Hank: Blame the injuries
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jul 08, 2008 
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Hank Steinbrenner spoke to the AP on his way out of Steinbrenner Field last night:
“With what we’ve got in place right now, we still should be able to make a run,” he said. “We’re without (Chien-Ming) Wang, our 19-game winner. That’s the biggest blow. We’re without (Johnny) Damon for a little while, but he’ll be back. (Hideki) Matsui wlll probably be back. It’s been a bad year for injuries. The fans got to remember that. Don’t get discouraged. Injuries do happen.
“We have been decimated by injuries. I don’t remember a year this bad as far as injuries. It’s had a huge affect, it really has. Nobody wants to make excuses, but it’s reality. In any sport, I don’t care what it is. Soccer, baseball, basketball, football, there’s only two things that come under the heading of luck. Injuries and bad officiating. You just hope you don’t get the injuries, and we’ve had them this year.â€
————-
Did a quick count. The Yankees have called up, at one point or another, 17 players from AAA Scranton this season. Nine players on the roster today, more than a third of the team, weren’t there on Opening Day.
So Co-Chairperson Steinbrenner is right on the money.
Remember back in spring training when the big story was how Joe Girardi’s workout program would keep the Yankees healthy this season? So much for that. Well-intentioned as it was, injuries just happen sometimes no matter what you do. Guys get weird fractures or run into walls or get hit by pitches. All the sprints in the world in Tampa can’t change that.
He’s right on the money, but hardly alone. Rays and Red Sox have had plenty of injury issues. Yankees aren’t special in that regard.
I do like Hank’s attitude though.
Next year’s approach: the Bartolo Colon crumb cake diet!
CC Sabathia is instantly intrigued.
whiles injuries happen, theyve avoided the infamous hammy pulls which derailed their season early last year, which is a plus.
The Red Sox have been struggling to score runs lately with Ortiz being out of the lineup. They essentially shored up their defense however.
I don’t think Tampa and Boston’s injuries are on the same level as the Yankees however.
The Posada and A-Rod injuries and losing 3/5th of the starting rotation is greater than what either of those two teams have had to deal with.
“Rays and Red Sox have had plenty of injury issues. Yankees aren’t special in that regard. ”
Yeah, I didn’t see Beckett or Kazmir missing 3 months of the season, Buchholz or Garza missing three months, and sonnanstine or Masterson missing two months.
For all his outrageousness, Hank really does know what he’s talking about
So far, the Sox have lost their defending World Series MVP, two starting pitchers (one out for the year) and their imposing DH to the disabled list. Possibly the best hitter in baseball, their leftfielder, has been hampered by hammy issues all year.
In other words, the Yanks can’t use injuries as an excuse.
The Yankees problem isn’t the injuries alone though. The RISP BA is essentially the biggest problem.
If they were scoring more runs they would probably have 5 more wins. They’ve lost several low scoring games already this year.
They’ve just been too inconsistent all around and while the injuries didn’t help they still theoretically have enough players to do damage.
I do like how Hank is tempering fans expectations for the year though.
Hopefully Hank wasn’t watching the Tampa Yankees. That team is pathetic. They needs some offense from Charleston.
hank sounds like a very moodey guy one day he rips his team one day defends them! worst thing for a worker to have a moodey owner! you cant know what the next day brings…
Guys get weird fractures or run into walls or get hit by pitches. All the sprints in the world in Tampa can’t change that.
Except Abreu… he doesn’t run into walls.
Is it just me or was his last sentence a subtle dig at the umpires.
hahaha ortiz the best hitter in baseball.
…arod?
Hmmm, I think last year had more injuries.
And I think that — especially bearing in mind last year’s injuries — that Cashman is still to blame for for no WS wins in the past couple of years, and perhaps this year too.
Regardless Cashman is not good enough, and needs to go.
Schilling was never in the picture after signing his lifetime achievement contract, so you really count him in the injury discussion. Still the Sawx have had plenty to deal, but not as much as NY… but it’s close. Meanwhile the Rays have had Percival and lost Pena for two weeks and that’s about it.
It is hard to survive a huge number of injuries when you have zero position prospect in Triple-A and are determined not to deal any pitcher with a decent cieling… but here we are just 4 1/2 out of the WC with 70+ games to go.
Don’t feed the trolls:)
I’m still going to say it is an F’n JOKE how Fernando Martinez misses half the minor league season and makes the Futures Game for the 2nd time and meanwhile Austin Jackson doesn’t, Mark Melancon doesn’t, Anthony Claggett doesn’t ! That is an F’n JOKE !
“Well-intentioned as it was, injuries just happen sometimes no matter what you do. Guys get weird fractures or run into walls or get hit by pitches.”
so what you are saying is that because some injuries are freakish in nature and therefore can’t be prevented, it’s not worth trying to get your players in better physical condition?
what you are missing is that without this conditioning routine, there may have been many MORE injuries. we don’t know.
i honestly can’t tell what point you are trying to make.
that Torre’s approach of letting the players do whatever they want all winter was better since there will be injuries no matter what?
i just don’t see how getting players into better physical condition can ever be spun as a negative.
“So far, the Sox have lost their defending World Series MVP, two starting pitchers (one out for the year) and their imposing DH to the disabled list. Possibly the best hitter in baseball, their leftfielder, has been hampered by hammy issues all year.
In other words, the Yanks can’t use injuries as an excuse.”
Sox may have lost their defending W.S. MVP but Yankees lost the AL MVP. They lost one starting pitcher you cannot count Schilling when everyone knew he was in trouble well before ST reasoning why they tried to void the contract. Ortiz is obviously a blow and you cannot make excuses for Manny. He’s not the best hitter in baseball anymore. He’s just getting old. His bat is slowing down. You think Manny didn’t face Joba for no reason? I’m sure Francona was worried about Joba’s fastball vs. Manny’s bat speed.
Yankees injuries have by far slowed them the most.
Losing the two main guys off your bench in Betemit and Molina
1) Losing a 2x 19-game winner
2) Losing the reigning MVP
3) Losing one of the best hitting catchers and not to mention essentially losing his arm for the year after he has made so much progress in throwing guys out.
3) Losing your leadoff hitter who was having an All-Star type of year
4) Losing your DH/LF who has consistently driven in 100+ runs
5) Losing Jeter and Giambi for a couple of days each with Jeter’s quad and Giambi’s foot.
6) Losing you’re 4/5 starters, especially Hughes who showed much progress last year and there were very high expectations for him
7) Losing one of your go to guys in the pen in Bruney and losing Albaladejo.
Not making an excuse but to say that other teams have felt the harsh reality of injuries compared to the Yankees is incorrect.
hanks makes a good point…even though it was already known..sure every team has their share of injuries but these yanks have been dismantled….being without wang, hughes, kennedy, (even though they wernt good), bruney (may have been as good as veras has been), arod for a couple weeks, posada for a month, jeter for 6 days, damon for hopefully a week or two, matsui for god knows how much, albaladejo (yes i said it), and yes….even our favorite frequent flyer….Chris Britton
I love how anyone who doesn’t bash the Sox/praise the Yanks nonstop is considered a troll here.
My point is that the Sox have had their fair share of seemingly devastating injuries, but yet they’re playing much better ball than the Yankees.
Sorry if that makes me a troll.
Red SUX!!! Yanks RULE! Is that better?
What happened with Denard Span’s spot?
Brandon, do you know if they have a rule for the Futures game like the do for the all-star game, that every organization has at least 1 representative?
“My point is that the Sox have had their fair share of seemingly devastating injuries, but yet they’re playing much better ball than the Yankees.”
It’s a fair point. But I don’t think the Sox have had to sustain quite the number of injuries that the Yankees have had to.
They also aren’t playing much better ball than the Yanks. The Rays are but not the Sox.
This is all over ESPN in an hour guaranteed.
“Losing you’re 4/5 starters, especially Hughes who showed much progress last year and there were very high expectations for him”
This statement is absurd. Hughes and Kennedy were on the way down anyway before the injuries.
Bobby, NY: Buster, just how close did the Yankees come to landing CC? I have been hearing various conflicting things about it. Also, do you think they are front runner to sign him in the off-season? Do you think they need to? Thanks
Buster Olney: (1:15 PM ET ) Bobby: They weren’t involved at all in the Sabathia talks, and without question, you would have to install them as the early favorite to sign him, because they’ll be the team offering the biggest payday, with so much money coming off their payroll and with a distinct need for help in the rotation. Right now, I’d guess that there’s a 60-70 percent chance he winds up in the Bronx next spring… All things being equal, he’d probably love to play in his native California next year, but it’s hard to see anyone coming within $50 million of what the Yankees will offer…
The MSM’ers hate Hank and use every opportunity to criticize him.
I’ve heard him called an idiot, blowhard, no-nothing,etc. I don’t know that any of those comments are justified by his actions to date.
From what I’ve read, he knows what he is talking about and if anything, maybe just needs to curb some of his off-the-cuff comments. Those answers to questions that are spontaneous and not fully thought out are the ones that get you in trouble.
He reminds me of his father but in a good way.
I thought I saw today that a Yankees player got added to the Futres game roster a shortstop perhaps??
“This statement is absurd. Hughes and Kennedy were on the way down anyway before the injuries.”
Could the injuries perhaps have played a part in their poor showing?
Hank speaks? We will win tonight!
Brandon, do you know if they have a rule for the Futures game like the do for the all-star game, that every organization has at least 1 representative?
Apparently not, it’s classless IMO I read the splits between Austin Jackson, Fernando Martinez and Andrew McCutchen, Jackson is just as good even better in run production and he gets blackballed from the final year at Yankee Stadium Futures Game. Just classless Melancon and Claggett 2 of the best relief pitchers in the EL they too weren’t chosen, Ramiro Pena a 23 yr. old was picked as replacement player because some SS got injured. It’s ridiculous how they chose this roster.
How were they on their way down especially Hughes? lol I didn’t believe that IPK was ready but Hughes showed his potential before his hammy injury in his two starts and when he pitched in September/October he was lights out. His numbers last year as a 20-21 year old in his first major league season recovering from a bad hammy were very encouraging. He did win the lone playoff game for us last year.
Hank, less talking about injuries, more saving up money to throw at CC (not C.C.) and Texiera.
Thanks
The MSM’ers hate Hank and use every opportunity to criticize him.
I’ve heard him called an idiot, blowhard, no-nothing,etc. I don’t know that any of those comments are justified by his actions to date.
I’m a die-hard Yankee fan and the MSM is exactly right about Hank.
He’s an embarrassment to the organization and I continue to roll my eyes and curse the world whenever he opens his big mouth.
I wish he would go home and run the restaurants and horse ranch and leave the Yankees to his brother and Cashman.
Hank Stenbrenner represents the worst of what his dad used to be in his heyday and that’s never a good thing for this ball club.
I definitely like Hank’s style.
This is a ridiculous article. Don’t reporters challenge anymore?
Every team has injuries and every year we have injuries. Injuries is not a good excuse. The reason why we’re doing so poor or rather average is because of our learning on the job manager and the fact that YOU MADE NO MOVES IN THE OFFSEASON OR NOW!!!!
“Jackson is just as good even better in run production and he gets blackballed from the final year at Yankee Stadium Futures Game.”
Don’t they have an American Squad and an International Squad? Are Jackson’s numbers better than the other outfielders on the American Squad?
I have no idea who’s on the team mind you but I’d like to know.
The Future Game selections are a joke. The league all-star games selections are competition based and not scouting reports and supposed potential. Ajax made the Eastern League ASG and his future is bright regardless of the Futures slight.
“He’s an embarrassment to the organization and I continue to roll my eyes and curse the world whenever he opens his big mouth.”
He’s an embarassment? What was George then? George Steinbrenner was once banned from running the team because he was spying on one of his own players and you think Hank talking is an embarassment?
Brandon:
Classless??? Maybe the Yankees did not want Jackson losing time in AA to be in the Olympics. There’s a tie to the US team in the Futures Game to the Olympic team. If you’re not on it, you’re not in this game. Several teams had no representatives. Bowden and Tillman, the 2 best starters in the EL aren’t on the team either. Lot of very good prospects aren’t.
Sal,
Apparently this is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ blog.
Phil needs to go to a winter league somewhere because at this rate he won’t be ready for 3 years. IF we get Sabathia in the offseason, there will be less pressure on Phil.
AJax > “F” Mart
““This statement is absurd. Hughes and Kennedy were on the way down anyway before the injuries.â€
Could the injuries perhaps have played a part in their poor showing?”
You could make that argument for Hughes but not Kennedy. Kennedy can’t handle the media here.
hank is full of crap. hughes has been rushed and mishandled since he hit the big leagues. wang wasn’t prepared to run the bases.
yankee pitchers, from what i read, do no running around the bases so wang’s injury may have been avoided by someone thing ahead of time.
the old saying is that the more you prepare the luckier you get.
ortiz and shilling have been out for the red sox.
hank is a baseball lightweight just making excuses for himself doing a lousy job.
has he been to a home game yet?
he should just say “i suck at being an owner”
Eugie.
Would you rather give up Hughes or Wang AND Kennedy AND Melky for Santana, and maybe win it all, or lose no one, wait a year, maybe still make the playoffs this year, but wait a year and get Sabathia for nothing but money?
I do feel bad that Mussinas chances at his ring are wearing thin
“This is a ridiculous article. Don’t reporters challenge anymore?
Every team has injuries and every year we have injuries. Injuries is not a good excuse. The reason why we’re doing so poor or rather average is because of our learning on the job manager and the fact that YOU MADE NO MOVES IN THE OFFSEASON OR NOW!!!!”
They caught him when he was leaving Steinbrenner field. Do you think he stood up on a podium to make his pronouncement about the team and then fielded questions?
Whether you want to admit it or not the injuries have played a part in the team’s struggles. The injuries may not be the sole reason but they have played a part.
What moves would you have like Cashman to make?
He didn’t injure his foot hitting the base, he hit it running on grass.
“Injuries is not a good excuse. ”
It’s a reason, though. It’s stupid not to rationally look at it and say “yeah…losing Wang for 3 months while the 2nd best young pitcher in the organization is ALSO down, while the 3rd and 4th best young pitchers in the organization are ALSO on the DL…that’s a blow to the team that’s tough to recover from.”
The offense has been, in my mind, the biggest problem. Were you advocating moves to shore up the offense in the offseason? Or now?
Andrew McCutchen .286 AVG, 8HR, 33 RBI, 24 SB (339 AB)
Fernando Martinez .293 AVG, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 3 SB (205 AB)
Austin Jackson .269 AVG, 8 HR, 51 RBI, 13 SB (353 AB)
“You could make that argument for Hughes but not Kennedy. Kennedy can’t handle the media here.”
Plus he’s not a difference making starter anyway. The Hughes thing hurt, but his performance was off and I’m not buying it was all injuries. He put up a couple good games around all his clunkers.
Like Olney said (the only ESPN baseball analyst I listen too) the Yankees have a 70% chance at Sabathia just because Sabathia said he wants Santana money, and thats what the Yankees will give him, if not more
I’m definitely seeing some bipolar tendencies with Hank.
As fans we’ve known all along that guys have been trying to hard with guys out.
He’s the one that needed to relax.
Question of the Day:
What would you give up in your life to have the Yankees win the division?
What has Hank done wrong? Sure, he talks, but the Yanks haven’t made any stupid, rash moves because of it. Where his father made Buhner-for-Phelps and Leiter-for-Barfield trades out of desperation, Hank is letting Cashman stick to the plan. I have no problem with Hank. It’s his team, let him talk anytime he wants.
As for Cashman, anyone who criticizes him is looking way too much at this season. When the guy took control after 2005, he inherited a system with few minor league prospects and a roster loaded with underahieving vetereans with bloated contracts. Now the Yanks have one of the top farm systems in the game (at least in pitching) and after this year, most of the big contracts will be done. In the big picture, Cashman has done an amazing job. I’m happy to have a rough 2008 for a healthy 2009 and beyond.
“You could make that argument for Hughes but not Kennedy.”
Possibly. But the lat problem certainly prevented him from being able to spend the last month and a half getting himself right at AAA.
It’s also pretty idiotic to say “he can’t handle the media here” when he’s been in NY for all of what…two months? Ever?
Am I the only one whos bothered that there is never any available audio/ video interviews of Hank Stein?
I would kill to see some of his quotes in audio or video. Text doesn’t quite do it.
Fredo Corleone that’s been the case the past few years already. The US selection isn’t new.
“Plus he’s not a difference making starter anyway. The Hughes thing hurt, but his performance was off and I’m not buying it was all injuries. He put up a couple good games around all his clunkers.”
You’ve never seen a guy put up an aberrant “good” start despite him struggling overall?
jennifer,
But if he had watched Bad News Bears 2, he would’ve known to push off the inside of the bag.
“What would you give up in your life to have the Yankees win the division?”
For just this year?
ummm blame the injuries? is that right? you mean its not a-rod’s fault anymore?? I’m sooo confused
“The Hughes thing hurt, but his performance was off and I’m not buying it was all injuries.”
Besides…let’s say he was just not ready for the bigs. Don’t you think if he was healthy he’d be a lot closer by now? The injuries have really drastically negatively impacted this team.
“hank is a baseball lightweight just making excuses for himself doing a lousy job.
has he been to a home game yet?
he should just say “i suck at being an ownerâ€
What should he be doing as a owner that he hasn’t done as yet?
If he attends games does that make him a better owner?
“Fredo Corleone that’s been the case the past few years already. The US selection isn’t new.”
Except for this being the 1st year they’ve done it this way, I’ll go along with your assessment that it’s not new.
Cubs trying to get Rich Harden
Brandon,
Martinez is more than likely on the international team. Who are the other US outfielders?
“Besides…let’s say he was just not ready for the bigs. Don’t you think if he was healthy he’d be a lot closer by now? The injuries have really drastically negatively impacted this team.”
I thought, despite his age, he was ready to be a league average low end of the rotation type this season. I agree, this injury hurt in a lot of ways, not the least of which is how it screws with his development.
“What moves would you have like Cashman to make?”
how about hari kari on the mound?
“Cubs trying to get Rich Harden”
Can’t see it. Cubs don’t have the prospects from all reports.
“If he attends games does that make him a better owner?”
duh.
“What would you give up in your life to have the Yankees win the division?”
This year? Nothing, really. They’re pretty unlikely to win the series as currently constructed, so the division is pretty unimportant.
I’d much prefer that they figure out a way to use their vets to figure out a way to reposition themselves for 2009 and beyond. But that might not be possible, so…
I dunno. With Giambi’s season-long health, they could maybe convince someone (the Angels?) to take him on for the stretch run. Toss in some pitching, get a useful upper-level position player.
What would you give up in your life to have the Yankees win the division?”
This year, not that much because with this roster and our tendencies since 2004 says were eliminated in the first round.
Blargh,
Yes, this year. People here place such a premium on each game, what would they give up to take the division or WC?
Beer? Blogging? First-born?
“I thought, despite his age, he was ready to be a league average low end of the rotation type this season.”
Me too. I was shocked at how badly he performed. Hopefully he can come back and finish the season strong, maybe play winter ball somewhere to boost his innings total.
is there somewhere we can see the number of votes each player has? I think the public should see them.
randy l,
Jeez. Is Sterling your neighbor or something?
Can’t see it. Cubs don’t have the prospects from all reports.”
Me either. Id like Cash to dabble in the conversation with Beane, but once he mentioned anything too big, I would want Cash to leave. But I would like to see him see what Beane would want
Once you make the playoffs, anything can happen.
8 teams. Short series. Injuries. Emergence.
I wouldn’t give up the farm though
I would give up beer….but I need my vodka
“What would you give up in your life to have the Yankees win the division?—
i would give up my blog conversations with whozat, raymagnetic, and patrick(the good one), but not nick in sf because he’s actually kind of funny.
““If he attends games does that make him a better owner?â€
duh.”
George attended games all the time in the 80′s. Did it make him a better owner?
Gah, you’re better than that, randy. Hara-kiri is the real colloquialism, ‘hari kari’ is a sadly common pronunciation disaster.
“Eugie.
Would you rather give up Hughes or Wang AND Kennedy AND Melky for Santana, and maybe win it all, or lose no one, wait a year, maybe still make the playoffs this year, but wait a year and get Sabathia for nothing but money?
I do feel bad that Mussinas chances at his ring are wearing thin”
Would I rather gamble with unproven players or trade for a proven power pitcher? I’d take Santana… As long as it didn’t cost Wang because him in the talks defeats the purpose.
Yankee Fan,
Try mlb.com. They showed Longoria leading.
I think that he’s getting the Yankee hater vote, tho. 20,000 votes isn’t enough to take the lead.
Unfortunetly , Yankeefan4eva, you probably dont want to see them. I am almost positive that it will be rigged for Longoria to win.
“Jeez. Is Sterling your neighbor or something?”
nothing is worse for an argument than having an idiot agree with you.
While partially true, one problem with Hank’s statement is that older teams–and this year’s team is certainly that–are more susceptible to injuries. This year’s team is a good example of why building from within is the proper approach, and while the team might miss the playoffs this year it is my belief that the team is on the right track.
“But I would like to see him see what Beane would want”
What makes you think he hasn’t?
I mean…we’ve already heard that the yanks have been looking in on Harden for a month now.
Raymagnetic
Dexter Fowler COL
Greg Golson PHI
Andrew McCutchen PIT
Colby Rasmus STL
Nate Schierholtz
every team has injuries to one degree or another, what is important is who and exactly when.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07.....119020.htm
this will get worse foe a-blond!!!!
From MLB.com regarding the Futures Game
“With the Olympic Games in Beijing in August, a new format has been adopted for the Futures Game. Instead of selecting the U.S. squad based solely on prospect status, players were chosen as part of the 2008 Team USA Olympic trial team. Also different from years past is the length of the game. This year’s contest will be nine innings, begins at 11:30 a.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN2. Prior to this season, the majority of the games were seven-inning affairs.”
He’s an embarassment? What was George then? George Steinbrenner was once banned from running the team because he was spying on one of his own players and you think Hank talking is an embarassment?
Did you read this statement?
Hank Stenbrenner represents the worst of what his dad used to be in his heyday and that’s never a good thing for this ball club.
Not sure how I could make that any clearer.
I didn’t like a lot of the things The Boss used to do. And Hank represents the worst of that.
Why is that hard to understand?
Would I rather gamble with unproven players or trade for a proven power pitcher? I’d take Santana… As long as it didn’t cost Wang because him in the talks defeats the purpose.”
Hughes a future power pitcher who could be a VERY good 3 or 4 pitcher with the stuff to be a #2 in 5 years? If we get Sabathia you figure Chamberlain Sabathia and Wang are our 1 2 3 (not in that order) and Hughes as a 4?? Thats amazing in a few years
And Wang was the last offer.
hahaha I knew Longoria would be leading. That sh it is so rigged.
i must have just entered in about 100-150 votes today alone. I hope we all doing the same. We need the SATCHE there!!!
“Would I rather gamble with unproven players or trade for a proven power pitcher? I’d take Santana…”
Ah, this old chestnut. You look at the Yankees and think they’re one pitcher away from winning the world series? Really?
Next…You’d trade for a power pitcher who’s already lost a couple MPH off his fastball just for the privilege of signing him for six more years? That sounds like a good idea to you? Not to mention that this consigns you to needing to fill out the rotation with the Carlos Silvas of the world…again.
“They caught him when he was leaving Steinbrenner field. Do you think he stood up on a podium to make his pronouncement about the team and then fielded questions?
Whether you want to admit it or not the injuries have played a part in the team’s struggles. The injuries may not be the sole reason but they have played a part.
What moves would you have like Cashman to make?”
huh? People don’t have to stand at podiums in order to be challenged.
Injuries is a cop out.
I would like Cashman to make moves that warrant his salary.
What makes you think he hasn’t?
I mean…we’ve already heard that the yanks have been looking in on Harden for a month now.”
I knew we were interested, but I wasnt sure if he was in talks or not
“Ah, this old chestnut. You look at the Yankees and think they’re one pitcher away from winning the world series? Really?
Next…You’d trade for a power pitcher who’s already lost a couple MPH off his fastball just for the privilege of signing him for six more years? That sounds like a good idea to you? Not to mention that this consigns you to needing to fill out the rotation with the Carlos Silvas of the world…again.”
Johan Santana is Carlos Silvas? wow.
If Giambi doesnt get in i’ll be extremely pissed. Giambi not in the HR derby is a disgrace
“Not sure how I could make that any clearer.
I didn’t like a lot of the things The Boss used to do. And Hank represents the worst of that.
Why is that hard to understand?”
Because Hank DOESN’T represent the worst of that. If he did, the Yankees would ALREADY have made some boneheaded trades to try to make the playoffs this year.
Also…spying on his own players, that was the kind of “worst” that George had in him. How does Hank represent that kind of behavior?
Hmmm…it figures NYPOST is all over his sex life, next is the Scores stripper updates
Also, I’d give up a good dinner tonight for a division guarantee this year.
No Johan is Silva, but to give up a pitcher who will likely have great stuff for Santana when you can have Sabathia after the season is suicide. Healthy, this could be our rotation next season
Sabathia
Wang
Pettitte
Chamberlain
Hughes
I take that over
Santana
Chamberlain
Pettitte
Hughes
fill in the blank
“Johan Santana is Carlos Silvas? wow.”
In what way did I say that? You said trade anything necessary (save Wang) for Santana. That means you lose guys like Kennedy, Hughes et al. That means you need to fill out the the rotation with SOMEBODY because you don’t have cheap guys from the organization to slot in there. That means you need to sign guys like Carlos Silva.
Explain to me how my chain of reasoning equates to “Johan Santana is Carlos Silva”?
****Johan ISNT Sliva******
“Hughes a future power pitcher”
Are we still allowed to call Hughes a “power pitcher” ?
“Hughes a future power pitcher who could be a VERY good 3 or 4 pitcher with the stuff to be a #2 in 5 years? If we get Sabathia you figure Chamberlain Sabathia and Wang are our 1 2 3 (not in that order) and Hughes as a 4?? Thats amazing in a few years”
Hughes will never be a power pitcher. You need a fastball for that.
what this boston stripper did she combined his on the field issues with off the field! wow! he is so busted
Lets see Hughes in a full year of pitching before you give up on him being a power pitcher
blargh-
google through me off . i first put hari kiri.
just as bad?
and I am sure that girl came out to tell her story just so she could support Cynthia. She is just looking to cash in for the next dollar herself.
Thank goodness the Post doesn’t come to our door. The kids would be scarred for life.
Who here actually gets the Post? What do most people subscribe to in the New York area?
“Hughes will never be a power pitcher. You need a fastball for that.”
Like Santana’s sweet 91 MPH fastball? (http://www.fangraphs.com/stats.....#pitchtype)
Santana’s a power pitcher, but Hughes (throwing 91 with a BROKEN RIB) can never be?
http://www.fangraphs.com/stats.....#pitchtype
That link should work better
Houlihan said she met the third baseman during a Yankees-Red Sox clash at Fenway Park in July 2004 — the same game A-rod was ejected from for fighting with Boston catcher Jason Varitek.
“We were really bustin’ his chops and he walked over to us and I thought he was going to yell at us,” she told the paper. “But he introduced himself, asked me who I was and if I wanted to meet up for drinks later. I was like, ‘Hell, yeah.’”
She said they got sauced at a club called Saint and later had sex at his Ritz-Carlton hotel room.
Houlihan said she felt guilty the next day when her pals told her C-Rod was pregnant with the couple’s first child.
But not guilty enough to say no to the heavy hitter when the Bombers returned to town three months later for the American League Championship Series.
Where did she do that ? Well I guess game 4 ? but lets be honest we didn’t lose game 4 because of Alex that had to do w/ Mo and Posada letting that stupid OF run wild on them !
“In what way did I say that? You said trade anything necessary (save Wang) for Santana. That means you lose guys like Kennedy, Hughes et al. That means you need to fill out the the rotation with SOMEBODY because you don’t have cheap guys from the organization to slot in there. That means you need to sign guys like Carlos Silva.”
Ah ok I understand. It’s sort of like what they’re doing right now except without having Johan Santana.
blargh-
reread your post .
thanks for the correction
Eh, a bit closer (got the cut part down, ‘kiri’) and not as commonly perpetuated, so less bad.
And now we can ignore that last post of mine
“It’s sort of like what they’re doing right now except without having Johan Santana.”
Except that now they have several promising pitchers working their way back from injury. In your scenario…they don’t. They’re handing out 4 year deals to crappy 32 year old pitchers because they have no other choice.
Throw the futures game US team out the window this year – its being selected in a completely different way as its being used as part of the selection process for the US Olympics team.
Playing in the Olympics is a major commitment – the players will miss over 30 days of minor league competition time.
As I understand it, not all teams were willing to release their minor league players to participate as they were concerned that the missed time would hurt player development.
If any team is not going to want one of their players to miss development time its the yankees. So I’m not even sure if Jackson ever even had a chance to come under consideration for the Futures Game.
And on top of that they generally tried to pick prospects who are higher up in the minors/ have more experience in the minors as those are the ones they think will be best to compete in the Olympics where the competition is generally much older international players.
Denard Span from the Twins was selected to the US outfield – he’s not even considered a top 100 player. He’s just has experience in the minors and has seen some time in the majors.
And outside of that Jackson’s hardly the most striking omission from the US team in the outfield.
Cameron Maybin is not on the team. Think about that. I’d guess Florida would not let him miss time.
Jason Heyward was not selected. Heyward has probably shot himself up to being one of the top 10 prospects in the game – he’s only 19. He has a chance to be the top prospect in the entire game in a year or two. He’s not only the single best prospect in low A ball, he’s having a historically great Sally League season for a 19 year old.
He’s not on the team. The Futures Game under normal circumstances was set up to feature guys like Heyward.
This is just a very different year. And I don’t even know if Jackson deserves it over other guys in the minors. He’s having a nice season but not a great one.
I love how you give up on Hughes and his fastball. What a bunch of dbags.
If he did, the Yankees would ALREADY have made some boneheaded trades to try to make the playoffs this year.
Hank is not the only guy in charge.
It was Hank who put the arbitrary and moronic deadline on the Santana talks last November and everyone laughed at him.
It was Hank who said he wanted Santana and said as such in the media (borderline tampering).
Hank also said that he wanted Joba in the rotation at the end of April but Cashman had to play damage control with the media and reminded everyone there was a plan in place and they weren’t going to divert from it.
It was Hank who made the idiotic Jaime Moyer comparison.
This team would be better off if Hank would shut up and leave the media relations to the smart people in the front office like Cashman or his brother.
Everyone in the media thinks Hank is a moronic blowhard and they are exactly right.
Miller,
yeah, I know right? Still sour over the whole Santana bull crap. A full season from Hughes next year, we’ll see what he’s got.
Well, it’s still offensive. Maybe something less ethnic? Like autoerotic strangling?
Franco,
Since Hank made the Moyer comparison, how has Mussina done?
Hard to say whose had more nagging injuries, but here’s the totals of the Yankees and Red Sox on the injury list so far this year.
Pavano (I know, saying this is like saying water is a liquid.)
Pettite, 15 days
Betemit 38 days
Bruney 74 days so far
Posada 37 days (and still missing games because of shoulder)
A-Rod 21 days
Hughes 69 days so far
Albadejo 59 days so far
Kennedy 27 days
Britton 32 days so far
Wang 21 days so far (feels like forever)
Matsui 11 days so far
Damon 2 days so far
Schilling (I wish he’d played, he would have been worse than the kids)
Beckett 18 days (mostly no games during those days)
Lowell 19 days
Timlin 34 days (see Beckett and Schilling)
Cora 25 days
Casey 16 days
Moss 18 days
Bucholz 17 days
Matzuzaka 21 days
Ortiz 35 days so far
Colon 21 days so far
total Yankees: 107 days by front line players, 299 days others
Red Sox 93 days by front line players, 131 days others
Looks like the Yankees have had about four and a half games in the standings worth of games missed than the Sox.
John Kruk sucking up to the Mets? Over his former team?
Thinks Jose Reyes wants to be the 2nd half MVP?
Thinks Pedro looked like vintage Pedro?
Are the Mets paying him?
i would have respect for both cashman and hank if they said the yankees were screwed for this year and last winter made the decision to look to future years
that’s not what they did.
they took a middle road that doesn’t seem to be working well . i think the position the yankees are in is on them.
“Everyone in the media thinks Hank is a moronic blowhard and they are exactly right.”
Moronic blowhard is FAR from the worst that George ever was.
DLev, good numbers. But Ortiz will be back in 2 weeks, and Wangs days will keep running. We will wind up missing players SO much more than the Red Sox.
By the way Randy, calling myself (the good one) was too pretentious so I added a â„¢ by my name. You would give up our conversations!? NOOOO
i would have respect for both cashman and hank if they said the yankees were screwed for this year and last winter made the decision to look to future years
that’s not what they did.
they took a middle road that doesn’t seem to be working well . i think the position the yankees are in is on them.”
How do you say something like that to players like Jeter, and Posada, and Pettitte, and Mo who only know being in the playoffs? This team RIGHT NOW is still a playoff caliber team. Its the same team – Vizcaino and Clemens from last year, and we made the playoffs last year
How many ballplayers are crossing their fingers that this girl doesn’t blow the whistle on them, too?
Something tells me A-rod wasn’t her first.
Regardless, here’s to hoping Arod takes it out on Kazmir tonight.
CB Neftali Feliz touched 101 MPH in his last AA debut start 3 times. Wilkins De La Rosa
Assuming he was converted on May 31st since this date as a converted SP
30.1 IP, 16 H, 7 ER, 11 BB, 33 SO
2.09 ERA, 4.84 H9, 3.33 BB9, 10.00 K9
.151 BAA
True, but Hank isn’t talking about the record the rest of the way though — he’s talking about so far. But the Yankees have had it tough this year, esp. considering those number don’t include the games missed by Jeter, Posada, and A-Rod when they weren’t on the DL.
“Raymagnetic
Dexter Fowler COL
Greg Golson PHI
Andrew McCutchen PIT
Colby Rasmus STL
Nate Schierholtz”
Are any of them having worse seasons than our boy?
Please Doug Melvin, Please take care of CC for us. Keep him away from those Breweries, and keep the Bratwursts to a minimum, we want him to be trim in the pinstripes next season
“Thinks Jose Reyes wants to be the 2nd half MVP?”
whats so outlandish about that? wouldnt every player want to be the 2nd half all star?
“Thinks Pedro looked like vintage Pedro?”
did you watch him last night? he did look like vintage Pedro. whether he can keep it up, thats the question.
“I didn’t like a lot of the things The Boss used to do. And Hank represents the worst of that.
Why is that hard to understand?”
What has he done that compares to what his father use to do? I still haven’t seen you make an argument which suggests that Hank has done bad by the ballclub. All he does it talk.
“i would have respect for both cashman and hank if they said the yankees were screwed for this year and last winter made the decision to look to future years”
Tell me how “looking to future years” would have looked. Who would they have shipped out, and what kind of return would you have expected? Should they have let Posada and Mo go? For what, some draft picks in the 30-50 range that would have (of necessity) been used on guys that are a couple years away? They don’t need more low-level talent.
Traded Matsui or Damon? They were getting offered Noah Lowry for Matsui. Should they have done that deal?
You want to argue that they should try to convince Mussina to go to the Phillies right now? Maybe Giambi to go to the Angels? Farnsworth to…anywhere? Sure, we can talk about that. But what should they have done last offseason? Melky is the only guy who I think has hurt his value this season.
Since Hank made the Moyer comparison, how has Mussina done?
Yes, yes, it’s because of Hank Steinbrenner’s moronic comment that Moose has put together a great season thus far.
I think that’s an insult to Moose.
Nobody on that team is motivated by Hank’s words. They roll their eyes and chuckle just like us fans do.
You can make a case for McCutchen but I guess he’s the premier name in AA, Fowler is real good, Rasmus is in AAA, Schierholtz is good and in AAA, Golson is better w/ less AB. It just pisses me off to see this but it could also be the Yankees pulled Austin from being available. Which would suck IMO but understood. Alot of good players aren’t playing in this game whether it’s organizational reasons because of the Olympics selection it not known but it may be the case.
“Nobody on that team is motivated by Hank’s words. They roll their eyes and chuckle just like us fans do.”
so then, how is he damaging and a disgrace?
i dont get it. baseball is supposed to be fun and entertaining, and i find it entertaining to see the owner of my team playing the role of fan. that makes me feel good, that he’s not just in it to make money for the family business, but he has a rooting interest in the performance of the team.
if anything, people worried that the Steinbrenners after George wouldnt care about the team, so we should be reassured the Yankees are in good hands, no?
did you watch him last night? he did look like vintage Pedro. whether he can keep it up, thats the question.”
So one start makes him 1999 Pedro? He was the definition of Awful against us.
“huh? People don’t have to stand at podiums in order to be challenged.
Injuries is a cop out.
I would like Cashman to make moves that warrant his salary.”
Okay, I’ll try to explain it more slowly for you. He was leaving Steinbrenner Field. Therefore I would think he was on his way somewhere. Therefore that would lead me to believe that he did not stay around to take questions. Understand?
Cashman has rebuilt the farm system on the fly while also making sure team contends every year. You can discount those two things, but I don’t.
Yeah im not even reading Franco’s statements, he’s digging himself deeper with the Hank stuff
mel,
“What would you give up in your life to have the Yankees win the division?â€â€
Let’s see, smokes? Nope, quit years ago…
Wine? Nope, already quit for the South Beach Diet…
Lohud Blog reading? Nope, tried and the withdrawal symptoms are too much.
I guess it would have to be….. being envious of Rays fans this year! Ha!
Brandon,
I told you there was no way the rangers would ever even consider trading neftali feliz. Great stuff. He has an outstanding breaking ball as well.
I was very surprised to see them promote him all the way to AA from low A. Not sure what the point of that is? Seems like they’re rushing him but I guess they think he’s so dominant that even high A wouldn’t be enough of a challenge?
By the way – do you know how the Rangers got Feliz? That’s going to make a very interesting story one day that people may talk about for a long time.
I have no idea what to make of De La Rosa – though I think its just a hot streak. I think he’s much better suited to the pen but we’ll see.
Speaking of McCuthen, he was dealing the other night and got better late in the game. Fat Sid looks bad again and he has to be considered since Aceves is still DLed.
how does this widget thing work??
I click on Giambi and click vote now
Is that all I have to do or is another page supposed to load?
“Like Santana’s sweet 91 MPH fastball? (http://www.fangraphs.com/stats.....#pitchtype)
Santana’s a power pitcher, but Hughes (throwing 91 with a BROKEN RIB) can never be?”
That stat doesn’t tell you anything. Hughes fastball has a top speed in the low 90s. Santana’s is in the mid 90s. All that stat shows is consistency.
“So one start makes him 1999 Pedro? He was the definition of Awful against us.”
so i guess thats a ‘no’.
yeah, he was bad in his start against the Yankees. but i said he looked like vintage Pedro last night.
in fact, i said the question that remains is whether or not he can keep that up for the season.
some people are so quick to jump on others, for no apparent reason.
Dear Interested Reader,
“Remember back in spring training when the big story was how Joe Girardi’s workout program would keep the Yankees healthy this season? So much for that. Well-intentioned as it was, injuries just happen sometimes no matter what you do. Guys get weird fractures or run into walls or get hit by pitches. All the sprints in the world in Tampa can’t change that.”
So much for that? For someone who writes about sports you certainly don’t know much about the physical aspect of actually playing them. You can be in the best shape ever and still get hurt but by being in that great shape you are at the same time preventing many other injuries/ailments that would otherwise surface. Take the US Olympic Sprinter that just had a hamstring issue while running in the trials the other day. You can’t be in better shape than someone like him. As an actual athlete and not someone who only watches athletes, I am speaking from experience.
By the way – do you know how the Rangers got Feliz? That’s going to make a very interesting story one day that people may talk about for a long time.
You don’t have to I know. Mark Teixeira for Neftali Feliz, Elvis Andrus, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Matt Harrison. Highway robbery for the future.
Hank might be a blowhard, but the Yankees win when he talks.
Hey Eugie,
You are freaking genius. You are totally onto something. Might as well give up your day job. Hughes obviously fooled every baseball scout and front office person in baseball but not you.
“i would have respect for both cashman and hank if they said the yankees were screwed for this year and last winter made the decision to look to future years
that’s not what they did.”
Not having Johan isn’t the really why the team is struggling. It’s the offense that’s been holding them down.
They can’t continue to lose 2-1 and 3-1 games. They scored 3 runs or less over 30 times already this season. They are on pace to score 200 less runs this season compared to last.
If anyone not named Nostradamus could have predicted that I would like them to buy my lottery cards from now on.
“Except that now they have several promising pitchers working their way back from injury. In your scenario…they don’t. They’re handing out 4 year deals to crappy 32 year old pitchers because they have no other choice.”
Hughes is the only “promising” pitcher. Kennedy is a bust.
Is it worth it to waste guys like Mariano, Pettitte, Mussina this year so we have a possible chance in a few years?
I’m glad to hear Robertson doesn’t want to read my comments since he’s not exactly a savvy fan who learns from past mistakes.
Yeah, let’s just throw money at every big name FA this offseason like Sabathia and Teixeira.
Obviously, you haven’t learned anything the last several years considering it was relying on FAs and quick fixes that put this team in this position in the first place.
“Not having Johan isn’t the really why the team is struggling. It’s the offense that’s been holding them down.
If anyone not named Nostradamus could have predicted that I would like them to buy my lottery cards from now on.”
completely agree. i wouldve bet my life that the last thing this team was going to have to worry about was scoring runs, but oviously im glad i didnt.
thats what i try to explain to my thick headed friend who bashes Cashman for not pulling the trigger on a Johan deal, but he just doesnt want to give it up.
“Santana’s is in the mid 90s.”
So…you’re saying that Santana’s throwing 2 MPH slower now than in 2006 on average, but his “top speed’ is still in the mid 90′s?
“Hughes is the only “promising†pitcher. Kennedy is a bust.”
Do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you type things like this?
Kennedy made it to the Majors in one year. He already is a draft success if he never pitches another day in his life.
Clicking on the vote now will take you to the mlb voting site (pop up)…
Lineup Guesses for Tonight?
Mine – (have to keep Gardner in there just in case he gets on)
Gardner LF
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Rodriguez 3B
Posada DH
Cano 2B
Betemit 1B
Molina C
Christian RF
“Highway robbery for the future.”
John Scheurolz hasn’t made too many bad trades, especially when it comes to prospects. He always knew which ones to keep and which ones to trade.
But that Teixeira trade is looking more and more like an absolute disaster for Atalanta.
Salty is struggling but he’s still going to wind up being a decent major league catcher (unless he gets forced to a different position).
Andrus is 19, already in AA and is having a nice year for a SS.
Harrison is left handed and having a good AAA year.
In many ways Feliz was the 4th player in that deal.
And right now Feliz may be the best player of the 4 – he’s on his way to becoming one of the 5 best pitching prospects in the game.
I was thinking about that Teixeira trade with the Sabbathia deal. The consensus is that Milwaukee made a great move – a move they had to. I agree it was a reasonable move. But they gave up a lot to get Sabbathia.
Those kinds of deals for all star veterans never look bad in the short run. In the long run they can get ugly.
The Teixeira trade is headed that way for Atlanta and quickly.
“Kennedy is a bust.”
Go look back at the first two months of most 23 year old pitchers. Declaring him a bust is the definition of shortsighted.
“I love how you give up on Hughes and his fastball. What a bunch of dbags.”
Agreed.
One of the things that 90% of the idiot fans don’t realize is that (other than his injury), Hughes sacrifices velocity for movement.
Hughes was never going to be a 98-100 mph fastball guy like Joba. He peaked at 94-95. However, that 94-95 was flat (like Farnsworth, and to a lesser degree, Joba). A flat fastball at 94-95 is MUCH worse than a 91-92 mph fastball that has late breaking movement. It’s hard to square up Hughes’ fastball when he’s on (which he wasn’t early this season, when he had FRACTURED RIBS). He ain’t going to get many swings and misses on the fastball – that’s what he needs the changeup and curveball for – but he’s going to get plenty of weak hacks; foul balls, popups, weak grounders.
“Gardner LF
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Rodriguez 3B
Posada DH
Cano 2B
Betemit 1B
Molina C
Christian RF”
You may be right. But that lineup would make me yearn to die.
Eugie: “Hughes is the only “promising†pitcher. Kennedy is a bust.
Is it worth it to waste guys like Mariano, Pettitte, Mussina this year so we have a possible chance in a few years?”
Two thing. First, you know already that Kennedy is a bust? Come on. It takes some guys longer to develop. Nobody knows yet if he’s a bust or not.
Second, you talk about wasting the chance of guys like Mariano, Pettitte and Mussina like it’s 1996 and the Yanks can buy whatever they need. If they did the Santana deal, it wouldn’t have helped the team’s offense (and bad RISP BA). Just look at Santana’s W-L record with the Mets, despite pitching well. It’s not like there was a legitimate way to make trades and FA signings to make the Yanks a WS contender this year (and not have the payroll exceed $250 million). What moves (beyond Santana) would you have them make? You think teams were just waiting to give away good relievers and position players? The expectations are not realistic. Cashman and the Steinbrenners did the exact right thing for the health of the franchise, both this year and in the future.
“Okay, I’ll try to explain it more slowly for you. He was leaving Steinbrenner Field. Therefore I would think he was on his way somewhere. Therefore that would lead me to believe that he did not stay around to take questions. Understand?”
That’s genious. So as he was leaving he just made a statement out loud to some random reporter standing around who did not initiate any sort of questioning.
Because that’s how it works right?
“I would like Cashman to make moves that warrant his salary”
and do what trade away our farm system for cc for a few months. cashman put us in a good situation for this year. and there were injuries. Now we still have a shot if some young players can step up an our big guns can hit with risp. Meanwhile we could be unbelievable next year. he has planned for years to have a mixture of young players and massive amounts of money for the next two years. We can pick up big names (CC) to add to the wealth of young home-grown talent, and our most solid veterans. i think he is being reasonable to not declare the season over cause our offense can turn it around. however he is not about to give up an Amazing next couple of years to attempt to fill the gaps left by injury
Hendo
I think you may have just repeated Peter’s point. It may have been a bit unclear, but I think his point was that no matter what shape you’re in there are some injuries you can’t prepare for. I think he was making the point that you don’t want to get overexcited or be over critical when it comes to spring training preperations because luck will play a role during the season. Let’s give Peter some credit, he knows being in good shape helps reduce the likelihood of certain ailments.
by the way, i have found myself agreeing with you today Ray. wierd..
Hughes appearance in the playoffs showed how effective he can be with a 90-92 mph fastball. He very well could pick up some velocity as he gets older but let’s trade him now when his value is as low as it’s going to get:)
““Kennedy is a bust.â€
Go look back at the first two months of most 23 year old pitchers. Declaring him a bust is the definition of shortsighted.”
Totally agreed, again.
Kennedy has had 12 appearances in the majors, 56.2 IP, 5.56 ERA. Not good, overall.
Other pitchers with started poorly?
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmaddg002.htm (sucked in 1986-87). A bust, obviously.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/S/Psmolj001.htm (sucked in 1988). A bust, obviously.
I’d do more, but if someone can’t get it from two examples, they ain’t gonna get it from more.
Is the name “Hideki” in Japan like “Michael” in the U.S.?
“Kennedy is a bust.”
It would have been interesting to hear your take a year ago on Ervin Santana, Cliff Lee, Justin Duchscherer, Joe Saunders, Ryan Dempster, Aaron Cook and Edinson Volquez.
John Danks and Gavin Floyd also.
Lots of “busts” in that group at this time last year.
Predicting pitching is not very certain.
Support the Stasche takes on a whole new level from mlb.com
Jason Giambi, 1B, Yankees
The Yankees decided on “Support the ‘Stache” as their rallying cry, and they are going to give away 20,000 fake mustaches at Wednesday’s game. Team broadcasters will be wearing them tonight and don’t be surprised to see some players wearing them as well. As far as in-game promotion at Yankee Stadium, the club will ask any of its fans who are selected for featured entertainment promotions to wear them — the person who pulls the lever for the countdown, the “Guess the Number” candidate, etc.
Kennedy hasn’t even recorded a win. I think he holds the record for the longest time a rookie has gone in the starting rotation without getting a win for the Yankees maybe the league.
How anyone can defend that is insane.
He pitches great in the minors but when he comes up here, he has trouble going 5.
Maybe he just can’t handle NY. He has made some statements about the press here and how he does pay attention.
how long do we wait on this guy before we can declare him a bust?
““Kennedy is a bust.â€
It would have been interesting to hear your take a year ago on Ervin Santana, Cliff Lee, Justin Duchscherer, Joe Saunders, Ryan Dempster, Aaron Cook and Edinson Volquez.
John Danks and Gavin Floyd also.
Lots of “busts†in that group at this time last year.
Predicting pitching is not very certain.”
:thumbsup:
I linked to Maddux and Smoltz on retrosheet, but I have a ‘Your comment is awaiting moderation.’; both started POORLY in their careers.
This ‘stache-movement is getting crazy..
” You would give up our conversations!? NOOOO”
Patrick â„¢-
that’s only because i think nick in sf is coming around to my way of thinking on livan or at least is developing a grudging respect for his abilities.
by the way, it’s hernadez against beckett tomorrow night.
you will either hear a lot from me or maybe my computer might be broken.
“Kennedy hasn’t even recorded a win. I think he holds the record for the longest time a rookie has gone in the starting rotation without getting a win for the Yankees maybe the league.
How anyone can defend that is insane.
He pitches great in the minors but when he comes up here, he has trouble going 5.
Maybe he just can’t handle NY. He has made some statements about the press here and how he does pay attention.
how long do we wait on this guy before we can declare him a bust?”
“You think” and “Maybe”. Facts, not beliefs, please.
And more than 12 starts. Maddux took over a year to figure it out. Other pitchers take several years of ups and downs to figure it out. His command has -sucked- this year, which is unlike last year. I say keep him in AAA until they’re confident he’s back to last year’s command.
I got free tickets to the game today, wahooo!
“†You would give up our conversations!? NOOOOâ€
Patrick â„¢-
that’s only because i think nick in sf is coming around to my way of thinking on livan or at least is developing a grudging respect for his abilities.
by the way, it’s hernadez against beckett tomorrow night.
you will either hear a lot from me or maybe my computer might be broken.”
So, if he pitches well, we’ll hear a lot from you, and if he gets bombed, your ‘computer will be broken’? That’s how it’s seemed with you this year
Being in Florida, I get to hear the “great” Duane Statts and Joe Magraine broadcast tonite. Sweet! The best thing about the broadcast, besides the commentators, is that in Central Florida its on a station that usually runs infomercials of an Asian man and a white chick in a knee brace selling scratch and dent appliances. So needless to say, no HD. I’m pumped.
“That’s genious. So as he was leaving he just made a statement out loud to some random reporter standing around who did not initiate any sort of questioning.
Because that’s how it works right?”
Well there were probably a couple of AP reporters there. He stopped and answered one question before he left. Is that so hard to understand?
My wife and I are shopping for All Star tickets on e-bay and stubhub. Dang snipers, lol.
“Let’s give Peter some credit, he knows being in good shape helps reduce the likelihood of certain ailments.”
He may know this deep in his heart, but he’s taken multiple shots at Girardi and how hard he had them running in the spring.
sure injuries have played a part, but the players who aren’t injured for the most part haven’t stepped up
“by the way, i have found myself agreeing with you today Ray. wierd..”
lol, it happens sometimes. Randy l and I agree about things from time to time.
It would be great to see Sir ‘Stache finish with a great season at the plate. We need him to be ‘on’ with all the injuries to everyone else. Thankfully this year he hasn’t had anything more than the normal aches any player gets, but historically he’s usually been part of the injury problem.
It could also be his final year in pinstripes. Essentially it’s an option year, a walk year … whatever.
At the beginning of the year I was totally against having Moose and Giambi on the team for ’09. I’ve since changed my mind on Moose, but I haven’t on Giambi. In the meantime I really hope he does well this year, helps the team win, and helps himself get a good contract for next year & beyond … elsewhere.
I really don’t think it’s worth picking him up for another year beyond ’08. Defensively we could hardly do any worse than him at 1B, even if Tiexiera doesn’t become part of the team.
There has to be several guys available by trade or FA (at a significantly more affordable salary) who would be defensive upgrades and come with league-average batting averages. Like it or not, a league average average is much better than what Giambi has hit since his first year in NY.
For lefty DH there is Matsui. Yes it sounds like he needs this knee operated on too. I am fully aware he’s had both knees now, after the wrist injury. But he only has 2 knees, so when this one’s fixed that’s it. I still feel more confident in his overall health than Giambi’s. He hits for a higher average, uses the opposite field enough where he doesn’t see a shifted defense. He can also be a respectable outfielder after this knee gets fixed, whereas Giambi is a defensive liability no matter what operation they can come up with for him. I really think Sushi has a few good years left once the knees are A-OK. He gets paid a little more than half what Giambi gets paid too.
So … I say let Giambi go. He won’t end up in Boston and haunt us later on. They have Youkilis at 1B (he’s rumored to be a tad better with a glove than Giambi) and another no-glove slugger (Ortiz) at DH.
Is there a scenario where I would like to see him play in Boston? Sure. Trade him for Ortiz … Ortiz is a better hitter. But that flat-out ain’t gonna happen because Theo Epstien knows Giambi would be a downgrade for them no mater how you slice it.
What if he goes to other contending teams? If Tampa wants to pay him all that money… fine. He’s not that good a first baseman here, and he won’t be there. DH? He could still have some pop at times but the slumps & health problems he’s had here for 5 straight years will be about the same there.
Wow, I still can’t get used to referring to Tampa as a contender but thats what they seem to be.
Vote for ‘Stache for the all-star game? Sure, of course. Why not? I hope he wins the HR Derby, I hope he hits .350+ for the 2nd half, and slugs the snot out of the ball all the way through October too. And then I hope that’s it for his tenure in ‘Stripes.
“how long do we wait on this guy before we can declare him a bust?”
Kennedy has made 11 careers starts. He’s 1-3 with a 5.56 career ERA.
I take it 11 starts is enough to declare a guy a bust by your line of thinking.
Edinson Volquez was 1-10 with an ERA of 9.2 over his first 11 career starts.
11 starts. Not a lot of time there, is it?
The ‘stache has taken on a life of it’s own. Cash may have to give it a contract.
We’ve done out part supporting the ‘stache. I set the kids up and they thought it was fun to vote over and over again last night. Might cause a little confusion in November when I have to explain that’s not how the Presidential election is run.
“by the way, it’s hernadez against beckett tomorrow night.
you will either hear a lot from me or maybe my computer might be broken.”
Good one! I laughed
Andy in Crowded Daytona – I know you’re not making fun of Sam!! If you don’t buy direct you paid too much!! Haha, I go to UCF, those damn things are always on.
Pat –
If there were a way to do it I’d love to move Giambi while giving his ‘stache a contract.
“Well there were probably a couple of AP reporters there. He stopped and answered one question before he left. Is that so hard to understand?”
How could he do that without a podium?
8 game winning streak to end the 1st half…you gotta believe !!!
“So, if he pitches well, we’ll hear a lot from you, and if he gets bombed, your ‘computer will be broken’? That’s how it’s seemed with you this year ”
yeah well “dog ate my homework” sounds kind of dated and doesn’t quite apply.
… and maybe my wireless may be acting up. that’s been a problem some nights livan pitches.
“We’ve done out part supporting the ’stache. I set the kids up and they thought it was fun to vote over and over again last night. Might cause a little confusion in November when I have to explain that’s not how the Presidential election is run.”
this is brilliant. the only thing better would be if there was a counter showing how many times you voted. then you can make a contest out of it.
8 game winning streak to end the 1st half…you gotta believe !!!
THIS AIN’T THE METS, GET THAT CRAP OUT OF HERE !
Pat –
Well “Support the ‘Stache” is a perfect example of how the campaigning part of it is done.
The multiple votes? Well we “cannot actually confirm or deny” that it hasn’t ever been done that way.
Maybe that’s something they learn about when they’re a little older ….
Not the same paradigm. Michael always = Michael because of the phonetic writing system that English uses. Want a name to be different? Spell it differently.
One Hideki is not necessarily the same as another Hideki. Sure, the transliteration/pronunciation is the same, but the underlying ideographic writing system allows for names/words to be completely different despite being pronounced the same. For example, the second kanji in Hideki (of Irabu Hideki) is different from the second kanji in Hideki (of Matsui Hideki). They share a possible pronunciation (ki in this case), but the ki in Irabu’s name may mean radiance/shine, while the ki in Matsui’s name may mean rejoice.
For that matter, the kanji used for Hide in both names here may mean surpass or excellence. Not an unpopular part of people’s personal names…Hideyoshi, Hideyori, etc. etc.
A. I think comparing IPK to Smoltz and Maddux is obsurd. I’m not writing Kennedy off, but those guys are the exception, not the norm.
B. I think it will be harder for Kennedy to make a transformation from what he has shown to what he is capable of, according to scouts and people inside the organization. The difference between Kennedy and others mentioned earlier (i.e. Volquez Lee) is that he doesn’t have raw “stuff”. Regardless of what Kennedy becomes, he is not a guy with raw overpowering pitching or with unbelievable movement. He is going to battle and, in all liklihood, will not be more than a #3 starter, and that is very generous.
Comparing his start to the likes of Maddux and Smoltz is completely ridiculous, but it’s still early to completely write him off. In the end, I think he is going to be one of those guys that just doesn’t work out in NY, but finds himself with another team.
I fully expect The Stache to start appearing in razor blade commercials shaving itself.
“Kennedy has made 11 careers starts. He’s 1-3 with a 5.56 career ERA.
I take it 11 starts is enough to declare a guy a bust by your line of thinking.
Edinson Volquez was 1-10 with an ERA of 9.2 over his first 11 career starts.
11 starts. Not a lot of time there, is it?”
Awesome. So we should just leave him on the roster and pray our offense and pen save the day. Because maybe someday he’ll have a year like Volquez or maybe he’ll be like Greg Maddux.
Franco.
So if FAs or Trades or big players dont win championships then what does?
Boston won, and they have Beckett, Ortiz, Manny, Lowell, Schilling, Lugo, Drew, Crsip.
So getting Sabathia and Texiera will kill us?
I should’ve said ‘can neither confirm nor deny’
I read something really interesting on Livan Hernandez yesterday.
Through half the season he’s on pace to give up over 300 hits for the season.
The last pitcher to give up 300 hits in a season was Phil Niekro in 1979.
I think that stat sums up many of the pros and cons of the ongoing Livan Hernandez debate on this blog.
I’m also watching from Florida… if you have never heard the Rays’ announcers you owe it to yourself. More whining about borderline pitches than any ten broadcast teams combined!
As for personnel, some of you don’t get it. To be great you need to balance all four methods of player procurement… amateur draft/player development, international free agency, major league free agency AND trades.
The Yankees didn’t get in this situation because of too many free agents… they got there because of horrible player development and bad trades. Right now they are not willing to trade prospects for short term fixes because there aren’t enough prospects to go around.
This off season they should be very limited in FA pursuits… considering only players who are below age 30 and all-star caliber. It’s not the high price of stars that kills you, it’s the high price of mediocrity. You can develop your own mediocity, you sohuld never sign it for significant $$$…. that’s why signing LeToilet Hawkrap was the worst move of the off season.
Thanks Blargh. That cleared it up perfectly!
“Awesome. So we should just leave him on the roster and pray our offense and pen save the day. Because maybe someday he’ll have a year like Volquez or maybe he’ll be like Greg Maddux.”
And you suggest they do what with him? He’s on the roster but in the minor leagues. Who is he holding back? Why wouldn’t they keep him on the roster?
JoeT 28 in 09!! ,
Sam is great. The girl with the Knee Brace and plaid dress must have really screwed her leg up. She’s had that brace for years now.
Trivia question Joe. What makes the dishwasher so special?
Eugie: “Awesome. So we should just leave him on the roster and pray our offense and pen save the day. Because maybe someday he’ll have a year like Volquez or maybe he’ll be like Greg Maddux.”
Eugie, don’t twist the debate. You wrote that IPK was a “bust.” Many commenters responded, demonstrating in different ways how short-sighted it is to call IPK a bust now. And you responded with the above. Nobody said that.
IPK is still an asset. He is viewed as an asset by the Yanks and by other teams. Just because he hasn’t made it this season so far doesn’t mean he’s suddenly worthless.
“And you suggest they do what with him? He’s on the roster but in the minor leagues. Who is he holding back? Why wouldn’t they keep him on the roster?”
He’s not going to be in the minors very long. He dominates down there and struggle to get 5 up here.
IMO, next year is Kennedy’s year. We watch what he does in the first half, if hes abismal, we let him go, one way or another.
BUT, if he shows he can be a good #4 or 5 guy and not completely destroy the bullpen every 5th start, we should keep him. This is all hindering on who we sign in the offseason. The only way Kennedy is SP’ing is if we don’t sign a FA and Muss or Pettitte is gone.
You want to keep a guy for as long as possible to see how he turns out, BUT you can’t keep him too long or he’ll be another sh*t starter with no trade value who kills our bullpen.
Austin Jackson: .269/.349/.431
Fernando Martinez: .293/.330/.429
Could have easily taken Ajax over F-mart, though there are layers more deserving than both.
haha andy – I haven’t watched it that much lol – I know that Sam’s fridge’s have extra large openings for larger cups!
“This off season they should be very limited in FA pursuits… considering only players who are below age 30 and all-star caliber. It’s not the high price of stars that kills you, it’s the high price of mediocrity”
Some truth. Sometimes signing a star long term still results in paying for mediocrity. Giambi is an example. Jeter is on his way to being one. Mussina was one. Length of contract is always an issue. 6-7 years for Sabathia may be regrettable after year 3 or 4.
I don’t think Pete had an ulterior motive in writing this post, I just don’t agree with its message that injuries are inevitable. It depends on the type of injury.
Last season it seemed like half the team went down with hamstring or similar lower body injuries. The team took notice and fired its head of conditioning.
This year we’ve seen more injuries that were either flukish (Bruney’s and Wang’s foot injuries, Damon’s crash into the wall), the product of age (Matsui’s knee), or inexplicable (Hughes’s rib fracture). Perhaps Posada’s and ARod’s injuries could have been avoided through some sort of altered conditioning – who knows. My point is that last season it really looked like the team was the victim of bad conditioning, and this season it looks more like bad luck.
I also don’t buy for a second the idea that all teams suffer injuries and the Yankees can’t complain. The Yankees lost their best pitcher for most of the season. Injuries to ARod, Posada, Damon, and Matsui have cost us and will cost us significant production from four of our five best hitters, and the drop off in production from substitutes like Betemit, Gonzalez, Molina, Moeller, Christian, and Gardner is immense. Posada is back in the lineup but his injury still costs us because it forces us to use Molina more often.
Show me a team in the AL East that suffered injuries as serious and detrminetal as the Yankees have.
Jasons other than Varitek who deserve an All-Star invitation: Alexander, Argonauts, Bay, Bartlett, Bateman, Bergmann, Botts, Deli, Frasor, Giambi, Grilli, Isringhausen, Jennings, Jennifer Leigh, Kendall, Kidd, Kubel, Lane, Lee, LaRue, Marquis, Mewes, Michaels, Of Star Command, Priestley, Robards, Repko, Segel, Schmidt, Schwartzman, Simontacchi, Statham, Taylor, Tyner, Voorhees and Werth. -David Brown, Yahoo Sports
“Eugie, don’t twist the debate. You wrote that IPK was a “bust.†Many commenters responded, demonstrating in different ways how short-sighted it is to call IPK a bust now. And you responded with the above. Nobody said that.”
You may want to go back and re-read then.
Joe,
It is the same as the washers and dryers. Porcelin!
You need to be drunk more and watch four straight hours of it to appreciate it.
Even Kirasawa would have been proud of the direction.
I don’t like Cash and Hank telling us what we know.They need to tell us how to fix it and what they are gonna do.
“Could have easily taken Ajax over F-mart, though there are layers more deserving than both.”
No they couldn’t have. Martinez is playing for the world team. Jackson would have to have been playing for the American team.
The world team was not being used as part of any evaluation process to select an Olympics team. The US team is.
That’s why the yankees were fine with letting montero play for the world team.
Comparing someone selected to the world team vs. someone left off the US team is comparing apples to oranges.
“I don’t like Cash and Hank telling us what we know.They need to tell us how to fix it and what they are gonna do.”
Exactly.
“Through half the season he’s on pace to give up over 300 hits for the season.
The last pitcher to give up 300 hits in a season was Phil Niekro in 1979.
I think that stat sums up many of the pros and cons of the ongoing Livan Hernandez debate on this blog.”
um, cb, neikro won 318 games and is in the hall of fame.
check out this link:
http://www.twincities.com/ci_9.....ost_viewed
“In their past 18 games, Twins starting pitchers are 12-2 with a 2.82 earned-run average over 118 innings, perhaps the best in the major leagues. General manager Bill Smith credits veteran Livan Hernandez, 33, with having a significant influence on fellow starters Scott Baker, 26; Nick Blackburn, 26; Kevin Slowey, 24; and Glen Perkins, 25.”
the debate lives to see another day.
Someone Else,
You’re right it’s wayyy too early to call Kennedy a bust.
But it’s certainly not too early to call a bust Cashman’s decision to hand Kennedy a rotation spot on a silver platter based on only the 19 innings he pitched last year. Kennedy pitched only 34 innings above AA ball before being handed a spot. The Yanks have not developed Kennedy as much as they have forced him through a funnel.
Yes, they are now making Kennedy work his way back, but their initial decision has impacted the ’08 season. It was a huge tactical blunder.
“I don’t like Cash and Hank telling us what we know.They need to tell us how to fix it and what they are gonna do.â€
“Exactly.”
I can’t believe he didn’t consult you first.
haha – obviously drunk, when else would anyone watch it?? Even Sam knows that, why else would it run literally all night long
should we be worried that AJax is only hitting .269?
I don’t get how Livan’s mojo didn’t reach Boof Bonser. As if he’s being singled out from the rest of the younger pitchers!
“I can’t believe he didn’t consult you first.”
Yeah but since you know everything, they went to you. Thanks for the .500 season btw.
The fix is going to come over time. I’m happy he didn’t say our GM, or manager are at fault. Cashman has a great plan of building form the bottom up, and adding only a couple pieces via free agency.
The Yankees prospered in the late nineties by being patient in the early 90′s with their youth.
“But it’s certainly not too early to call a bust Cashman’s decision to hand Kennedy a rotation spot on a silver platter based on only the 19 innings he pitched last year. Kennedy pitched only 34 innings above AA ball before being handed a spot. The Yanks have not developed Kennedy as much as they have forced him through a funnel.”
i do think that was a little too optimistic now that you look back, but hindsight is 20/20.
“neikro won 318 games and is in the hall of fame.”
randy,
Believe me – i have no interest in entering into the fray of the Livan Hernandez debate one way or another.
I was just pointing out a fact I found interesting – I wasn’t arguing against Hernandez.
The only way you give up 300 hits in a season is to pitch a ton of innings and to give up a lot of hits per inning.
That’s all I was pointing out. That why I said that stat sums up both the pro and con arguments.
Anytime a contemporary player is on pace to do something that hasn’t been done in 30 years its interesting to watch how it unfolds.
That’s all I was saying.
“should we be worried that AJax is only hitting .269?”
Not at all. The league is a killer on young bats and he’s holding his own. He was butchering it for Charleston when he was promoted last year to Tampa. He raked the rest of the year. No need to worry about Ajax, maybe it’s time to give him time at SWB. He responds well to challenges.
I’m glad this team has patient fans who buy into player development as much as Eugie does, where we’re patient enough with our young pitchers who get thrown into the majors after less than a full season of pro ball and allow them to take their lumps. Where we judge our prospects after years, and not starts. God bless the Eugies of this world.
I respect Giusseppe’s opinion, but I disagree with im on Hank. George was a far more meddling, negative figure when he was at his worst. Hank’s got a bit of a sense of entitlement to him (or more), but seems to understand that we’re in this for the long haul.
…of course, he could not renew Cashman at the end of the year, and everything goes out the window…
“They need to tell us how to fix it and what they are gonna do.”
why? so other teams can go out and try to prevent it from happening.
while we’re at it, let’s have Mo put together an instructional video on his pitching techniques and strategies and distrubute that to the league. Maybe Girardi can publish a flowchart on how he navigates his bullpen moves.
“should we be worried that AJax is only hitting .269?”
No. Eastern League is notoriously rough on hitters. Take a good look at Hanley Ramirez’s Eastern League numbers.
Jackson has been productive in Trenton and his game continues to grow.
TurnTwo,
“i do think that was a little too optimistic now that you look back, but hindsight is 20/20.”
I’m not just second guessing Cashman. I’m calling into question the philosophy of not giving a kid like Kennedy a chance to learn how to pitch out of jams. It’s not like Kennedy showed overpowering stuff last year. In Kennedy’s defense, I remember scout/pitching coach Clyde King saying that it took a pitcher 250 minor league innings before he learned how to handle situations.
Niekro shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame… he was basically 16-and-13 for 20 years… very similar to Don Sutton. If Niekro, Sutton and Gaylord Perry are in Cooperstown (and of course, they are) then Blyleven, Kaat, T John and Morris should be too. If Schilling gets any votes, then Mussina should get more…
Fredo— I agree the fear is in the length of the deal. I never understood giving Jeter (or A-Rod now) ten year deals. Giambi was over 30 and 7 years was too many even though he’s better now than he was the last two years. Mussina pitched very well for his six year deal. You could regret giving Sabathia 6 or 7 just as you could for Texiera… but I’m more comfortable doing it with a guy who isn’t yet 30.
Injuries certainly play a role in the results to date this year but I agree with many of the other folks here that we never had the pitching to be a serious threat. With both Kennedy and Hughes in the rotation plus a pitiful bench incase there were some injuries to the position players, we came up short. Who knows if we will ever get a complete season out of Hughes and Kennedy is a complete unkonwn. Joba is still feeling his way and is not yet the dominating starter we expect. They could have easily picked up an “innings eater” like Lohse or Garza for relatively few dollars but chose not to. They also still dont have a left handed “lights out” reliever and no right handed power on the bench. So I agree the injuries again were bad this year but can mask other fatal flaws in our team. It really does look like a transitional year where we can play a lot of the good talent from the farm teams and position ourselves to dump a ton of salary at the end of this year.A very good long term plan but not one that plays well in 2008
Niekro threw almost 350 in 1979. So he averaged less than a hit an inning. Livan’s average would be quite as good.
…or won’t be quite as good.
Eugie: “Yeah but since you know everything, they went to you. Thanks for the .500 season btw.”
I would love to know, Eugie, what you think the Yanks starting nine and starting five should have been in 2008. I mean you write as if with a magic wand, a semi-competent GM could have sent out the 2008 AL All-Star team or something.
Give me the 2008 starting nine and starting five pitchers if you were the GM.
“Believe me – i have no interest in entering into the fray of the Livan Hernandez debate one way or another.”
cb-
i know what you mean . which ever side you take can be embarrassing.
all kidding aside, livan is actually interesting to watch as a baseball fan.
i saw him strike out 4 hitters in a row last week and i don’t think one pitch went over 84mph.
I know people are sick of the pro-/anti- Livan debate, but I had to look up the numbers again to see for myself, and I thought that people might be interested:
Livan
WHIP 1.590
ERA 5.18
43 Ks in 116 1/3 innings
By comparison:
Rasner
WHIP 1.500
ERA 4.94
40 Ks in 62 innings
“They need to tell us how to fix it and what they are gonna do.â€
Joel Sherman’s article in the Post over the weekend should fulfill your need to know.
“They need to tell us how to fix it and what they are gonna do.â€
I got my email from them.
“I would love to know, Eugie, what you think the Yanks starting nine and starting five should have been in 2008. I mean you write as if with a magic wand, a semi-competent GM could have sent out the 2008 AL All-Star team or something.
Give me the 2008 starting nine and starting five pitchers if you were the GM.”
How about you pay me that Cashman money and then I’ll tell you what I would have done.
“Someone Else,
You’re right it’s wayyy too early to call Kennedy a bust.
But it’s certainly not too early to call a bust Cashman’s decision to hand Kennedy a rotation spot on a silver platter based on only the 19 innings he pitched last year. Kennedy pitched only 34 innings above AA ball before being handed a spot. The Yanks have not developed Kennedy as much as they have forced him through a funnel.
Yes, they are now making Kennedy work his way back, but their initial decision has impacted the ‘08 season. It was a huge tactical blunder.”
Because the Yankees should have signed a Silva or Livan instead?
Lohse has pitched well for St. Louis this year but his career prior to this year has been highly mediocre. I don’t know why he would have signed for cheap with the yankees unless guaranteed a place in the starting rotation and why would we have wanted to block Hughes or Kennedy based on what we saw from them last year to give Lohse a spot. You can say it would have worked out better in hindsight but its hard to have thought that would have been a good move.
Garza wasn’t a free agent and cost the Rays Delmon Young. Who would you have traded to get Garza? I don’t see a match there.
With the lineup aging, i think some of the injuries were predictable. Our pitching (at least the injured parties) are mostly young though so I think that was a bit of bad luck to lose both Hughes and Wang.