You never, EVER stand still in this game. But Boston has. After their 1998 season, arguably the best season ever by any team, the Yankees didn’t stand pat. They traded David Wells, who you could argue was the ace of the staff, for Roger Clemens. Worked out beautifully.
If you’re not trying to constantly improve your team, you’ll fall behind. Boston has fallen behind, and this summer Sox fans are going to be demanding the head of Theo on a platter when they realize his success as a GM has been predicated much more on luck than actual skill.
“Brandon-
No, Robbie not Robi”
Robinson Cano = Robi
This is a good team and the insider are picking it despite the so-so reviews from the press.
I’m not a gambler, but the Vegas odds on the yanks are a lot different from the projections of what we’ve seen in the press. It looks like Vegas is saying the over under on the yanks is 93.5 wins, just behind the Red Sox at 94.
Pete’s 87 win projection is about the average for the main stream press. I’ve see a couple at about 85 and some in the low 90’s. I have not seen one above 92.
I figure that the vegas guys putting big bucks at stake and would have a pretty good idea what is expected of the teams. Maybe someone knows more about this than me, but it appears that the press underrates the yankees based on gut feeling and not hard numbers.
Any way, what I’m trying to get at is that the optimism and expectations of the fans of this blog are not misplaced. Team is good.
Of course I didn’t pay attention to this new thread and posted the following to the last one:
“Rebecca: let’s just say optimistic, not delusionally so! At least until the Yanks lose a game, which will hopefully not happen until, what, May or June?
Murphydog: If you like Londonistan, you might also like America Alone by Mark Steyn. It’s very much the same theme, and the book tends to be pretty repetitive as well, but Steyn is a really funny writer. Both books are highly political and controversial so… not for all the Yankee LoHud crew.”
Regarding the lineup, before anyone gets excited either way about where Cano is and where Giambi, Posada, and Matsui are, let’s keep in mind that this is just the opening day lineup. For all we know (or all I know) this could just be a reflection on Cano’s #’s vs. Halladay. So we’ll see how it shakes out.
But I suspect that Cano won’t be batting 8th in front of Melky too much, just because bunching up Giambi, Posada, and Matsui together could seriously clog the basepaths. nice to break them up with a little speed while still having some pop, which Cano provides. I can’t wait!
Yazman – on ESPN News earlier they were interviewing a newspaper reported from Detriot who said that Sheffield told him “this line-up is the best I’ve ever been in. This line-up can manufacture runs. The Yankees line-ups I was in could not.”
This Yankee line-up will be able to manufacture runs. I think that they’ll run more with Girardi.
The big thing is to stay healthy and the Yankees are coming into the season in better shape than they have in the past few years.
If Hughes and Kennedy come through I think this team will win the division easily.
Well, guys, you know what?
I would always rather be underrated than overrated. That way, when we win, people will actually say “hey that team kicked some serious a–!”
By the way, Davidson’s up on Kansas. Okay, so the score’s 17-16, but still…
Toronto..Opening Day… Let’s hope no shoulders get dislocated. Looking at you, Jeter.
Hey MMF, regarding the Vegas odds, for those of you who aren’t familar with how that works, the number is not so much a real projection of how many games Vegas thinks the Yanks will win, but the number they think will attract equal action on both sides, which is what the books want.
One of the sad realities of sports betting is that you’ll almost always get a lousy, inflated price if you want to bet on the Yankees. Historically, in recent years at least, I think you’d almost always end up with a profit if you bet against the Yanks every game of the season, and that’s with them still winning 90+ games over the year.
Brandon-
Well if you base it on how his name is spelled, then it is Robi. I don’t know but it just looks funny like that.
SF– interesting, so it appears to cut both ways — i.e., underrated by the press and overated by vegas!
Guys, have we made our predictions yet? I don’t think I caught them.
Giambi and Matsui should be switched in the order. G is no longer that .430 OBP guy that some think he is. His BA has declined so .precipitously that his OBP will slip under .400.
I always surprised at the lack of respect Matsui gets. He’s a much more versatile hitter (makes contact, drives in guys from 3rd w/ less than 2 outs, goes the other way) than G is. G is a completely one dimensional hitter these days.
Sheffield’s still in the league? huh.
why are people predicting John Maine to have a Cy Young runner up year ?
fastball that sits 92 and a questionable slider which he mixed into his rep. last season, I mean is it just me ?
Mel – Yeah and trying to get attention as usual.
Can weather.com and accuweather get together? I mean one says it will stop at 11 and start raining at 5. (accuweather). weather.com says it will rain starting at 11 and the rest of the day.
Mike, why’d you have to go there? I was hoping no one would bring that up. The look he had on his face…I don’t ever wanna see that face on his face ever again.
“G is no longer that .430 OBP guy that some think he is. His BA has declined so .precipitously that his OBP will slip under .400.”
His OBP was .413 in 2006, with an avg of .253. I feel pretty confident that, if healthy, he can still be that guy.
If he’s healthy, he slugs more and gets on more than Matsui. That’s who I want in the five hole.
This is not to say that Matsui does not ALSO get underrated by many people because he’s not flashy. Matsui is a very good hitter, no doubt. Jason, however, was one of the top ten most useful hitters in the AL in 2006.
“I still think they are going to wish they had bundled IPK and Melky for Santana at the last minute.”
maybe, except this was never the offer.
we can keep saying it was, but almost every single source says it was Kennedy and Wang.
Well, we won’t find out if the Yanks were underrated or overrated until we get deep into the season, will we? For the 93.5 wins over/under, I would just say it might be a little inflated, as Yankees lines always are. Heck, I would be delighted if the Yanks come right in at that number, I think 93/94 wins probably puts them in the playoffs for sure.
On paper — that mythical paper — the Yanks lineup looks murderous, but there are so many question marks and cogs that could break down… And we’ve discussed and debated the possible landmines in the rotation and bullpen all winter on this blog. Yikes. But I still want to take the over, I’m too much of a fan!
-Guys, have we made our predictions yet? I don’t think I caught them.-
AL
East – Yankees
Central – Indians
West – Mariners
WC – Tigers
NL
East – Braves
Central – Reds
West – DBacks
WC – Rockies
yes I decided we can take the division I think the Red Sox have more issues in the rotation and bullpen this season than people would like to admit, yeh you can tell me about Moose I’d throw at you Wakefield w/ no Mirabelli, Pettitte and Wang atleast they will begin the season, no one knows what they will get from Dice K or Lester or Colon. Yeh he’s hitting 96 mph but can be hit. The bullpen ok Corey, Lopez, 41 yr. old Timlin ? I think the battles vs Detroit will effect them and Toronto always has their number. Tampa is also more pesky, plus remember Schilling might return as Clemens did last season soon to be done.
in the NL I simply believe the Braves pitching depth is better and the battle is more of how the Mets health is not going to help them. I mean just wait till Santana looks up in Philly wondering how a flyball somewhere else is a 3 run shot over there and the Rockies will continue to improve, they’re younger and better in depth. I had a hard time w/ the Wild Card I had Philly right there but unless they aquire a Brian Fuentes or something for that BP I don’t believe they will over take Colorado.
“This Yankee line-up will be able to manufacture runs. I think that they’ll run more with Girardi.”
They’ve BEEN running. 4th in the league in SBs last year. 2nd the year before.
whozat give me your AL & NL picks
Gargoyle the main purpose as far as I can see for the #5 guy is to protect Arod. At this point in the season and again things can always change the best person to do that is Jason. He is showing signs of the old Jason hitting for power and hittin to all fields. Oh and if you try and pitch around Giambi who is protecting him Cano.
whozat – I guess I was wrong about the Yankees being a running team. Thank you for pointing that out.
What a pleasant sight this is! Welcome back!
“On paper — that mythical paper — the Yanks lineup looks murderous, but there are so many question marks and cogs that could break down”
Yeah, but there are actual realistic replacement scenarios for a lot of them. Giambi goes down…ok, Matsui, Ensberg and Duncan get some more ABs. Damon goes down…ok, Matsui and Duncan play the field more, or maybe Gardner comes up if he’s tearing up AAA and Melky covers left. Those are the big injury risks in the position player area. The rest of the starting lineup is no more injury prone than that of any other team. Melky turns out to stink…maybe Gardner is pushing up from AAA, or Damon plays more CF again.
this is not exactly Yankees relevant, but i was just looking at schedules, and the Nats play the Braves in their home opener tonight…but it’s a one game series?? what is with MLB this year and having these whacky series’ just for the sake of a hyped, ESPN covered season opening game? I mean Oakland and Boston play a 4-set between two different countries with over-hyped 3 game exhibition series in between it…now the Nats with a 1-game series to start the season just to be on Sunday night baseball. Why not just start them with the Braves tonight and play a whole series with them to begin the season instead of going to play the Phillies tomorrow? It doesn’t make sense.
“whozat – I guess I was wrong about the Yankees being a running team. Thank you for pointing that out.”
No worries. It’s been the line on the team for years that they don’t run. Sheff may very well be speaking the truth…back when he was in the Yankee lineup every day, they didn’t run much. But over the last two years, that’s changed.
What really bugs me is when a broadcaster says “oh, the Yankees really don’t steal many bases, they can’t hurt you that way.” Dude…it’s your JOB to know that’s not true. Go look it up!
Stupid FoxESPN broadcast teams…
I feel like when I was a kid and it was the day before school started after the summer. You know you were so excited you started picking out your clothes and laying things out to make sure you had everything you wanted and thought you needed for the day?
I have already layed out the necessities for tomorrow to make sure I dont forget anything. Camera (check), towel (check), put in camera bag– money (check), credit card (check), drivers license (check), tickets (check), umbrella (check), hat (check).
This is my first opening day ever at the Stadium and for it to be the last is pretty darn exciting. I am hoping to document my entire season this year as I have a feeling it will be a pretty special year not just for the history thatwill be taking place but I have a feeling about this team not something you can put down to numbers but there seems to be an energy and an urgency from top to bottom.
You’re right, whozat, there are lots of plausible parts to move around and plug into any holes that come up, which is why I’m *OpTiMiStIc* for the season. But it would also be, ahem, plausibly realistic for someone to take the under side of that 93.5 wins bet. That was the context of my remarks.
hmmm,
“I still think they are going to wish they had bundled IPK and Melky for Santana at the last minute.â€
maybe, except this was never the offer. ”
Not to beat a dead horse, but we werent there and don’t know if it was and we don’t know if it wasn’t. There was a poster who had “inside info” the other night that said the Twins asked the Yanks at the last minute but Cashman was not interested in taking at all (no, not Bobcat! lol).
In any case, this is the team we’re goin to war with and I believe it’s as good as anybody else’s.
By the All Star break, Sheffield will want his contract renegoiated or extended citing Detroit’s lack of respect for him.
He’ll first air his feelings when the Tigers come to the Bronx on April 29 & 30 – May 1 for their only visit to the Stadium.
whozat what they really want to say is the Yankees don’t run quick enough, then why the hell don’t they just say it, point is we do run but these sportscaster want to make sure they don’t ruffle feathers. I could care less.
whozat give me your AL & NL picks
speaking of documenting the season, one year i tried to create a notebook where i would do a box score for every single game of the season, and take notes of the sorts interesting in-game occurrences that don’t fit into a box score. the idea was that i would have my own quick reference to any given game of the season. honestly, i didn’t even make it to the 7th inning of the first game before i gave up on it, lol.
Cashman said only hughes and melky and other minor prospects were on the table. If hughes was out then cano was in.
good that we’re all enjoying this last few hours of optimism…..
…before Reality and Halliday smack us in the face tomorrow.
I would still love to see Cano in the three spot
Gayle – sounds like you have it covered. Have fun tomorrow. I don’t have tickets so I’ll be in front of the TV watching on YES.
gayle,
Have a blast! Double check the money and credit cards! If there’s a rain delay you may need both lol The weather I see on the ‘net says 60% chance of light showers from 2PM on. Hope theyre wrong and you have a dry,fun day.
i’m sure the (reasonable) fans aren’t going to write off the entire season and therefore become ‘pessimists’ just because Halladay might to very well tomorrow and we could lose.
“whozat give me your AL & NL picks”
Nah. I don’t really care enough about the NL to generate picks
As for the AL…there are just so many questions. I think the Yankees and Sox will fight until the end. I think the Yanks will beat the Sox in the season series, like they have for the last several years, but I think they both have an equal shot at the division. The Jays will, I think, be plagued by injury once again and under achieve. Looking at their lineup, they just don’t stack up. And I don’t think their pitching will stay healthy enough to contend. I don’t think 3/5 of the rotation will go on the DL (
) but Marcum is a HUGE risk, they lost a key cog from their pen (Janssen?), and I don’t buy that Ryan is a magical healer that will come back from TJ earlier than like anyone else. I think they have some decent starting depth, but that’s not going to cut it when their lineup won’t hang with the titans.
The Rays will finally start to be interesting, which sucks for the Yankees and Sox. They’re going to be tough. I just hope they’re as tough on the Sox as they’ve been on the Yanks at times. Just wear out the starter and feast on the pen, boys.
As for the Central…The Tigers pen looks thin as all get out. And several of their regulars look primed to fall back to their career norms. Polanco and Ordonez, particularly. I think that Pudge isn’t going to bounce back, as his inability to take a walk starts to REALLY hurt now that his power is leaving. Verlander is great, though. I don’t see Dontrelle magically becoming awesome again, though he should eat innings.
That’s all I really feel strongly enough about to bring up
The Indians are good. Yup. Like Asdrubal and Guttierrez in RF. Their LF seems weak. Pronk will be key, as will the groundballer who beat Pettitte in the bug game. And their pen, too. Was good last year, let’s see if it holds up.
The Angels pitching woes REALLY change the complexion of that race, too. Could they wind up fighting the A’s for 2nd place? If Harden stays healthy and Escobar never comes back…maybe! At least until Billy trades Harden and Blanton
“Not to beat a dead horse, but we werent there and don’t know”
of course, but your post made it sound like a certaintly that the Yankees had the chance to get Santana for Melky and IPK. but you’re right, we don’t know. i apologize if i am reading too much into the wording.
“In any case, this is the team we’re goin to war with and I believe it’s as good as anybody else’s.”
word. this works for me. go Yankees.
Guys, look! A Jays troll!
sssssh…don’t scare it off…they’re very rare these days.
Look at his little maple-leaf loincloth! Awwww…
“Dude…it’s your JOB to know that’s not true. Go look it up!”
just 2 days ago, Pete said on this very blog that Damon wasn’t a good baserunner anymore.
i guess stealing 27 out of 30 bases just last year doesn’t mean anything.
very interesting whozat but if I were to squeeze the NL East would you say Braves or Mets would have the last drop
“just 2 days ago, Pete said on this very blog that Damon wasn’t a good baserunner anymore.”
??
Was he talking about his instincts on balls in play? Because that wouldn’t be mutually exclusive with the 27/30, I guess.
“…before Reality and Halliday smack us in the face tomorrow.”
and if they lose tomorrow, so what?
guess what, the Yankees are going to lose at least 60 times this season.
i’m not saying we’re a running team as compared to like, the rays or the angels, but weren’t we pretty high up in the AL last year when it comes to stolen bases..? i know bobby, jeter, damon and A-rod each stole at least 20, melky swiped a few too. we’re not a major running team but it’s ignorant to say that the Yankees “can’t” steal bases.
Drive 4-5, the Yankees never had the option of packaging Melky and Kennedy for Santana. It was Hughes/Kennedy or Kennedy/Wang……….and this was after the Yanks stupidly caved on even giving up Hughes. The Yankees made the right call in refusing to be held hostage by Bill Smith.
“but if I were to squeeze the NL East would you say Braves or Mets would have the last drop ”
I really don’t know enough to say. I couldn’t even name the Braves’ rotation! Or outfield!
I do know this…the Mets are RIFE with injury concerns. They should get Murton or Juan Rivera, but I don’t know if they have enough left in the minors to do so. I hear the Braves’ lineup is dope, too. I’m pretty sure the back of the Mets’ rotation might be a disaster, and I know they don’t have the depth to cover for that, so…that’s an issue
‘ts all I got, man
“but weren’t we pretty high up in the AL last year when it comes to stolen bases..?”
Yep. I just posted a bit ago that the Yanks were 4th in the AL last year in SBs and 2nd in 06.
“Was he talking about his instincts on balls in play?”
not sure, but this is what he said:
“If you think Cano is above average in terms of speed, you aren’t watching the games. He has 10 steals in his career. That 2.5 years.
Damon used to be a great base-runner. He isn’t any more.”
yeah, I thought so. i did notice last year that the people on FOX and ESPN would comment sometime during EVERY yankees game that speed was one of their weaknesses and they weren’t much of a threat to steal. morons.
Damon is still a great baserunner. He stole 24 bases last year and got caught 3 times. That is excellent.
Cano is not particularly fast, and he’s a horrid baserunner. Still, he’d beat Giambi or Posada in a race any day.
“There was a poster who had “inside info†the other night that said the Twins asked the Yanks at the last minute but Cashman was not interested in taking at all (no, not Bobcat! lol).”
I believe this poster was Fleas.
“Damon used to be a great base-runner. He isn’t any more.”
Huh.
Well, he wasn’t so good in 2005 (25/35), and hasn’t approached his 2000 performance of 46/54, but…looking at SBs and SB percentage, he seems to be just as good as ever he was with Boston. Perhaps Pete’s referring to his 1st to 3rd capabilities or overall speed somehow that we can’t really track with the numbers available to us.
“I believe this poster was Fleas.”
Oh. Then we can safely ignore that, if it was about Santana in any way.
eitherway, i don’t know if there’s any stat for it, but i noticed last year that most of the times the Yankees would steal, it would wind up being fairly insignificant. like, most of the time Abreu would steal 2nd during A-Rod’s AB’s and then A-rod would just walk or homer. Same with Jeter, he’d steal 2nd and Bobby would get a walk. Maybe that sort of occurrence just stood out in my mind but it seemed like that was the case most of the time. if so, then i guess it doesn’t really matter how much they steal, but they are by no means a “weak” running team. they’re not amazing, but they’re definitely an adequate running team.
Opening Night tonight. We’ve already had Opening Morning. Tomorrow’s Opening Day. Heard Tino say the season doesn’t open until the Yankee opener. haha.
As a Cano fantasy team owner, let me say I love this lineup. But funny thing about Matsui, everyone acts like he is in decline. His numbers are always consistent and with the extra rest this year I think he will be able to be productive much longer, hopefully into late October. This offensive Yankee team is poised to be one of the best in history. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough!
Tino is absolutely right!
“eitherway, i don’t know if there’s any stat for it, but i noticed last year that most of the times the Yankees would steal, it would wind up being fairly insignificant. like, most of the time Abreu would steal 2nd during A-Rod’s AB’s and then A-rod would just walk or homer. Same with Jeter, he’d steal 2nd and Bobby would get a walk. Maybe that sort of occurrence just stood out in my mind but it seemed like that was the case most of the time.”
I think part of it may be selective remembering (something that’s very normal), but I think part of that just speaks to the overall triviality of base-stealing in American League baseball today. It’s _almost_ bad to steal in front of ARod, because now the pitcher has very little incentive to give him any good pitches to hit.
I like this team much better than last year. Be prepared for a much better start. I cannot see the Red Sox winning the division this year, given their starting pithcer woes.
“But funny thing about Matsui, everyone acts like he is in decline.”
Not everyone
I think that him getting slotted in as a mostly-DH does speak to his declining ability to stay healthy while playing the field every day.
Hard to believe baseball starts tomorrow
“I like this team much better than last year. Be prepared for a much better start. I cannot see the Red Sox winning the division this year, given their starting pithcer woes.”
we both have those woes only difference is we have more ready depth in minors to cover them.
“Oh. Then we can safely ignore that, if it was about Santana in any way.”
or really about anything.
“Oh. Then we can safely ignore that, if it was about Santana in any way.”
not trying to out anyone but Fleas did say he would be at Shea cheering for Johan he also a few months ago in the Santana to NY threads had Johan’s own home mapped out on google as strange as that was
What excites me the most about this team is the depth, of both position players and pitching…. If someone isn’t performing there is another player waiting to step up.
completely off topic but…
Does anyone know where I might find a Yankees ticket EXCHANGE board/website? Google leads me to stubhub and other broker sites, which isn’t really what I’m looking for.
My comment to Bob Raismann
ReL http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2008/03/30/2008-03-30_yes_to_air_the_joe_girardi_show.html?page=0
Wow. Yeah a 5 minute interview on the phone is so disruptive. And what would amount to a 18 minute show! Jesus how can the man handle that? Grow up!! And while you’re at it cut the Fu
Manchu.
Yeah I know a little childish. I couldn’t help myself.
Jeff, He’s on my team too!!
it seems that everyone i know who has a fantasy team has Cano…weird. I took a pass on fantasy baseball this year. i have always had bad luck with it.
unrelated: anyone have any idea how far in advance one would need to book stadium tours?
Andrea, I would book now. Tours are booking fast, there are lots of black out dates. i.e. Pope coming, All Star Game etc.
Andrea – It depends on the date. I booked it two days before I went. You can check availability on the Yankees website. FYI – If the Yanks are home you can’t go in the locker room.
I was watching the local news on Channel 4. They were at the stadium interviewing some of the players today. They spoke to Alex, Derek, Joba, Johnny and played an excerpt of Wang’s press conference. The players seem as excited about opening day as we are.
I saw that too!! I cannot wait!! I’ll be listening at work! To everyone who is going tomorrow!! Have fun!!
seriously the day Bob Raisman comes up w/ a good baseball point is the day …..HOLY CRAP !! STEPHON CURRY JUST HIT A 3
anyway yeh I doubt Raisman makes good baseball points he’s a food critic of baseball w/ no true side.
I want to book now, but I’m thinking of taking my friends visiting from France, but they haven’t told me when they’re actually coming, so booking the tour is making that tough!
Jennifer – are you going to TiVo/DVR the pre-game show so you can watch the opening day ceremonies when you get home? (It’s not the same on radio.)
ohhhh boy we got a DANDY finish w/ DAVIDSON and KANSAS, CURRY made it a game it’s a 2 point lead for Kansas w/ 16 secs no timeout left for Davidson they have the ball.
why did he pass it wow…. Davidson is slayed
I am dvr’ing everything! I don’t know how much I’ll get done tomorrow!
SHHH
Is the Yankee Welcome Home dinner tonight?
Brandon
Curry was covered.
the welcome home dinner is tonight – I was at the sheraton on 53rd and 7th and it was on their agenda for the day…set up was 9-5 and the dinner was after that
and that Kansas game was crazy – I wanted Davidson to lose so that was good
but too much stress to get there!!
have you guys heard about laptops miserable performance against joe torre’s dodgers?
IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Buchholz (L, 1-3) 3.0 5 5 4 3 5 0 10.03
I’m going to play Devils Advocate here. I understand this is a Yankees forum, and also understand there are LOTS of homers here. The Yankees DO have a very good line up. Understand, though, the Yankees have as many questions as the teams they are competing with.
Starting Pitching-
Pettite- I think the concerns here are well known…injury concerns as well as the chance he might not handle steroid talk well, especially if he starts slow.
Wang- Wang takes alot of heat, but I think he is the one KNOWN commodity here. Injuries or ineffectiveness can happen with anyone, but he is the best bet to eat innings and be the constant
Mussina- Not sure how this will go over with Yankee homer’s…but the concern here is, “Is he even any good?” This is a pitcher who has never won 20 games and has not had a 200 inning season since 2003. He has made a career on consistency and command, but with the consistency slipping, his value should not be TOO inflated.
Hughes- Hughes has the draft slot, minor leage stats and non-stop hype to live up to. His minor league numbers are terrific, with command complimenting his “dominance” indicators (very low hits allowed, high K numbers). He could be the X factor, but with his innings being monitored and a possible trip to the pen late in the season, how vaulable will he be over 162 games?
Kennedy- First a huge clarification…there are no performance indicators to show that IPK has the uncanny command that fans tout. In 149 minor league innings (a concern in itself) he has issued 52 walks. In very limited big league time, he has not improved upon these numbers and, in fact, has taken an even further step back. He was no better this spring. While his bb/9 are not TERRIBLE, his calling card, command, has been overstated. His dominance stats in the minors are great, and he may win 20 games this year, but the command is not at the level talked about. Being a finesse righty, allowing free base runners will not do you a whole lot of good. Just something to watch out for.
I’m sure most people have already read/heard about teams success (or lack thereof) when employing two starting pitchers as young and inexperienced as Phil and IPK. They may very well buck the trend, but it can’t be ignored.
BULLPEN-
Rivera and Hawkins are known commoditites who should contribute valuable innings. Hawkins has been much better as a reliever in his career than he gets credit for. Rivera…well, you know already.
After these two, there are more question marks than an episode of Batman starring the Riddler.
Joba- Great year, still has a grand total of 24 big league innings. There have been MANY one hit wonders over the years, how will he respond to his successful debut? How will he respond to not having a clearly defined role to start the year? Maybe things work out perfectly, but this is still at the very least a question.
Farnsworth- I have read enough on this blog to know I can’t add anything you don’t already know.
Albaladejo- He spent parts of 6 seasons bouncing between rookie ball and A ball, finally getting to AA at age 24. Put together a pretty good year in the minors last year before having a VERY good 14 innings in the Majors last year. The problem? It’s only 14 innings, and he has no track record to show anything other than being an ok MLB pitcher.
Ohlendorf- This is a much bigger question mark than people think. He has had decent, but not great numbers in the minors. He has big time velocity, yet his dominance numbers are not what his radar gun readings would suggest. He has given up well over a hit per inning while striking out well under one per inning. His command is underrated, though, and this is MUCH needed in the bullpen because….
Bruney- What is more amazing, his 9 walks/9 as a MLB’er or the fact that this is actually BETTER than his minor league totals of almost 10 bb/9? Why is he on this roster? He WILL cost this team at least one win because of his lack of control. Losing 20 pounds and ONLY walking 3 in 9 innings is no reason to give him a roster spot when a guy like Patterson, or even Britton was right there for the taking. Huge mistake, no way to sugarcoat this one.
Doreen Richards isn’t hitting that shot Curry should have taken it, he brought them back he had the hot hand he stop his dribble and it happens but he should have been the last hand that ball was in.
I still see him being a good pro but he needs to tune his game more, though it still was an awesome NCAA trip for Davidson
MikeE I didn’t realize laptop pitched yesterday, interesting move by Torre putting Andrew Jones to cover 2B last night
Hey for those on cbssports line fantasy team. There is a chat room.
Doreen,
It pissed me off when the commentator said, “I don’t know why Curry passed it up”.
But in reality, he should’ve passed it up when his teammate’s defender fell down earlier in the play.
WHOA!!
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080330&content_id=2466601&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
O’s cut Gibbons he is still owed 12 million!!
Did anyone see the Nationals club-house on Baseball Tonight? That’s a great looking club-house.
Joe,
I’m sure you had a lot of good analysis in that post. I just couldn’t read anything past your post about Pettitte.
So this is going to be a very boring final four.
More on the #21 going back to storage no mention of Hawkins using it. Based on Ensberg’s reaction I am sure he told Hawkins not a good idea
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080330&content_id=2466852&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy
Rebecca,
I hope you chose UCLA to win it all. You did right?
Has there ever been a Final Four with all #1 seeds? Yawn. At least they’ll all be relatively evenly matched games. On, you know, paper.
so George Bush throws the 1st pitch no offense but someone post me when the 1st pitch by a National is about to be thrown.
Mel,
no, you didn’t miss anything. i actually blacked out like will ferrell in Old School right before hi gives the Debate Club speech…i dont even know what i just wrote? something about bruney having food withdrawls and eating Phil Hughes on accident after walking in the winning run.
Brandon, that’s highly offensive.
mel: I had pitt.
Mel,
I’m no expert. According to hubby though, it came down to Curry trying to take an inhuman shot versus a teammate taking a try at a more make-able one.
Jax,
I had totally forgotten that the Nationals play in a new stadium this year.
“The feedback from the fans was, ‘That’s not your number.’ It was unbelievable,” Ensberg said. “The gist of it was that it was Paulie’s number, and I understood.”
If the predictions about Maine were made recently, then they may have been based off his really good spring
29.1 IP, 5 earned runs for an ERA of 1.53, only 20 hits + 5 walks (so WHIP of ~0.852), 33 K’s
His last tuneup was yesterday; 4 innings, 3 hits, no runs, 5 K’s, no walks
I’m in the camp that spring means just about nothing, but I wouldn’t mind him doing well in the NL….after all, he’s my fantasy team’s #3 starter
“It represents more than a number to a lot of people. I certainly don’t want to step in that.”
Dodgers beat Sox:
Buchholz (L, 1-3) 3.0 5 5 4 3 5 0 10.03
These new ballparks are getting smaller and smaller. New Nationals park holds only 34,000.
Interesting clubhouse tidbit we picked up from Mike Mussina last night. Apparently, the biggest difference Moose has noticed between Joe Torre and Joe Girardi is that the new skipper is a chatty fellow. Where Torre pretty much left his starting pitcher alone during games unless he perceived a problem, Girardi (to Mussina’s surprise) likes to talk to him during games he’s pitching.
“Sometimes he’s talking like a manager, and sometimes he’s talking like a catcher,” Mussina said.
Girardi said he enjoys the interplay, especially with a player as intelligent and circumspect as Mussina.
“I believe the way you learn and the way you teach is by
communicating,” Girardi said. “Mike Mussina has an abundance of knowledge. When I was bench coach here I liked to pick his brain.”
“That can be good and bad,” Mussina said of the in-game
chitchat. “There are certain situations where you might want to let a guy just work his way out of it. But I think he (Girardi) is good for this group. If he can give us a little kick of momentum or incentive to do things a little differently, that could be a big help.”
Phranchise, plus a little inside Girardi nugget
Posted by Dan Graziano
March 29, 2008 7:49PM
There’s plenty of excitement for me with opening day for the Yankees tomorrow and the Final Four on Saturday. Memphis is in it for the first time since ‘85! I feel great!!
P.S. I can’t believe that Davidson used a timeout to draw up that horrible last play. It was disjointed and awful, why not have Jason Richards create something for Curry?
(Fake) Joe,
lol. That was good. Made me hungry, tho
Jennifer –
I read Graziano’s post. Wasn’t that neat?
It looks like Buchholz has an average fastball in the 90-92 mph range. If he wants to survive in this league he better have his curveball and change up working.
I love reading about some of the things that go on in the clubhouse!!
Jennifer –
Especially since we’ve been hearing for years how “cold” and “corporate” the Yankees are. Apparently, not so much.
I like the Ensberg story, regarding Paulie’s number, too. And I agree, Hawkins must have been filled in.
Chad Jennings
Action Jackson and Jose Tabata will start out in Trenton
Abraham Almonte starts in Charleston as will Jesus and Carmen Angelini more suprises in that link.
it’s actually the real Joe, i just used up what little formal typing i can stand in the long winded post.
basically, two young starters to compliment farnsworth, an unknown (albie), an unknown with power stuff and unpower-like numbers (ohlendorf) and an absolutely dreadful BP arm with no right being there (Bruney) carry lots of question marks…question marks i dont think a lot of yankees fans want to ask/answer.
Yankeestech,
Must just be dead arm period, because from what I’ve heard Buchholz has like 12 plus pitches that rate an 80, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
brandon, that was NOT offensive to me…i feel the same way about that criminal.
i’ll let you know when the game has begun
I wish we were opening against Boston. I want a piece of DiceMat, Lester & Bucholz so bad I can taste it LOL
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03302008/sports/yankees/serbys_sunday_qa_with____bobby_murcer_104255.htm
Chad Jennings just put up the minor league rosters
Action Jackson and Jose Tabata will start in AA Trenton
Tampa noticeables
Ryan Pope P
Mitch Hilligoss 3B,
Mark Melancon P
Seth Fortenberry OF
Josue Calzado OF
J.B. Cox P
Charleston noticeables
Jairo Heredia SP
Justin Snyder, 2B/UT
Carmen Angelini, SS
Brad Suttle, 3B/1B
Zach McAllister SP
Wady Rufino, OF/1B
Austin Krum, OF
Taylor Holiday, OF
Dellin Betances P
Abe Almonte, OF
Noel Castillo P
Austin Romine, C
Lance Pendelton P
Jesus Montero, C
Jonathon Ortiz P
I’m so excited, I could pee!
mlb.com telling me to click to watch the first game, but when I log in, it tells me I’m blacked out. Did that happen to anyone else?
MikeEff: For the love of all that’s holy, tell me he got booed?
mel, maybe cause it is on tv?
I was just going to post over under 15 times how many times the soxs will be mentioned. Well we are already at 3.
Say what you want about Buchholz only throwing 92…but being objective here, he has REDICULOUS minor league dominance indicators as well as a MLB no hitter under his belt. If we are going to buy into the Phil Hughes hype, we gotta give him a little credit, don’t we?
Charleston is gonna be nasty next year.But like Trenton last year a lot of people will get promoted by the end of the year.
Joe – NO
Did you ever imagine a voice like that would come out!!
HOLY. I did not expect that voice to come from that woman.
What is up with the Braves uniforms?!
Rebecca -
Me too!
Man, I’m a singer, you are NOT supposed to hear someone, especially professional, take such deep breaths!
She might be an great opera singer, but she’s no Robert Merrill.
Joe,
Bucholz was shut down in September last year because of his shoulder. He’s been terrible all Spring. He does come with a bit of a resume, but he is ripe for picking right now.
F the O’s fans messing with the National anthem. I was sicken the first time I went to Camden and they did that during the Anthem.
I love the boos. I am reveling.
Lots of Boos for GW! LOTS!!
lots of boos!!!!!!!!!!!!
HA some fans booing Bush.
that MADE my night!!
now Lets Play Ball!
He was thrown off his game, didn’t throw a strike. Man he looked ticked!!
Rebecca -
I’m no fan of Bush, but I cringed when I heard the booing.
Love him or hate him, he did throw out the greatest opening pitch of all time. Not that one. That one wasn’t one of his finer efforts.
Brandon, it’s safe to come out now….
I CACKLED at the boos. I was booing along at home
I had to turn the channel before Denise Graves got to the really HIGH part of the National Anthem. The windows of my house would have shattered!
Doreen–I’m a singer, too. She didn’t sound right. Her technique was way off.
vox populi Doreen nothing more, nothing less.
That guy who threw out the first pitch…is his first name Lou or were those booooos?LOL
This is Washington D.C., there is no way he wasn’t going to get booed. He’s a pro, he knew it was going to happen and I’m sure he can deal with it. Anyway, if you hate the guy, now you can celebrate, that was his last opening day first pitch as President! Play ball!
Guys, why do I keep scrolling up like it’s a liveblog?
Should I be flattered or ticked that the Nationals have a former Yankees player quote in their park?
i am celebrating nick – big time
now lets agree on the great robert merrill!
Jax: I think it’s honoring. They still don’t have Monument Park.
game will not be on mlb.tv as it is a national televised gae and there is a blackout. same things happens to the fox games.
I was hoping Texiera would go yard there so I could say “Can you picture him doing that in pinstripes?” Now it’s all just ruined.
please tell me I was’t the only one that just saw that…
what? there’s an actual game going on now? what?
So ESPN mocks the Yanks in their ads for Baseball Tonight, then uses a Fenway-style sign for their logo. Great.
Dear Joe, RE your long post.
I certainly don’t expect every single reader to have read every single thread on the board like us regulars…but, we’ve re-hashed every single point you raised ad nauseum this offseason and spring, so I don’t know how much well-thought out discussion you’re going to get in response to your post. But, you’ll probably get some chicken littles to come in here and over-react negatively when they read your post.
i actually thought it was funny.. now we can all laugh about it.
ESPN making fun of the Yankees. What a shock.
Booing the president in something so completely unrelated to politics as a baseball game is ridiculously classless.
You can disagree with the man’s politics without acting like an ass and booing the man.
Idiots.
Wait, we’re cheering for the Braves right? To take out the Mets?
Wow talk about a lot of foul territory. A little further more he could have came home.
i would boo
Looks like a lot of foul territory behind the plate as well as the first and 3rd base lines but looks like almost nothing in the corners
painttheblack23,
I agree with you.
Dude, booing ANY politician at a sporting event is a long-standing tradition. Tasteless? Unnecessary? Maybe, but except in certain circumstances (such as post-9/11), there’s no way it isn’t going to happen. I bet there are a lot of people who went to the Giants’ Super Bowl parade who wished they’d booed Eliot Spitzer more when they had the chance!
MikeEff…
Plenty of Presidents get booed at ballgames. First I saw was Carter. They did Bush the elder, Clinton, now G.W. Heck, I even heard 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry booed in Boston.
Baseball fans boo anything they don’t like, and some will boo anything.
It’s part of the game, I guess, and it can tickle you when they boo someone whom you’d boo.
Forget Texiera, we can totally picture Nick Johnson doing that in pinstripes!
thanks for the history lesson mark alan
He has no chance to answer the criticism and its 40,000 to one. Take a sip of your beer or a bite of your hot dog instead of bringing your collective political views into my television set. I’m watching ESPN, not CNN.
Lucky thing for the Braves that spring training doesn’t mean $&(!
CNN? Yhey are just booing the man, not having a congressional meeting out there.
painttheblack23, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that you are more offended at the booing than President Bush is. He doesn’t need to “answer the criticism” — he’s going back to the White House. But if he did want to “answer the criticism”, he is not without a big megaphone.
Have you never seen a politician get booed at a game before?
“Forget Texiera, we can totally picture Nick Johnson doing that in pinstripes”
exactly. This team have had enough mercenaries, to last for a while.
What did I miss. What did they say about the Yankees?
they only made fun at the yankees with a tasteful baseball tonight commercial.
They’re booing the POTUS on ESPN during a BASEBALL GAME.
There are other ways of showing disapproval of the job he is doing, most prominently in voting, but at the first pitch of opening day of a BASEBALL GAME ON ESPN is not the place.
Get it?
Denise Graves is an amazing singer with amazing technique. I’m not a big fan of her voice, but that’s another story. Unless you guys have actually been paid to perform opera on a stage, you don’t have the knowledge nor training to critique her. This isn’t exactly American Idol we’re talking about. Not everyone likes opera — geez, sometimes I don’t and I’ve sung opera at Lincoln Center (no, not in the chorus, but as a lead).
I love how everyone says they’re a singer. How many have actually made a living for a decade or more just singing?
Off my soapbox. Back to baseball.
Never mind just saw it. That sickens me.
I think it’d be in poor taste to boo anyone who throws out the first pitch.
I think they shoulda had someone dress up as Uncle Sam & do it. That would’ve been cool. Better yet, have guys dressed as Jefferson, Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, etc. take the field.
what sickens you?
Geez chill out! I don’t like that type of music and for the record I’ve never seen one minute of American Idol. So don’t generalize.
Bill- The Anti Yankee Commercial.
The problem with signing Texiera is Posada is not going to be catching for the 4 years he signed for. Sign Texiera where does Posada move to in a couple of years?
I know he’s in A ball but what if the Yankees move Montero to first?
DEAL OF THE WEEK ……..
Nick Johnson for Betemit and Igawa. Call up Gonzo from AAA to replace Betemit. Put Ensberg on a short leash.
stef -
I was trained by an opera singer. Rule number one – breaths from the diaphragm that should not sound like you’re sucking air. I also happen to enjoy many genres of music, opera among them. She may be fighting a cold, who knows. Just don’t make assumptions about people here, okay? BTW, I HATE American Idol, too.
Paint the black–
The ALWAYS boo politicians at sporting events. Rightly or wrongly. Agree or disagee. With Bush there is no way to show disapproval via voting as he isnt coming back. I would venture to guess that almost every national politician gets booed in Washington remember the politics of DC are such that they dont even control their own city, they dont have true representation in Congress etc.
The ONLY politician i have ever seen at a sporting event that did not get ANY boos was Rudy after 9/11 when he went to the STadium.
and for those that dont like politicians dont bother watching the next half inning as he will be on with ESPN.
I chose to just turn it off and come back later rather than let my political blood get boiled.
PS Guess Gammons doesnt know that the lockers at the new Yankee Stadium are also going to have IPOD chargers and wireless internet
Doreen,
Now I know you’re making up stories. Everyone knows that cheerleaders have no talent. lol.
painttheblack23, I’m not sure all-caps is enough. I think you need to go all-caps and bold type so we all know what troglodytes we are for not being as mortified as you that the Nationals fans would dare boo a politician at a… what did you say it was? A baseball game?
Can someone explain to me how espn was able to use Yankee uniforms in their commercial? Don’t they need the teams approval?
Nick in SF.
Yes I am offended. Because it’s child-like behavior to boo the POTUS at a baseball game and it’s completely disrespectful. And of course President Bush isn’t offended by the booing. He can handle of bunch of nimrods idiotic behavior. He’s never been worried by poll numbers, won’t start now.
I’m surprised Bush didn’t parachute down on the field wearing a flight jacket with “Mission Accomplished” embroidered on the back of it.
Stef–I have both the knowledge and the training to perform opera on a stage, which I have done. Her breath technique was not good and it caused her voice to thin out by the end.
Mel -
You’d be surprised!
I see Nick isn’t intelligent enough to get the point. Whooooooooooosh right over his head.
Whatever dude. Carry on.
Doreen,
You naughty girl!
If Bush cared about the boos he wouldn’t have thrown the first pitch.
Also, any time you think Bush shouldn’t be booed just because he’s the president, remember that this country was founded on dissent.
I’m actually surprised that there are still Republicans who support Bush. I thought they’d long since deserted him, like the rest of the country.
painttheblack23, I do get your point. I just think it’s a lame point. As a highly intelligent poster, I’m confident that you can grasp the distinction.
Had I been sitting there at the game, I would not have booed, but that doesn’t mean I need to get all worked up that a bunch of attendees at an entertainment event did something which may be a little tacky.
So. How ’bout them Yankees?
I would have much preferred a surviving Iraq war veteran throwing out the first pitch rather than the guy that couldn’t even show up for his National Guard duty back in the day.
I hate Bush. I mean, I despise him so much he makes my eyes cross and my blood boil.
But I can’t deny that he knows his baseball. Always has.
How exactly am I “worked up”? I’m simply stating my opinion that people who boo the POTUS at a sporting event are morons. No one is saying that those idiots don’t have a right to boo…simply saying that, it’s a matter of appropriateness; is it really necessary to boo our president at a BASEBALL game?
mel,
“How ’bout them Yankees”
Really looking forward to tomorrow. Am taking off work to watch the game on ESPN/DirecTV. Hope it doesn’t rain.
Elizabeth…get a grip.
Bush = satan right?
LMAO
Well…Bush just made it anything goes. He likened cleaning up baseball to cleaning up the country after Clinton. Keeping politics out of this? Bush certainly isn’t.
refresh
paint–get a grip? I paid him a compliment, despite how I feel about him.
Whether or not you are worked up is in the eye of the beholder. But since no one is arguing that it’s ‘necessary’ to boo any politician at a sporting event, I don’t think we’re even having an argument anymore. But you should take your message of impeccable manners to Philly; they boo the Easter Bunny there!
woo francoeur got a hit… my beat the streak is at 3!
“mel,
“How ’bout them Yankeesâ€
Really looking forward to tomorrow. Am taking off work to watch the game on ESPN/DirecTV. Hope it doesn’t rain.”
I’ll be there. I hope it doesnt rain either
They’re showing previews of Sunday Night Baseball on TBS(ironically most are afternoon games). Looks like the first one will be Red Sox/Blue Jays.
4/27, 5/11, 5/25 will be Yankee games.
Players will attest that the visitor’s clubhouse in Boston is tiny, cramped and the equivalent of a Low A minor league venue. The home clubhouse offers little more.
“Andruw Jones just covered a lot of ground out there in centerfield” – Joe Morgan.
Unbelievable.
FIRE JOE MORGAN…please.
ugh @ that Baseball Tonight commercial on ESPN. Are they for real? Kinda funny how they spend so much time and advertising budget sweating a team that they claim won’t even make the playoffs.
oh, and also – go Nick the Stick!!!!!!
Rocco,
Don’t forget your umbrella, man.
paint,
You misheard that right?
Please clarify. How many times have they shown the same Yankee commercial? By my count on the thread it’s 3 different times.
I hope Hank blows his top!! It is a stupid commercial and he should make them take it off the air. Say he didn’t authorize use of the Yankee uniforms.
Just popping in to say hey y’all and THE YANKEES WILL TAKE THE AL EAST! You can book that.
))))
Lots of posts here (something like 274) so I will possibly be repeating someone or five if I say that our lineup is filthy, filthy, filthy. Where else could you have power like Robby’s and have to dump it down in the lineup, and how lucky are we to have someone like Da Melk hitting 9th!
And before I go I have to say Clay Bucholz is toast. I swear he’s suffering from the David Cone yips. My prediction is that he is not going to be getting right anytime soon. AWWWWW.
GO NICK THE STICK! I want to see the Nats take the game because my heart is always with the, you know, “sad” teams.
(
Wait, I can’t see the game… (watching gameday) what’s this anti-yankee commercial all about?
Sorry, that’s Sunday MLB on TBS not Sunday Night Baseball.
i dont care if i get soaked. I just want them to play baseball… if they have to stand in the rain, i’ll sit in the rain.
IT IS SO NICE TO HAVE BASEBALL BACK!!!!!!!!!
I thank the Lord for making me a Yankee fan – as well as a fan of the most wonderful game in the world: baseball.
And to quote DJ, I live for this! (Don’t we all.)
Okay, dat’s all.
Dubya Bush told both teams to “stay the course”. He brought a plastic turkey for the post game meal.
did anyone not find it the most humorous thing on earth seeing those 3 bozos in the booth
I don’t have time to read almost 300 comments right now, so I hope I’m not repeating what 42 other people already said.
To the person who said that the Yankees will regret not trading Ian and Melky in the end for Santana:
While I agree that Santana would have been awesome, what makes you think the Twins would have accepted Ian and Melky for him in the end? The day the Twins traded Johan, they called Cashman for any final offers. They asked for just just Ian, but also WANG. As much as I love Ian, I would’ve traded him for Santana. Ian and Wang? No way.
John (I never met a burger I didn’t like) Kruk is walking on Jacobs field trips over his “brief case” (like he knows what one is), and goes oh thats where it is. Opens it up bugs fly out, goes oops I guess I left a egg salad sandwich in here. Bugs fly all over the ‘Yankee’ players. Are accurate with the numbers on the jerseys, shows #20 spraying #65 with bug spray. #65 saying in my mouth, there in my mouth (Joba did say they flew in his mouth) Shows #2 at ss swatting the bugs away. In poor poor taste.
you mean #62 not 65
Rich, I am sick and tired of reading that we should have traded Phil and Melky! Even if the Yankees wanted to do it, it is pretty clear that the Twins never would have accepted that deal from the Yankees. They wanted way to much from us, and people can’t get it through their heads.
Comerica sold out all season? What the heck is he talking about?!
Jennifer,
Now, that’s in poor taste. Picking on a rook like that. Joba will teach them to tease him. MLB will feel his wrath. Hopefully one of Joba’s pitches will find its way into the booth.
Yes my bad.
don’t you love how they feature him on that whole next thing AND the thing at disney world and then they just do that dumb commercial like that
Man, you guys are saps. Have you still not gotten over that girl you had a crush on in the 8th grade? It’s time to move on and forget about Santana.
It’ll be a couple of years before we’ll know whether it was a smart move passing on Santana. From a $$ standpoint, it already looks like a smart move considering the luxury tax they would have had to pay on top of his salary.
I hate Kruk
I already despise that ESPN Baseball tonight commercial
ESPN couldn’t shut up about the Patriots and look what happened to them. Let those New England pricks babble on about the Sawx and jinx them too.
How many times have they shown the commercial? And why do a re-enactment? Just show the live footage.
Rummy,
Hee hee. More please.
A few tidbits:
I’d rather the fans Boo that idiot Bush than one of their own players.
Gotta like that Ensberg. He knows it’s a cardinal sin to piss off Yankees fans.
I would switch Giambi and Matsui in the order.
Go Yankees!!!
Thanks for bringing up my 8th grade crush, mel. I had just gotten over it, finally, like yesterday. Now it’s hurting all over again!
From the first day I heard that getting Santana was a possibility my mantra was JUST SAY NO!
I would have kissed the feet of Brian Cashman et al if I could have when I found out the deal was off the table. I truly believe the best trade we never made was the one for Santana. I actually cannot believe anyone would think we’d regret that. I’ll tell you what regret would be – giving up our top pitching prospect, our centerfielder who has a cannon for an arm and plays center like a flippin gazelle, and a pitcher with the upside of Ian Kennedy. I TRULY believe that Santana has seen his better days.
ESPN is reaching the depths of broadcast journalism. Quickly becoming the breeding ground for broadcast booth buffoonery. The studio analysts rank a close second.
Glad they didn’t go for Santana. We have a huge amount of $$$ getting freed up this coming off season and can sign talents like Sabathia and Texiera without giving up our top prospects.
Considering just the luxury tax, Santana would have buried us.
Patience is a virtue.
I know a lot of people don’t like Cashman, but I really admire him for standing firm and not giving Phil and Ian or Wang and Ian. I think this youth movement should have happened years ago.
I hope it’s a short game tomorrow. I have a 3:30 class that I can’t skip. I wonder what my english prof. will say if I walk in 30-40 minutes late…
I’m going to the Yanks-Rays game friday night; I can’t wait to see Ian pitch. I hope Joba comes in for an inning.
Laura,
“I’d rather the fans Boo that idiot Bush than one of their own players.”
That’s because you have no class.
Sorry.
People who are still whining about not getting Santana don’t know anything about running a business.
Rich, you’re lucky. My class is at 12.45 and I can’t skip.
Laura – I’m not trying to start anything. I try to respect peoples opinions. But even if you don’t respect Bush or what he’s done, show some respect for the office he holds. Booing him would be an utter lack of class.
Rich, I must be out of touch because I truly didn’t know that there was just about anybody who didn’t like Cashman. How the heck can you not like Brian Cashman?????? He’s the one who fought against giving up our prospects, oftentimes in the past to no avail.
As an aside, keep an eye on Elijah Dukes. If he can keep his temper under control, the kid is going to be amazing. Also, I am really happy for Odalis Perez. I don’t think he has ever gotten the respect he truly deserves.
http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080330/capt.2a18e4eec26b429190dae850c89783f0.yankees_baseball_nysw117.jpg
http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080330/capt.1b1b8777e9d3470785c074d0ec8b795b.blue_jays_yankees_spring_baseball_nysw107.jpg
You know I just noticed in our fantasy league that you are stuck with your roster for the whole week. You cant make daily changes so if you have a player that gets injured at the beginning of the week tough luck.
Also have not been able to figure out if stats from tonight and the Japan games count as it says the week starts on Monday. Anyone know??
Drive so far we are tied lol
Dubya thought the fans were calling for “booze”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHUAsTrl4JI
gayle- I noticed that too. Plus I don’t see a dl. From what I understand we follow the “league” rules and there is no dl spot!
Also it appears you are stuck with the same lineup all week! And this is the first week of games, so they start from tonight.
Well you live an learn, first and last time using cbs sportsline.
Bush is a side show clown I’m sorry that’s just my opinion since he threw that ball in Yankee Stadium it’s been bad karma, and I had to mute the TV when he went to the broadcast booth thanks MikeE for the headups when he threw the first ball I heard they boo’d him deservedly so too.
Rich, I appreciate your opinion and believe wholeheartedly that you are entitled to it. I just happen to disagree with it. No biggie.
Well, the thing is, those people in the stands who were booing Bush were probably people who have lost friends and loved ones in Iraq.
i’ve recently moved and don’t currently have much internet access, so my checking in will be spotty at best for the next week. i just wanted to stop in and wish everyone a happy opening day tomorrow. in an abrupt change of pace for me, i predict the yanks win the AL east this year. seriously.
take care, everyone.
You would think those people would be smart enough to boo terrorists, not President Bush.
George Bush is responsible for the needless deaths of over 4,000 US soldiers. If that doesn’t deserve Boos, I don’t know what does.
kasey, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. Haven’t seen you around in a very long time! How are ya.
“the Yanks were 4th in the AL last year in SBs and 2nd in 06.”
Baltimore was the only AL team with more SBs AND a better SB % than the Yanks. Pretty impressive for a slugging team!
PaintTheBlack23, be sure to let us know when the terrorists will be throwing out the first pitch at ballgames and we’ll be sure to Boo them.
kasey,
Nice to see you back.
Guys. Pay attention, if kasey says we’re taking the East, we’re taking the East.
Prospects Graduate
just incase people missed it.
Hmmm. I said we’d take the east too…
Well maybe next year someone will say “hey if Trisha says _______, pay attention cuz it’s gonna happen”.
Can we please not turn this into a political discussion.
Our AA team is pretty sick. I’ll have to make sure to head down there early this season.
trisha,
LOL. You don’t understand. Kasey’s a phenominally talented indy singer. BUT he’s as negative as a true Yankee fan can be. That’s why I said pay attention.
Mel, he he he. Thanks for explaining.
No joy in mudville for Kasey, eh?
Who is jealous of me going to the game tomorrow…
Oh my god, this whole booing kerfuffle has gone beyond ridiculous. It’s traditional for Presidents and other politicians to throw out opening pitches at baseball games! It’s also very common for them to get booed! This particular President is pretty unpopular and the D.C. area is fairly liberal, of course he got booed. I’m surprised there were as many cheers mixed in with the booes.
If you hate President Bush so much that it causes you discomfort to have him on your TV or you take some kind of satisfaction that he got booed, well, whatever, I hope you can still enjoy the game. And if you’re deeply offended to see this President or any President get booed at a baseball game, maybe your sensibilities are a little too delicate for this broadcast.
This is what happens when Pete flies Delta!
anyone interested CJ Henry will play SS this season for the Tampa Yankees class A , also in Tampa Christian Garcia both will be activated sometime this season.
kasey: Glad to see you around! Hope the move goes smoothly!
trisa,
I used to tease him about the gloomy weather of the Pacific Northwest affecting him outlook. He’s just a realist, I guess. Click on his handle. He has music clips at his site.
Central CT,
Depends on what the weather ends up being!
Gene Michaels is a guest on Channel 5 SPorts Extra now for anyone in Metro NY area.
The defending champions Trenton Thunder will welcome the new CF Austin “Action” Jackson
and RF Jose Tabata to their team as 2/3 of thier starting OF.
“Who is jealous of me going to the game tomorrow…”
not me.
Kasey – I know you’ve been a long time blogger, and a big fan. Good luck on the move.
Pete is being interviewed on WFAN, right now, about upcoming season.
Mel – I’m someone who is totally committed to believing that there is no team better than the Yankees when the Yankees are healthy. I’ve always said the Yankees are the best team in baseball and used this as the definition of “best team”: the team, when playing on all cylinders, that is superior to all of the others.
While the team that wins the world series may be the best team in baseball, more often than not, it is usually the team that gets hottest at the right time. Unless it’s the Yanks, then it is ALWAYS the best team in baseball winning the world series!
I know my baseball dammit!
com’on Stick I know you like Derek but don’t lie to me on camera and back talk had it Stick wanted Johan over Hughes or Kennedy …com’on Stick.
#9,
Thanks. Turning the dial right now.
Are they taking calls with Pete on WFAN? Someone should call in and tell him that politics has seeped into the blog and he needs to log on quickly!
Meanwhile, I wonder if we all have severe cabin fever, we’re closing in on 350+ posts on this thread for a Nationals game!
As it turns out I am not going to the game tomorrow. I am sitting here with two tickets that will go unused. My friend was all for going until I told him that rain was predicted. He did one rainout at the Stadium and said never again.
So I guess I could say I’m not jealous.
My dad always told us the best seat in the house is the one in front of the television. That is exactly where I will be.
Pete doesn’t think Yankees make playoffs this year but are going to be great in a couple of years.
Got to agree.
Pete not feeling the Yankees. Hedging his bet saying that the Yankees are depending on the young pitchers.
Pete is flip floppin’ it’s ok he’s a beat reporter he has to.
Nick,
What are you talking about? We’re here because it’s the pre-game thread.
Well, that’s ONE way to end the game!
walkoff shot for Ryan Zimmerman
Nice to see the National pull this one out after they blew it in the top of the 9th
Baseball is back a walk off on opening Night
Zimmerman already starting his MVP campaign. Walk off HR.
YESSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CONGRATS NATS!!!!!
Good going, Ryan Zimmerman.
What a nice way to start in their new stadium. I am so happy for them.
I still have Atlanta to win the NL East
Ooooooooh, Zimmerman provides a happy ending!
So the first pitch didn’t provide bad karma for the Nats? Or was it the booing that saved them?
kasey:
Good to see you, man. Check in when you can and good luck getting settled into your new place.
I don’t know much about Pete and his prognostications, and I really appreciate his hospitality, but I can tell you unequivocally he’s got this one wrong.
YANKEES WILL TAKE THE AL EAST. PERIOD.
booo zimmerman… i still dont like him for hitting that walk off against Wang
Hey murphydog, I don’t know if you saw it on the last thread, but I wrote that if you like Londonistan, you might also like America Alone by Mark Steyn. I can say no more, as it might lead to boos.
RiverDogs confirm roster
trisha,
Some (myself not included) feel that Pete’s always wrong on his “predictions”.
Here is my mini thesis about the mental aspect of baseball and its players. All players/teams need and deserve validation, especially those teams without the resources to field a winner. I will admit to what some of my friends thought of heresy on my part in the past and that is that when teams like the Rays played the Yankees, and the Yankees had a formidible lead in the division, I would want the Rays to win some of the games, and I would feel so good for them when they did.
All players deserve to know what it feels like to have the adoration of the crowd, and the only exceptions as far as I am concerned are players who intentionally dog it. Short of that, if they are going out there and doing their best, they deserve fan support. Not all of them get it, as we well know.
All of that said, watching the Nats take the game had special meaning for me and caused my heart to soar for them.
Aren’t I pathetic, sort of? It’s okay, you can say it, because I do feel it. But I am who I am, and none of us is perfect, least of all me.
But I do make accurate baseball calls…
Trisha your friend is a tool….seriously….the weather will be doable
Mel, I don’t know Pete the way you guys do, in fact I don’t know him at all really, but reading some of his stuff makes me think he’s a bit of a lemon sucker or curmudgeon or something. He seems to be a bit negative or a pessimist.
beautiful ending to the first real game of the year.. you have to be happy for those fans in their new park…
now i can’t wait for tomorrow.
i hope i don’t need a rain poncho…
Anyone here actually play baseball? I’m trying to get tips on my windup delivery and on throwing a slider. I’m a switch-hitting 2B trying to convert to pitching…
“I don’t know Pete the way you guys do, in fact I don’t know him at all…”
Trisha – you wouldn’t happen to be related to Giuseppe Franco?
Central, part of the problem is that he insisted on driving while I wanted to take the train in. So I was depending on him to get there. He decided over the weekend that he didn’t want to chance going and sitting in the rain. So that was that. I do have a pretty wicked head cold, so I didn’t fight him much, but I was fully prepared to make the trek.
I mentioned this on another thread here but I will have access to a ton of tickets if anyone is interested. My best friend’s secretary’s son has season’s tickets. He lives in Philly and she gave me a list of the available games, and they are predictably all of the weekday games. I don’t know where the seats are but will in the next few days, but she said they are box seats. He has tickets to every weekday Red Sox game, etc. If anyone is interested in going to any of the games, you can let me know. He has different prices for certain of the games, so I figure he’s charging a premium for certain games. Two tickets. I know I will want to go to a few of the games in at least one of the Sux series.
Trisha,
I don’t see him that way at all.
This feels weird talking about him when he can hear us.
Rocco,
I remember that shot. Zimmerman is only 23 and only getting better. Good for the Nationals… maybe they can help beat up on the Mets.
#9 – I OWN Giuseppe Franco…
The closest I come to being related is that I’m Italian too!
hey #9: good one! I’m always a sucker for Guiseppe Franco jokes!
say what you will about peter gammons, but seeing his face in the dugout waiting to interview zimmerman—well he looked as excited as a little kid. yeah, he’s an obvious sox fan, but he really loves the game.
trisha how can i reach ya
Mel, that is my knee-jerk reaction to a very few things I’ve read. I think he seems like a real great guy but not so positive when it comes to the Yanks and also a little sarcastic – maybe faux sarcastic!
But he can be all of those things and still be a good human being! I’m not meaning to trash him by saying those things. And anyway, I did add the caveat that I really don’t know him very well!
Oh, never mind!
Central, do you mind giving up your email address? If so, maybe you can set one up just for the purpose of getting email about the tickets, and give it to me then. We have time.
Why wouldn’t the Yanks sign Bonds to keep him away from Sox?
MikeEff – after what Gammons went through I am thrilled to see him back in good health and doing what he loves.
“Why wouldn’t the Yanks sign Bonds to keep him away from Sox?”
Probably because they figure he’d be in court more than at the park? Plus despite what fans of other teams have been saying about the Yankees, I think the organization actually does have standards. I think the guy represents just about the opposite of everything the Yankees stand for.
hi trisha, i’m also italian.
Happy Birthday, Chien-Ming Wang – Now go and win it.
Rocco, then we are automatic buddies! Are you full Italian? Do you know what part(s) of Italy your relatives are from?
i’d rather not talk about personal things on here
Okey dokey Roc. I can tell you that I have no Sicilian blood in me!
Well, I think it’s time to take my cough medicine and hope I’m not up all night hacking!
YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BASEBALL IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14 hours. omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg.
The way i need to watch the game is gonna suck though. I get out of class at 12:50. the building that class is in is out of range of the campus wireless network so i gotta then rush over to another building to log on. i have to watch on MLB.TV then I have until 1:50 to see as much as I can, which probably won’t be a whole lot of actual gameplay because i’m sure there’s gonna be a lot of pregame stuff, and god forbid maybe even a rain delay. at 1:50 i have to go to a frickin meeting with my advisor. it should be quick, then i have to rush back to that other building and log back on, hopefully no later than 2:10 or so, and then i have a lot of time to enjoy the game..i have to get off the comp and go to a class at 4:15 but i’m guessing the game will be over by then barring, again god forbid, a rain delay.
it’s gonna be stressful. definitely won’t be worse than what i went through in 05 though. that was a nightgame, and i was antsy all day waiting for the game, and it was against Boston, and 15 minutes before gametime our cable went out. It was unreal. I was frantically trying to find a place to watch the game. I actually walked to my grandma’s house to put it on but she didn’t have ESPN so i had to run home to see what i could do. Also we didn’t have XM at the time, and since I’m in PA couldn’t get it on regular radio. I even called a guy from school who is a Sox fan and asked if i could come over and watch but the bastard turned me down. I eventually wound up asking my girlfriend, who knew nothing about baseball at the time (i’ve taught her well since) watch the game at her house and tell me what was going on over the phone. THAT was my worst opening day ever.
have a good evening.
Yu Con, how is this for timing!
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2008/03/30/2008-03-30_balco_founder_victor_conte_has_tellall_b.html
“The Rangers had already created three spots on the 40-man roster by designating for assignment right-hander Robinson Tejeda and outfielder Nelson Cruz”
LOOK MINAYA LATINOS !!!
LETS GO YANKEES!
Did anyone check out ESPN’s picks for this season?
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview08/news/story?page=08expertpicks
My thoughts:
– The general consensus is that Miggy Cabrera will rock AL pitching and win the MVP award.
– Clay Buch of the BoSox is pretty favored to be the Rook of the Year in the AL.
– Not one analyst predicts that the Yanks will win or even play in the World Series this year. (In fact, the Yanks are not even in the playoffs in most of these predictions!)
– Johan in the NL, a hands down favorite for the Cy Young. No surprise here.
– David Wright has suddenly become the favorite player of all ESPN’s staff. He’s heavily favored to win the NL MVP.
– Tim Kurk’s AL picks are mis-typed. His wildcard winner is the same as his AL East winner.
Hey I think both line-ups are pretty good this year. It’s not going to be easy for the Sox to hold that top spot again. Both Yanks and Jays have some awesome power in the middle of the order and great lead off hitters too. I also think the pitching on both of these clubs is underrated. Might be nice to see the Sox in third for a change eh?
lmao, the political thread was just too good. I appreciate the laugh. “It’s my opinion that 40,000+ paying fans shouldn’t express their respective opinions. AND I’M NOT SHOUTING, I’m just repeating myself 4-5x.” So many people feeling so much righteous indignation on behalf of others–the president, Cashman, some opera singer. Too funny. I think someone forgot to feel bad for Patterson.
Although we all bear some responsibility not to feed the trolls.
I’m super-excited for tomorrow. Hard to feel bad for Bucholz. I just started reading the blog this spring, and Peter, you do an amazing job. Thanks a lot. Just don’t burn out–we may need to set up some “Joba rules” for you.
“14 hours. omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg.”
I’ll have a pint of whatever Brian is drinking.
Logging off for the night.
Actually it’s Opening Day now. See everyone later with their OPTIMISM caps on.
Go Yankees. This is your season.
g;nite mel
gonna sleep in my optimist cap
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview08/news/story?page=08expertpicks
Wow, out of 20 pix, 7 have Yanks in the playoffs, no votes to win WS, only one for them to get there. Two MVP votes for Alex, one ROY vote for Joba. That’s the whole Yankees story.
I guess it will be fun to be the underdog!
Oh, meant to say that’s a duplicate Peter Rabbit’s pointing to the ESPN picks.
Happy Opening Day everyone!
no way I can fall asleep tonight
“Pete, great job this spring. Your blogging efforts, in addition to your print duties, have been prolific, informative and last but not least, fun. Your work makes being a Yankee fan more enjoyable. Best of luck this season.”
I couldn’t agree more!
hey andrea! and yeah brandon…i just wish it was morning already
hey andrea! and yeah brandon…i just wish it was morning already
i did not post that twice…swear..
it happens
I’m only going to get to watch part of the game. I have an interview at 4
sh