SJ, I also completely agree with your post. Jeter was brought up late in 1995 to get a taste of the bigs and to get his feet wet, so to speak. I think it’s an absolutely priceless experience for these kids; what they can learn from Moose, Andy, Mo, Jeter, A-Rod (who, as the most talented player in the game, still works as if he was the least talented) is stuff you just can’t get anywhere else. They might teach you how to refine your change or throw strikes in the minors, but not how to be a professional. When Joba, Phil, Ian, Melky, Cano, etc…..watch how hard these guys work, how seriously they take their jobs, well - they see that they have no business doing less.

I would like to comment on your thoughts about Joba’s success putting heat on Phil and Ian. Well first- I kind of separate Ian because he’s just not the talent that Joba and Phil are. There are still extraordinarily high expectations for Phil, which is why so many (and unreasonably so, I feel) are so down on him now (which I don’t get, obviously). You’ve read the posts on this blog and I’ve read them here and on other boards - fans almost feel resentful towards Phil because he’s not “what we were promised”. I’ve seen that line before and it’s sickening to think that a 21 year old is felt to no longer have the potential he did at 20 because he’s not dominating the way he was “supposed to” (though outside of Doc Gooden, what 21 year old does)? He also had mitigating circumstances, given his leg injuries. So, I really don’t think that Joba’s performance has increased the heat on Phil -as the #1 pitching prospect in baseball, there already was that pressure. For the past few years, Phil was the face of the new generation - this is nothing new to him. As well, Joba has dominated out of the bullpen - it’s completely different to dominate as a starter (which I do not think he’ll be doing anytime soon). It’s JMO, but overall, great post.

Evidently, Girardi shares Cashman’s paranoia about the disclosure of injuries.

Actually, Girardi’s entire demeanor in his post-games leaves much to be desired. He’s been hostile, testy, cryptic and evasive. You’d think the press was asking him to reveal state secrets when they ask questions about players’ injuries.

Half the reason fans watch the banal post-game show, to begin with, is to find out the severity of injuries a player may have sustained or to discover how much time he’s apt to miss.

If the Yankeees don’t want to disclose the information because of privacy issues or because they believe it impairs their strategic posture, then they should be forthright and say so.

Girardi’s evasiveness only encourages the press to be all the more bumptious and intrusive in their questions.

As it is, Cashman is insufferable to listen to in public interviews: he rambles and filibusters, he’s tedious and pedantic, and he’s so guarded that his responses sound outright disingenuous. I hope Girardi doesn’t emulate Cashman in this regard.

Otherwise the Yankees are only going to inflame the media and whet their passion to penetrate the veil they’ve enveloped themselves in.

Pretty soon, reporters will start phoning Hank to get updates on player’s health and then woe be unto all of us.

Evidently, Girardi shares Cashman’s paranoia about the disclosure of injuries.

Actually, Girardi’s entire demeanor in his post-games leaves much to be desired. He’s been hostile, testy, cryptic and evasive. You’d think the press was asking him to reveal state secrets when they ask questions about A-Rod’s injury. Half the reason the fan watch the post-game show to begin with is to find out whether the extent of the injury a player has sustained. If you don’t want to disclose the information because of privacy issue or because you believe it impairs your strategic posture, then be forthcoming and say so. His evasiveness only encourages the press to be all the more bumptious and intrusive in their questions.

As it is, Cashman is insufferable to listen to in public interviews: he rambles and filibusters, he’s tedious and pedantic, and he’s so guarded that his responses sound outright disingenuous. I hope Girardi doesn’t decide to emulate Cashman in this regard.

Otherwise the Yankees are only going to inflame the media and whet their passion to penetrate the veil. Pretty soon, reporter will start phoning Hank to get updates on player’s health and then woe be unto all of us.

Albert Pujols is going to New York to get an MRI?

Everyday is a tutorial from these guys in how to be major league players.

The way they carry themselves, prepare for games, handle failure, the media, etc.

That’s really important.

Go back and read the Luis Vizcaino’s quotes from last year when he was really struggling.

Read how Mariano took him under his wing and got him going. That’s from a veteran player! Can you imagine what its like to have these kids learn while playing with future hall of famers?

That’s special stuff and I can assure you, its not happening in every ML clubhouse.

We all want young kids to be great quickly. In some ways, the success of Joba really puts a lot of heat (from some segments of the fan base) on guys like Hughes and Ian to be that good this early in their careers.

Joba’s rapid success is the exception, not the rule.

The talent is there. You don’t go from A ball to the majors with the Yankees in 1 or 2 years unless you have a LOT of talent.

You just have to ride the wave of inconsistency until these guys figure it out. It goes with the job.

A number of people have said that a primary reason that the Yanks can’t afford to go with young pitchers this season is because ARod, Jeter, and Posada are still in the productive phases of their careers and you can’t waste one of those peak years in their respective careers (same goes with Mo though he’s a bit older).

What that argument implicitly assumes however is that the Yankee’s won’t be able to replace the production of ARod, Jeter, Posada and Mo once they begin to decline. That’s why now, this season is so urgent.

But if they continue in the direction they are going in now, there is no reason to believe that this team isn’t going to develop new Jeter’s and Posada’s thorugh their system.

The amount of talent they have, especially in A ball, is staggering.

They now, for the first time in years, are going to be able to replace this older group of players when the time comes by drawing on internal talent.

But the hardest thing to develop is pitching because so much of the learning has to take place at the major league level.

This crash course for Joba, Phil, Ian and Ohlendorf (who should not longer be left out of their promising young pitching) is a risk.

But bringing them up while ARod, Jeter, etc. are still being productive actually makes a lot of sense because that’s what gives the team the chance to win while rebuilding the pitching - knowing that you have great players like an ARod who will hopefully be able to compensate for the problems the young pitchers will have.

IMO that was the right risk to take, especially when you consider the talent that is going to be coming.