Today in The Journal News
-
- May
- 8
Cliff Lee, the greatest pitcher ever, beat the Yankees last night.
Alex Rodriguez worked for the first time since going on the disabled list. This notebook also has news on Kyle Farnsworth, Kei Igawa and Derek Jeter.
Indians-Yankees this afternoon. Mike Mussina against Paul Byrd in the who can throw slowest competition.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, May 8th, 2008 at 3:37 am by Peter Abraham.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Share and Enjoy: 
| 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Advertisement
Peter Abraham
Poor Pete never sleeps, but we sure do appreciate your timely updates on the other side of the world.
I’d love to see Cliff Lee, the greatest pitcher ever, pitch against Manny and the Red Sox bandits.
“the greatest pitcher ever”?
I don’t think so. Time will Tell.
I’d love to see Cliff Lee, the greatest pitcher ever, pitch against the Yanks when Arod and ‘Sada are back in action.
Red Sox bandits? That same troop of all-stars whose greatest closer ever puked the game up in the bottom of the 9th against those upstart Tiggers?
And as far as the Yanks go, so much for home cookin’.
Cliff Lee threw strikes. See how simple baseball can be?
Cliff Lee? Remember a guy named Aaron Small?
It’s like Small had secret knowledge imparted to him by the baseball gods for one season. They put a spell over him and poured it into his ear and it seeped into his brain and for a year he could pitch like nobody’s business.
What’s the secret? Like GoYankees wrote, it’s: work fast, change locations, get ahead in the count, and for god’s sake throw strikes. Mussina is embracing the timeless teaching now and having much more success. Hughes and IPK aren’t there yet. But all credit to Lee, he’s throwing first pitch strikes, not making many mistakes, not issuing walks.
I think that in the second half the league will adjust to Lee. Hitters will consciously slow him down between pitches by stepping out of the box and calling time out, they will be more aggressive on the early pitches and the managers will start sitting their lefty hitters like they used to against Randy Johnson until someone starts hitting Lee. Once they start hitting that first pitch fastball back up the middle, Lee’s going to start to come down to earth.
Lee’s not an under 1.00 ERA pitcher even though it looks that way now. Still, he’s pitching the way you are supposed to and that brings success.
Murphydog-
I tend to agree with you about the league catching up to Lee. Even in last night’s game, in the latter innings, the Yankees did start to hit the ball hard off him - they just didn’t drop for hits. I think that’s one of the reasons he didn’t finish the game for himself - his pitch count was certainly low enough for him to do so. Plus, Perez and Betancourt have done well against the Yankees, so why force the issue?
It is amazing to me that hitters don’t hit strikes. Whenever you ask a hitter about a guy like Lee, who comes in and throws a great game, why they had so much trouble, the answer is always or almost always, he was throwing strikes. Aren’t you supposed to hit strikes? Or do hitters ONLY hit mistake pitches? No wonder they make outs 3 out of 10 times or worse!
I do understand what they’re saying to some extent - when a guy has control, a hitter can’t wait for HIS (the hitter’s) perfect pitch to hit, you are forced to hit the pitcher’s pitch. (I’m not totally ignorant, here, you know
). And you certainly can’t wait around for walks - Lee had zero of those last night - when a guy is on the black all night.
THIS is what Ian Kennedy will do when he gets back. And no, I don’t delude myself that he’ll have anywhere near a sub-1 ERA, but I think that Lee’s approach is what Kennedy had that moved him through the system so quickly. Why he abandoned it up here, I couldn’t get (nerves? pressure? bad weather??). Anyway, that’s what I’m hoping for from him.
Doreen,
I couldn’t agree with you more.
Lee is doing what Kennedy was doing last year and will (hopefully) get back to doing soon.
Since we’re on the subject anyone worried about Hughes needs to just look at his long relief appearances from last post season. The kid is going to be really good one day
Pounding the strike zone. What real pitching is all about.
Paul Bird vs. Mike Mussina. Will the Yankees actually be able to push across runs ? After a lead, will they be able to add insurance runs ?
“Red Sox bandits? That same troop of all-stars whose greatest closer ever puked the game up in the bottom of the 9th against those upstart Tiggers?”
In fairness to Papelbon, he really didn’t do much wrong. Check swing single that barely got past the mound, E-6 on a slow roller to short, sac bunt, ground out and a broken bat blooper. 2 unearned runs. Beats walking two guys and giving up a 3 run blast.
if throwing strikes was all it took, jon lieber should be the best pitcher in baseball. o thats right, he gave up 4 homers in an inning yesterday and they were all strikes.
“Lee is doing what Kennedy was doing last year and will (hopefully) get back to doing soon.”
Lee does it left handed and with superior stuff, but if Kennedy comes back with confidence, he’ll certainly help.
Doesn’t Paul Byrd translated to Spanish = Carlos Silva?? I don’t see why the Yanks shouldn’t hit a little against him.
Indians can’t hit for spit. I think Mussina does well today.
“Pounding the strike zone. What real pitching is all about.”
True. More than that though is using the entire strike zone and moving it around. Lee was hitting spots everywhere. High and in, low and in, low and away, etc. That was a truly outstanding effort. I know the Yanks have not necessarily demonstrated the patience at the plate to the level they normally do and ultimately will, but to throw nine innings at them without walking anyone is an achievement.
as disappointing as not winning on wang’s night to pitch, reading about papelbon blowing a save in the 9th was a nice way to have that first cup of coffee .
May 15th, A-Rod comes back and is the final piece of the puzzle that draws us even with the BoSux at 24-19. It was nice to see Boston blow a game for a change….likely the start of a trend, right ?…Looking forward to Moose righting the ship to salvage at least one victory against the Dang Injuns !
“Cliff Lee? Remember a guy named Aaron Small?”
Unfair comparison. Small actually sucked. He wasn’t mediocre. He was bad. It was no accident he pitched 320 big league innings and 1300 minor league innings. He simply caught lightning in a bottle for a couple months before reality ruled the day again.
Lee actually has talent. Not .80 ERA talent, but talent enough to win 14-17 games, which he’s done a few times. This seems more comparable to 1981 Fernando Valenzuela where he was similarly unhittable until about mid May.
beside lee’s performance last night another pitcher threw a very good game.
he unlike lee was avaiable to the yankees over the winter.
last night, livian hernandez threw a complete game giving up one run for the twins. his season’s era is 3.83.
hernandez provides innings. the yankees needed someone to throw innings to protect the rookies and the bullpen. the rookies are back in the minors. hernandez is 5-1. the twins are 17-15. the yankees are 17-18.
kevin slowey is pitching tonight. glenn perkins is pitching saturday.
they are rookies.
the bullpen is rested because of livian hernandez complete game last night.
this is how to develop a young pitching staff.
livian hernandez will probably end up of with an era of over 5.00 and perkins and slowey will likely be up and down,but hernandez’s innings will insulate the twins from having to use the rookies more than they want. the rookies will develop at their own pace.
there is a symbiosis here that defies the logic that the yankees have young pitchers in their system who can do what hernandez does. they don’t.
cashman needs to create this kind of relationship between veteran pitchers and young pitchers. it is cost effective, allows for a deliberate development for the young pitcher, and ,gives depth to the team, and allows the major league team to win while it is mixing in young pitchers.
Just saw the tape of Papelbon blowing the save last night complete with trashing 2 Gatorade coolers in the dugout.
Mike and Dog would say he really needs to grow up a little. You would never see Mariano do that.
Papelbum choked last night. This is the beginning of the end for him…
Did anyone catch Good Morning AMerica today? Why was Jeter and Alex on?
Lee’s stuff isn’t superior. His command is. He was throwing 89-91 all night and he didn’t throw more than 5 curveballs in his outing.
He was changing eye levels and controlling both sides of the plate. All the things Kennedy can do when he is on.
That’s pitching.
Fans have been seduced by the radar gun. Pitching entails more than velocity.
Lee was a pretty good pitcher before his troubles. He was sent down after signing a multi-year contract. Goes to show you struggles aren’t just limited to rookies.
He got himself right and the guy has been great ever since.
Its why its very premature to call young players “busts”.
Everybody struggles in this game. Its how you come out of it that determines the path you take.
The Yankees have one very important saving grace this year. Aside from the Red Sox and Angels, the entire AL is down this year. That means, hovering around .500 will keep them in the playoff hunt all year.
Maybe not what everybody wants to hear. The bottom line is, you can’t win the World Series unless you get into the playoffs. You get in any way you can.
They just need to stay close, get Arod and Posada back, and hope that wakes up the offense.
Right now, the lack of offense on this team is doing more damage than the pitching issues.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/MothersDay/story?id=4804770&page=1
Found it, and they were outside. Darnit I could kick myself for not going up before work.
jennifer-
I didn’t see it, but I read an article that they were supposed to be on to advertise some bats they and Mo signed to be auctioned for breast cancer research. I think the GMA host that did the segment with them is currently fighting breat cancer herslef and they all signed bats ahead of the MLB pink bat thing that they’ll do on Sunday to be sold at a seperate auction. There was an article about in in USA Today. Jete’s sister is a breast cancer survivor. I didn’t know that until I read the article. Good thing for them to do
Angel I just read the article on GMA’S site that his sister had cancer, I didn’t realize that either. Good news is that he is cancer free.
Radar guns? Well it does appear that those pitchers who throw in the high 80`s and win consistently are the exception not the norm. I think if a pitcher these days is not at least in the 90`s that he is a risk. Then it becomes location which appears to be the toughest thing for a pitcher to master.
Kennedy did not surprise me with his outing, he is what he is, he is a great (superior) minor league pitcher. On the major league level he is below average. Since the Yanks have committed to him I hope he develops, but I doubt he will. I can see him as a .500 pitcher at best, especially since he does not have a great fastball.
Hughes has that great fastball so I have more faith in him.
“The Yankees have one very important saving grace this year. Aside from the Red Sox and Angels, the entire AL is down this year. That means, hovering around .500 will keep them in the playoff hunt all year.”
SJ, is it really that the AL is down or is it that the low end teams are more competitive than years past???
“On the major league level he is below average. Since the Yanks have committed to him I hope he develops, but I doubt he will. I can see him as a .500 pitcher at best, especially since he does not have a great fastball.’
I think below average is probably harsh. I agree there is little reason to believe that he will be outstanding, but he can be a very strong low end of the rotation pitcher who can eat some innings and get some batters out.
Papelbon is a Mariano Rivera wannabe. Right from his early years Mo has conducted himself in a professional manner on and off the field. The very least Mo has done after a loss is walk off the field with a disappointed look.
Papelbon has many lessons to learn before he can be considered as part of the elire relievers class.
Its why its very premature to call young players “busts”.
when lee was kennedy’s age he had about a 5.5 era , but won 14 games. the indians were a losing team so winning was not at a premium for lee. lee is also left handed.
i don’t think kennedy’s right handed fastball translate well to lee’s left handed one.
that said , i agree it takes tome to develop young pitchers. it happens at it’s own pace.
this is precisely why a major league team with the goal of a playoff spot every year can’t go too far in any one year with young pitchers. it may take 5 years like it has for lee to figure it out( though he had some good years fairly quickly).
i think yankee pitching is even worse than the hitting, and it is ranked worse.
the hitting will fix itself. it’s the same players from last year. they’ll eventually hit. i don’t really see what is going to fix the pitching short of joba entering the rotation. i hate putting all that pressure on a rookies shoulders.
i still think cashman’s plan of going with so many young pitchers is wrong. he needs to mix in some veteran arms to take the heat off the youngsters. or he has to give up on the goal of making the playoffs. this will take the pressure off the young pitchers too.
it’s taken lee 5 mlb years to develop. that’s the lesson i take from watching him.
“Papelbon has many lessons to learn before he can be considered as part of the elire relievers class.”
No he hasn’t. He’s in that class right now. Might need a lesson in decorum, but he’s one of the three best relievers in the game, period.
Let’s face it. The Yanks were mediocre vs LHP BEFORE losing ARod and Posada. They need a guy like Xavier Nady — someone who murders lefties — to replace the at bats that Shelley Duncan is getting. Great lineup balance would be 3 RH, 3 LH and 3 SH. Yankees often have 5 LH in lineup against LHP and that simply won’t do.
Releasing Giambi makes sense now, too. He gives up what little he contributes offensively with his oafish play at first base. Yanks would be better defensively with a cardboard cutout of Tino Martinez over there. At least that would inspire some confidence
“Red Sox bandits? That same troop of all-stars whose greatest closer ever puked the game up in the bottom of the 9th against those upstart Tiggers?”
Awesome! I went to bed early last night. I just assumed that the Red Sox had won. As Felix Unger said, you should never assume.
I told my friend (Indian’s fan) that the first pitcher to hit 85 should win.
He said longest home run ball - Lets hope Giambi plays today (haven’t said that in a while lol)
I’m going to my eighth game this season, and six of them have been crappy weather. Why should today be any different?
GO YANKEES! C’mon, Moose, throw us a winner. We need it.
The Yankees are finally playing an afternoon “get-away” game. They’ll get into Detroit early this evening and won’t be tired tomorrow night to open against Detroit.
Hope Moose continues to pitch well and the Yanks win this game today.
Fredo,
The Rays and Royals are definitely more competitive. The Rangers and Orioles (despite their good start)? Not good teams.
The White Sox are better than last year but still a so so team. Minnesota is Minnesota. Scrapy but limited.
The teams folks thought were going to be powerhouse type teams (Yankees, Mariners, Indians and Tigers) aren’t very good.
The Yankees have been hit hard by injuries. When they get healthy, you can see the potential for them to be a good team. Right now, its a scuffling team. A month from now, you can see the potential for them to have a big run in them this season.
The Tigers are awful. They really are. I know they swept the Yankees last week but, if you look at that team, their holes can’t be filled.
Their starters, aside from Verlander, aren’t good. The bullpen is brutally bad. They will get Zumaya and Rodney back at some point but, who knows how effective they will be.
Their offense is a tad overrated. Their defense is just brutal, which affects the pitching.
The Indians? They can pitch but they can’t hit.
Somebody has to win the Central but, they may only get to 87-89 wins. If that’s the case, the WC isn’t coming from the Central.
The Mariners are a huge disappointment. Another team that can’t hit and the health of their pitching staff is always up in the air.
Can the A’s stay in it all year? I don’t think so.
I think the sleeper team is Toronto. They have better pitching than both the Yankees and Red Sox. If they can find a bat, they will be in the playoff hunt all year.
I think the AL has definitely come back to the pack a bit and that’s good news for a team retooling on the fly like the Yankees this season.
Cliff Lee is making people look like little leaguers…His fastball is great he’s working fast and throwing people off..i was getting so frustrated watching the game last night, there were like 4 or 5 runners left in sc. pos.
its too bad that wang had to take a loss last night its sad when he cant get more than 3 runs from this + 200 million team…cano is kinda starting to look just a little better batting .211 in his last 10 games, there have only been 2 games all year that he has gotten more than one hit(both were 2-hit games)
I agree that once the Yankees get A-Rod and Posada back they will start hitting more. They key for them is Posada because the backups haven’t been hitting. At least for A-Rod we have gonzalez in there, who I love. Too bad our injury problem isn’t the outfield because I would love to see Gardner called up.
“Too bad our injury problem isn’t the outfield because I would love to see Gardner called up.”
Why? All three outfielders are having good years. They aren’t the problem with this team. I don’t see Gardner doing better than Damon, Matsui, or Melky.
“A month from now, you can see the potential for them to have a big run in them this season.”
i don’t see this happening with the pitching the yankees have. what is going to change in a month?
i do agree though that this year is a competition between weakened teams. because of this, the yankees should stay in the running for the wild card even with a .500 record through the all star break.
gonzalez got sent down on like tuesday…i like him too i had him autograph my jersey in spring training…ensberg has been taking all the time over at third…i have been impressed with molina’s fielding and his arm (had a nice double play last night and threw 2 out) but his hitting is horendous..
Check out Heyman of SI’s take on the Teixeira sweepstakes -
I assume Boras is to much of a pro (a.k.a. mercenary) to let the circus around the A-Rod deal affect this deal. Here is an interesting quote:
“The Orioles are close to my heart,” Teixeira admitted.
“I have family in Baltimore,” he continued. “But I have family in Georgia. And I have family in New York.” (Teixeira’s sister Elizabeth Durastanti and her husband Nick live in Hoboken, N.J. and work in New York City.)
In other words, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jon_heyman/05/07/heyman.teixeira/index.html
“i don’t see this happening with the pitching the yankees have. what is going to change in a month?”
Randy,
You’re really underestimating the Yankees pitching this year. So far the team has a better ERA than the team had last year and that’s with how bad Hughes and Kennedy have been.
Their pitching can’t get any worse now with Hughes 9 ERA and Kennedy’s 8.45 ERA not in the rotation at the moment.
I also suspect that when they do rejoin the rotation they’ll be much better than they’ve been. When Joba gets in the rotation I don’t think his ERA will be 8 or 9.
that would be amazing to see Teixeira in pinstripes…this is the last year on his contract im assuming???
The Yankees have become a very boring team to watch.
i agree…they all just seem so down all the time…they have no life to them…i think once posada gets back along with arod, cano will pull his head out of his ass and hit the ball…everybody will have more life to them then
“In other words, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!””
As in $200M minimum. He turned down $140M over 8 before being traded. Competition will be fierce. Someone, quite likely the Yankees will have to overpay to get Teixiera.
“The Yankees have become a very boring team to watch.”
With two unready rookies in the rotation, plus the injuries, coupled with the offensive ineptitude of Cano and the offensive and defensive failure of Giambi, boring is one word for what we are seeing.
Another way to look at it, however, is that the Yankees are biding their time, both for Cano and Po and A-Rod to return to hitting and for a possible pitching solution, either from a miraculously renewed IPK and Hughes, or from a pitcher coming to the team in a trade.
Fredo -
Fair point - but it is like an auction where the winner pays more than anyone else for some painting - did he overpay? it depends.
Right now we are overpaying Giambi but if we win rings with Tex and A-Rod may we are overpaying them.
*ouch*
I meant to say if we win with Tex and A-Rod we would not be overpaying at those prices.
*need more coffee*
I say its ok to overpay for Teixiera. A switch hitting 1B that fills a HUGE hole offensively and defensively.
Don’t forget the Mets will be in the market for a 1b as well.
TK:
Yanks are overpaying for a lot of guys, but so are several other teams. Probably talking about a 120 year deal at $20+ million. He’s 29 next year. This is the type of deal where teams tend to regret the last 3-4 years of it.
murphy, the yankees are boring…justify it anyway you like.
“As in $200M minimum. He turned down $140M over 8 before being traded. Competition will be fierce. Someone, quite likely the Yankees will have to overpay to get Teixiera.”
If it goes that high, I bet they don’t do it. Obviously I don’t think Tex is a juicer who will fall off a ledge like Giambi did. And he would fit nicely at 1st base in the Bronx. But that kind of money for somebody who is not Willie McCovey is really beyond the pale. And I don’t think Tex is Willie McCovey.
I look at it this way: Tex is good, but he’s not worth Hall of Fame money (neither was Giambi, but, I digress). Owners have to start responding to the Boras’ “Iconic Player” stuff by not paying Hall of Fame money for merely good players. I’m also guessing that Boras’ clients will have to pay the price for his exaggerations in the Zito deal, if not his slime in the A-Rod opt out.
But I leave the door open for anybody named Steinbrenner to overpay for anyone at anytime.
id try and trade for Joey Votto before I went and signed Tiexiera. I doubt Cincy would entertain any kind of trade that wasnt heavily favored for them for Votto(I believe he is pretty much untouchable) but the Yankees should make a call and see what it would take.
Francis:
OK, they are boring.
ok line-up guess lol
Damon DH
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Matsui LF
Giambi 1B
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Betemit 3B
Moller C
Just going out on a limb with the DH/LF thing, Giambi definitely plays vs. a righty and after the 2 HR game again Byrd last week. Betemit is going to get every chance just like Giambi, and day game after a night game Moller is in there… I don’t think Joe G really has many decisions to make today
The biggest question is who Mussina prefers as his catcher.
He doesn’t really have a choice today - Moller will be catching
Day game after a night game and Molina has been a little banged up, he has to get the day off
That is probably the lineup. Although like you said Matsui could be DH and Damon LF. Also I could see Betemit batting before Cano.
Don’t disagree with you Murph, but the combination of the need several teams have at that position, his age, and his track record is going to make him richer than he probably should be.
When you think about it, that kind of scratch plus the loss of a 1st rounder defies what Cashman wants to do…..but I think they may do it anyway.
If you can get Texeira for 4 or 5 years I would do it. but 8 years $140 is over the top. He’s already 29 y/o and will be 30 opening day next year. Do you really want to sign a 30 y/o player to a 7/8 year contract? I don’t. You’ll be paying for the years he’s in his 30’s where players normally decline.
That has another albatross contract written all over it.
I’d pass.
signing a 30 year old first baseman to a mega deal scares the sh out of me.
Francis:
Can’t see Votto being available. Further, what the Yanks have to offer is pitching. Now you can never have too much pitching, but the Reds have a nice group of youngsters already in Cueto, Volquez and Bailey. Reds will be looking more at moving Griffey and Dunn before it’s all over this year.
I wish this conversation would take place
Brian …”Barry, what up homey?”
Barry…”Cash, whats happening potna?”
Brian…”My offense is whats not happening”
Barry…”Yeah playa, Ive been seeing that”
Brian…”So, you down with a little 187?”
Barry..”Hells yeah”
Brian..”Meet me on 157 and University tomorrow at noon”
Barry..”aight bet”
“Their pitching can’t get any worse now with Hughes 9 ERA and Kennedy’s 8.45 ERA not in the rotation at the moment.”
i agree it’s not likley to get worse, but if it doesn’t get better i don’t see a big run coming in a month. mussina is a big surprise to me so far. he could get worse than he is now. wang and pettite are as advertised, but the 4th and 5th spot is up for grabs.
if cashman sticks to the plan and goes only from within i just don’t see the pitching being a strength. as a said the other day to the consternation of the blog , i think he really needed to pick up a veteran like livian hernandez for depth and innings. i still think he needs someone like that.
hernandez by the way is now 5-1 after a complete game victory last night . two rookies, slowey and perkins will be starting in the next few days. they will have a rested bullpen to bail them out if need be.
there is a symbiosis here that defies the logic that the yankees have young pitchers in their system who can do what hernandez does for the twins. it’s going to cost more now to get a veteran like hernandez. do you think the yankees could get him now without a few decent minor leaguers thrown in? i’m not sure the twins would take kennedy for him even up.
the problem the yankees are having with pitching is they are playing out a flawed plan.
they need to amend it as difficult as it is now into the season.
Francis,
Stop listening to old Dr. Dre albums…..
ray…never
“signing a 30 year old first baseman to a mega deal scares the sh out of me.”
Good thing he is 28 then.
i would say at this point that texiera is not as good a hitter as giambi was when the yankees signed him. apply lesson where appropriate.
Y’s Guy….its not even close…Giambi was arguably the best hitter in baseball when we signed him….Tex is not even close to that.
but you can bet someone will be paying tex giambi money next year.
also, give me a break on papelbon, the guy’s a total stud closer. dont take that as such a threat to your mariano god.
and did i read somebody knocking paps for pulling a paulie after the game? if papelbon and youkilis were yankees, you would see thier jersey #’s all over the stadium, they would be tremedously popular. Red sox or not, a true baseball fan appreciates both those guys alent and drive, while as a yankees fan i just wish they’d leave Beantown.
Assuming Alex is back a week from today, Ensberg should be DFA’d or released outright.
There is still much roster juggling to be done before a surge is made.
I think the Tex price discussion just guarantees that Abreu is back in pinstripes next year, a cheaper, shorter term commitment and he’s a perfect fit in the 3 hole.
Don’t forget that you’ve got Jorge looking at 1st base too, despite his declarations that “I’m a catcher,” because of that 4 year contract and now maybe more so because of that shoulder. There’s got to be real anxiety now to see how that shoulder turns out. More than Tex’s ridiculous asking price and years, or the money it would cost to get CC Sabathia if he becomes available, Jorge’s health and contract may be the blocks to getting Tex.
You have to believe that one of the Yankee kid position players will see the opportunity at 1st base, mature and claim the job. There have to be other options to Tex in the meantime.
“Assuming Alex is back a week from today, Ensberg should be DFA’d or released outright.”
I’d miss Morgan. He’s a pleasant flake.
randy l
I could not disagree with you more.
You said:
[blockquote]hernandez provides innings. the yankees needed someone to throw innings to protect the rookies and the bullpen. the rookies are back in the minors. hernandez is 5-1. the twins are 17-15. the yankees are 17-18.
kevin slowey is pitching tonight. glenn perkins is pitching saturday.
they are rookies.
the bullpen is rested because of livian hernandez complete game last night[/blockquote]
The Twins have a grand total of *1* complete game.
The Yankees have a grand total of *1* complete game.
[blockquote]this is how to develop a young pitching staff. [/blockquote]
The Yankees have Pettitte, Wang and Mussina in the rotation. All proven vets. The worst of which - Mussina - is the most comparable to Livan.
The Twins have Livan, Bonser, Blackburn, Baker and Slowey (though Baker is hurt so they called up Perkins). Bonser, Baker and Blackburn are all 26 and unproven.
Why is THAT the right way to go?
I know why you think it - it’s because the Twins had some success. If they had failed - say Baker and Blackburn had ERA’s and results near Hughes and Kennedy - you wouldn’t be saying the Twins method is better.
Murphydog
While Posada claims he will catch 4 more years, we all think it won’t happen. Tex won’t block him at 1b though. With no Giambi there, Posada should be a good DH.
First base is historically a ‘dumping ground’ for older/less athletic players who can still hit but can’t field another position. Mantle finished his career at 1B. It’s almost like DH lite.
As much as I would love Tex, he is not a good fit for this team as it is constructed. Posada might need to ‘rest’ at 1B, and maybe even Jeter. Miranda is a one-dimensional player, but can hit. We hope Montero can continue to Catch, but 1B might be in his future.
And as others have posted, Tex’s contract would be way worse then Giambi’s (which was 7 years, Tex might get 7-10 years). I believe Cashman has learned about long contracts and will pass on Tex.
Our infield is set for another 2-3 years. Our entire OF, sans Melky, turns over after 2009. Matsui is already a DH, and who can guess if JD will be any good next year. Maybe Tabata and/or AJax will be there. Gardner has done little to prove he’s anything but a good 4th OFer (on a strong team like the Yankees, anyway).
I believe over the next three years, this team will build with pitching and a stud OFer or 2 if they can get one. 1B will probably continue to be a revolving door of short contracts.
My main worry: Derek Jeter.
He is talented and smart enough that he may maintain a decent BA for the life of his contract. But his power and ability to PULL the ball into the gap (or God forbid, for a HR) seems to have evaporated. We may have a $20m/yr singles hitter, with under an .800 OPS who is defensively challanged at SS.
Bobby Abreu looks to be aging well. He power days are gone, and he looks to be an .825-.850 OPS guy. He’s a smart hitter who has always used the entire field. At 34, will he settle for a 2 yr deal if the Yanks wanted to keep him? He’s not worth $16m/yr, but may be a good deal at $12m-$14m/yr.
OK, now I know Cano isn’t the fastest guy in the world - but with Bryd in the wind-up, he could WALK home…. go old school and steal the plate!!
or double to left (single + error?) but either workds
Pete,
Why are you being such a girl about Phil Allard? So what he doesn’t like you, most people don’t. How about you grow up and act like a man; or try raise the level of content that finds its way into your blog?
-Chris