Put him in coach, he’s ready to play
-
- September
- 25
Have the Yankees given up on Melky Cabrera?
He was recalled from the minors on Sept. 5 and has had a grand total of three at-bats since. He’s been used as pinch runner or defensive replacement a few times but that has been it. He has been a ghost.
Center field is an interesting position to evaluate as the Yankees move into the offseason. The organization’s best position prospect, Austin Jackson, is a center fielder but has yet to play AAA ball. He has a chance to be a difference maker but probably not until 2010. It would be surprising to see him on the roster in April.
So …
- Do you plug Johnny Damon out there for one more season?
- Give Brett Gardner a chance?
- Obtain a CF via free agency or trade?
- Try Melky again?
- None of the above?
I get the sense they’re going to give Gardner every chance. The coaches work a lot with him and Joe Girardi clearly loves the speed he brings to the game, both in the field and on the bases. Gardner has been thrown out trying to stretch in each of the last two days. He’s learning that his speed won’t force players into mistakes at this level like it did in the minors.
“I need to pick my spots,” he said. “Stay on first and steal second. That’s better.”
Ideally, the Yankees want Gardner and Jackson to have roles moving forward. That would give the roster a much-needed infusion of athleticism. That is something that has been lacking for a few years now. You watch the Rays, Angels or some other teams and the Yankees look like they’re standing still by comparison.
As you consider possibilities for the 2009 roster, don’t focus entirely on what a player can do at the plate. How many runs a player can prevent in the field is a factor. Gardner is going to roam deep into the gaps and take away bloop singles in front of him. Jackson was voted the best defensive outfielder in the Eastern League.
One of the reasons Tampa is going to win the division is that they made moves to improve their defense, trading for Jason Bartlett and moving Akinori Iwamura to second base. The Yankees have to think that way, too.
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I like Gardner a lot and hope he’s given a fair shot. Speed kills, and he has plenty. He seems to be adjusting at the plate as well.
Trade Melky for a bag of balls. I know you’re not supposed to “trade low”, but I don’t see a “trade high” opportunity on the horizon. That horse has left the barn. I always thought he was the most overrated Yankee. With the numbers he’s put up over the past two years, he has no business being the starting center fielder for the Yankees.
I can see the Yankees using a combination of Damon and Gardner in center field for the start of next year.
Where you run into a problem is if something happens to hamper Austin Jackson’s development.
Altough it’s likely he’s our CF for the forseeable future, we don’t know if he’ll lose next season to some unforseen injury or if he’s struggle at the AAA level.
It’s a risk to consistently put Damon in center or Gardner at bat, and if something happens to AJ, they’re a little stuck, but I think for one more yeear it’s the best option.
I like Gardner in CF, with Damon spotting him from time to time. Melky is done with the Yanks. He had three seasons to prove himself, and backslid. He’s young, but the team has better options than him. In 2010 Damon is gone, Gardner can move to LF, and Jackson can take over CF. I can see Nady being with the team for awhile in RF.
Omar is actually a top tier GM. Since he took control, he has turned the franchise from a dormant afterthought into a powerhouse. He’s signed guys like
– Beltran – Wagner (excellent when healthy) – Pedro (did well for 3 years, was more of a symbolic move)
And has been even better at trades – – Church/Schiender – Santana – Castillo – Delgado – Perez
And he has developed some great young talent – – Wright – Reyes – Pelfrey – Nick Evans – Daniel Murphy – Heilman
etc.
“Stay on first and steal second. That’s better.â€
Man, I love that attitude.
Something tells me we haven’t heard the last of Melky. My guess is he starts the year in AAA and tears it up – forcing the Yanks to bring him up – what he does from there is anyone’s guess.
A healthy Hideki would make this a no-brainer.
Damon LF
Gardner CF
Nady RF
Hideki part time LF/DH
If Gardner can’t do anything at the plate, then Damon would play CF until Jackson’s ready and Hideki would play LF. If he’s healthy.
I liked what Melky brought the last two years, but I’d like to give Gardner a chance.
Melky got the job by default, Gardner may get the job by default. If Jackson comes up and Gardner hits, they take 2 of the 3 positions. If Gardner can’t hit, he becomes a pinch hitter/4th OF.
There’s a story here somewhere. I think it had to do with attitude or sense of entitlement. Melky’s not in the dog house, he’s in the dawg pound. If they’re not going to use him, he’s a throw in any trade we do. Kid deserves to play and would be a starter on many NL teams.
Youth, speed, athleticism, and good defense. It’s been a while, huh? (No offense to Alex, but he’s an old-timer).
I’m down with whatever they do kids. I like watching the organization figure it out and sitting and hoping there’s a good outcome.
Keep Gardner and trade Damon or Nady.
Younger, better defense, faster.
Watch the players play instead of looking at the stats. When you throw Damon-Jeter-Arod-Posada-Matsui-Cano-Nady etc. into a blender, of course the offense will look pretty good and the individuals will put up good numbers. But that is a mirage. We must get yoiunger.
Nobody’s bothered by the fact that Gardner can’t hit at this level???
i was lucky enough to be at the game for Garder’s catch last Friday. Was there a better defensice play in the outfield this year? He also showed some arm that game.
This is when I really miss Donnie on the team. Is there another player alive who could teach Brett to be a lefty hitter in Yankee Stadium?
Move Jeter to CF? Sign a SS that can pick it and hit 9th? Jeter moves to LF in 2010 when Damon is gone and AJax is ready? Just throwing it out there.
If Gardner doesn’t improve, I don’t see how he can hold down even a part-time job.
Knicks: The cost of the Santana trade to the Mets may be prohibitive in the future. They’ve got Santana for seven years-
an eternity for a pitcher-and they depleted their farm system of their best prospects to do it.Granted the prospects aren’t ones that many think are going to be future all stars, but it’s left the Mets farm system in a bit of lurch.
Fredo,
I think we’re all bothered by it… but if Melky hits .030 points higher and hits 10 more homers than Gardner, is that more valuable than Brett’s speed? I think the speed brings a sorely needed dimension to the lineup – even if the stats aren’t there.
“Nobody’s bothered by the fact that Gardner can’t hit at this level???”
Hasn’t isn’t the same as can’t.
He has had adjustment issues at each level (more than most apparently, I haven’t studied it) – but once he gets it he is effective.
Plus – he’s cheap
“Nobody’s bothered by the fact that Gardner can’t hit at this level???”
I’m bothered by the fact that you don’t watch the games because if you did you would realize he is adapting to ml pitching…his avg is rising slowly and he’s having better abs
Improving defense would be great, but I don’t think our shortstop is going to change positions any time soon
The team will give every Gardner every chance to succeed in CF, as it did with Melky. If Gardner can get on base at all, he will be an adequate player. If not, the Yankees will have to go with Damon, assuming he isn’t needed in left.
Melky is relegated to backup status.
It’s very unlikely the Yankees make a move because CFs are so expensive and we could see Jackson as early as 2010.
According to several metrics the Yankees were the worst defensive team in the American League this year. That has to improve if the Yankees want to contend next year.
“I can see the Yankees using a combination of Damon”
Yes, great idea. In fact give damon the job outright. The three stooges all wrapped into one.
Great idea!
CF free agent class (as of mlbtraderumors)
Rocco Baldelli (27)
Willie Bloomquist (31)
Mike Cameron (36) – $10MM club option for ‘09 with a $750K buyout
Jim Edmonds (39)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)
Gabe Kapler (33)
Mark Kotsay (33)
Corey Patterson (29)
Scott Podsednik (33)
Wow now that’s really poor if Kotsay is the best one in there.
Trades? The Dodgers might want to get rid of Andruw Jones but even Melky is way better. To make some other trade happen the Yankees would have to give up at least Ian Kennedy.
Fredo,
Normally, yes, that would be a death knell. But Gardner has proved level after level that it takes him some time to adjust.
He’d still have a role as pinch runner and defensive player.
Runs that are saved end up on our side of the balance sheet. You know, if we were keeping two sets of books.
Fredo: I am a little bit worried, but he seems to be making adjustments.
I’m willing to give him a shot.
Fredo,
I’m revising your post for the sake of positive thoughts.
“Nobody’s bothered by the fact that Gardner….” hasn’t hit consistently at this level.
He’s shown improvement though!
Just for the record. Nady is a VERY underrated player. Let’s not make the same mistake the Mets did and trade him for nothing.
Fredo –
Apparently not.
Gardner/Damon in center seems to make the most sense for 2009. If something happens to AJ in AAA (injury or bad play) the team can simply trade for a CF next offseason or sign a FA. But signing one this offseason with AJ so close and Damon still under contract makes no sense.
Unless you trade Damon.
The upside to jimmy’s list of crappy CF FAs is that maybe someone will accept a one-year deal.
If the Yankees took on Andruw Jones, randy l’s Cape Cod Sox fan neighbors would throw a huge clambake in celebration.
jedi: the Yanks have Nady cost controlled for one more year. If they were to trade him it likely wouldn’t be till 2010, and I just don’t see them doing that.
TK:
He strikes out too much at every level. He has zero pop. No evidence of even gap power.
On his greatest day, he’s Dave Roberts-lite IMO.
Unfortunately Melky’s value was at its peak last offseason. I doubt you could get much for him now.
Melky is a future all star. We can’t give up on him.
vin’s got a point, BG is very disruptive on the basepath.
And Omar can’t build a bullpen to save his life. He should dip into the farm system. What is that? The farm is barren? Oh, my. Add that to the list of Omar’s achievements.
I do agree that the Yankees need more athleticism, but not to prevent runs in the field. A players value at preventing runs in the field, even the best defensive player in the game, is still far, far shorter than the runs a player can make at the plate. The biggest mistake is to overvalue defense. It’s certainly valuable, but in-his-prime Derek Jeter is still worth a lot more to a team than ihp Ozzie Smith.
The team needs athleticism for things like going from first to third, actually scoring from second, etc. Giambi and Posada and now Molina totally anchored this team on the basepaths, and I’d like to see some of that change.
As for CF, who knows! It’s just too bad Melky isn’t worth nearly as much as he used to be.
The real question is will they be able to get actual production from 1B for the first time in years…
I agree with pete, it’s time to move jeter to second and get rid of Cano once and for all
Rebecca yiu can’t trade Nady in 2010 unless you resign him.
He’s a FA after 2009.
Fredo: And Dave Roberts won the Sox a World Series.
I’ll take that on my team, thank you very much.
Melky’s trade value, to my knowledge, was never terribly high. Remember the debate over whether Melky should be traded straight up for Mike Gonzalez? That was what Melky could have gotten us at his peak: a good (until he got injured) lefty reliever. Now he could get us nothing unless thrown into a deal as filler.
Reaaaaalll small sample, but the last 6 games he’s at:
.313 .353 .500
Could be getting used to ML pitching.
*defensive replacement
“And he has developed some great young talent – – Wright drafted in 2001, in the majors in 2004 – Reyes signed in 1999, in the majors in 2003 – Pelfrey drafted 2005 – Nick Evans drafted in 2004 – Daniel Murphy drafted 2006 – Heilman drafted 2001, debut 2003
”
So of those players Omar “developed” only two, Pelfrey and Murphy. Omar is okay at signing and trading for talent but he’s awful at drafting. In fact the Mets minor league system is among the worst in the majors because he refuses to sign over slot or spend much money in the international market.
Gardner that is
“He strikes out too much at every level. He has zero pop. No evidence of even gap power. ”
Good points Fredo – but I see him as the lead-off man after Damon if he progresses (although w/o Damon’s unusual power for a lead off guy)
In the endless search for gamers and dirty uniform guys – I want to see some more of Gardner. Maybe you’re right that he is limited, but I’d like to see more of him and see if he can at least be an effective caddy/fourth OF
Funny mets articles from the onion from other thread:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/mets_to_play_brewers_in_one
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/struggling_mets_combine_to_form?utm_source=onion_rss_daily
Miggs: Right. Sorry, my bad!
That post by Knicks came out of the blue and provided a nice laugh.
First ask Met fans if Wagner’s career in NY was excellent, I’m sure they’ll use another word which isn’t so uplifting. Pedro was good for 1 year, maybe a year and a half if you stretch it. Definitely not 3. Although it was an important signing for them because at the time they were a doormat team, and that signing showed all potential free agents that Omar was willing to pay.
Delgado trade was a salary dump, Perez was a lucky throw in as was Maine, but I’ll give him credit for that. Castillo was a decent trade, but that 4 year contract is a nightmare. Let’s wait before we declare the Schneider/Church trade for Milledge a success. Especially now that the Mets could use a right handed bat in the outfield.
And as for the talent he’s developed, well number 1 a GM doesn’t develop talent, thats the job of a coaching staff. Wright and Reyes were already blooming before Omar arrived, Heilman has fallen apart and while I do like Murphy I don’t see much coming from Evans. Pelfry how has been great this year, but again how does Omar get credit for that?
Omar has done a good job with the Mets, no question about it. But he also has his black marks as well. And at 87-71, I wouldn’t exactly call them a powerhouse.
Oh and as a final note on my last post, Omar began as the Mets GM after the 2004 season.
The Yanks need to look outside the organization for a CF’er for 2009. Neither Cabrera nor Gardner is the answer.
We don’t need a great center fielder, and we don’t need more than one year. Jackson will come up in 2010 (probably).
Nady will disappoint as a full time player. He’s great for a more limited role, just the kind of bench player the Yanks need and have not had for years.
Wave Your Hat: 20+ home runs and .300+ average does not a bench player make.
‘The real question is will they be able to get actual production from 1B for the first time in years…’
Asinine statement. Giambi is 10th in the AL in Adjusted OPS+, 4th among 1B. I’ll call that pretty dang good production from 1B.
We shouldn’t ask whether Gardner is the CF of the future. That could be Jackson. He only needs to be a passable CF for one year. Then we can put him on the bench or trade him.
If he really is a consistently great defender, and can get on base with singles and walks, he will be fine for a season in center. It’s not like we’re sticking him at first base.
“he has turned the franchise from a dormant afterthought into a powerhouse”
Powerhouse, noun. – A team that gets to the NLCS once, totally misses the playoffs, and subsequently has the most epic choke-job collapse two years running.
Nady is limited, but its tough to call him a bench player. He has good power which help him to succeed by hitting homeruns and getting RBI’s which everyone seems to love, but his low OBP will hurt him. If he can improve that or at least keep it at a respectable level .340, then I can see him playing everyday for sure.
I’m a little confused why some people think Nady is only a role player. Nady starts on basically any major league team. Role player? Really?
“Fredo: And Dave Roberts won the Sox a World Series.”
Actually, he HELPED win an ALCS….as a pinch runner/defensive replacement…Brett’s most likely role.
He’s never played in a World Series game.
Let me clarify on Nady. I really like Nady.
By role player, I mean I think that’s his greatest use for a team of World Series quality. Although this year he was quite good against righties as well as lefties, career-wise that hasn’t been the case. I think it would be better to let Girardi pick Nady’s spots.
I think Nady will play a lot no matter what. Damon and Matsui can’t play every day. They will both need substantial time off.
Realistically, I see Gardener in CF in 2009, Damon in LF for his final year as a Yankee and Nady in RF, his natural position and A-Jax into the OF mix in 2010. Another interesting option might be to sign Rocco Baldelli for CF to a 1 year plus option incentive laden contract assuming he is healthy.
NY lets the following walk: Abreu (2 picks), Petitte, Pavano, Ponson and I-Rod. I would re-sign Giambi only as a DH for about $5 mil plus his $5 mil buyout. Big G had a good year offensively but was brutal at 1B and the Yankees cannot afford his defense. That means trading Matsui for salary relief or having him on the bench. Instead of signing Tex at 1B, have Cano spend the winter learning 1B, his range is too limited at 2B going to his left. Assuming Cano has a better 2009 offensively, it will also increase his value in case NY wants to trade him down the road. Sign FA Orlando Hudson for 2B. Backup plan: Miranda at 1B, Bernie Castro at 2B.
The Yankees have to go after CC Sabathia, large contract notwithstanding. Reward Mussina with 1 year plus option offer (assuming he wants to come back).That would give them a starting rotation of Sabathia, Wang, Chamberlain (if he starts), Mussina, Aceves with Hughes ready to come up. Secondary FA pitching target Oliver Perez.
The BP should be set with Rivera, Marte, Coke, Sanchez, Melancon, Bruney and Giese (and Joba if he goes back to the pen).
SoCalYankeeFan
I’m on the bandwagon of platooning Gardner and Damon in CF for ‘09. AJax has done nothing but prosper with a move to each new level, so I can’t wait to see his ‘09 in SWB. Keep Nady in LF and resign Abreau for 2yrs in RF.
I’d love to see a Matt Holliday pickup, but that makes ‘09 pretty messy. Especially w Matsui still on the books.
Melky is almost irrelevant until 2010, but he’d still need a huge year to challenge Gardner for a 4th OF spot. 2010 OF of Holliday in LF, AJax in CF and Nady in RF would be huge.
From the NYTimes:
“Hank Steinbrenner was active last winter in retaining Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera with expensive long-term deals. But he attended no more than three games at Yankee Stadium all season.”
Does anybody else find this ridiculous? If Hank isn’t going to bother showing up for games, when will the main stream sports media start tuning the clown out?
Wouldn’t guess Nady will ever see .300 again. Truth about him is probably a lot closer to the .265 he’s posted for the Yankees than the .330 he posted for the Pirates. Still, given a full season, he’d probably be a .275, 20-25 homer, 80-85 RBI guy, who will play a decent outfield.
Fredo: Close enough! Ask any Boston fan what they remember about 2004 and it’s ‘we beat the Yankees’
TKinDC: LMAO! So would the Dallas Cowboys fit that definition of a Powerhouse?
TK: We don’t know why Hank didn’t come to New York. It’s suspicious, sure, but unless I know why he didn’t come to New York that often, I’m not going to get upset by it.
Pete-
The Yankees could essentially have the same team next year that failed them this season, and not get much younger in the process. Look at this scenario:
RF: Abreu offered arbitration, and ends up signing a two year contract with a club option for a third year.
LF: Nady in last year of contract
CF: Gardner-Yankees so enamored with his speed and defense, but he hasn’t proven yet he can hit. Damon-no arm, and won’t be traded unless another lead-off hitter obtained[not sure if Gardner can consistently hit to lead off]
3B: A-Rod- carries too much baggage that’s affecting his offensive skills in pressure situations. Interesting article in Fox Sports, why A-Rod will not last all nine years with Yankees.
SS: Jeter there until he says he’s willing to move to another position.
2B: Cano probably won’t and shouldn’t be traded, to sign recently hurt Orlando Hudson.
1B: Is it Posada part of the time? Damon? Will the Yankees take back Giambi for one more year? My bet is Teixeira is not even offered a contract by the Yankees.
DH: Matsui-has to prove he can still hit after surgery if trade bait. Damon? Abreu?
C: Molina back, will Posada be ready?
Therefore for positional spots the team is slightly younger Gardner over Melky, with the same defensive shortcomings and potential for extended absence due to injury.
Therefore IMHO, once Cashman decides if he’s coming back next week, the first order of business should not jump at resigning Pettitte, like he wishes, before he goes home to Houston. He’s either retiring or playing for the Yankees only. Tell him to go home, stay in shape and maybe he’ll get a June/July prorated contract based on games pitched, if he wants to pitch in new Yankee Stadium. The team needs to first shore up their starting pitching, getting younger, thru FA and currently there are better options to explore than bringing back a sore armed Pettitte.
Thoughts?
“Fredo: Close enough! Ask any Boston fan what they remember about 2004 and it’s ‘we beat the Yankees’”
Always wondered about that. We need Ray to comment. Was the ‘04 World Series anti-climatic to Boston fans, having already stunned the Yankees? Still think there had to be some juice to winning a title for the 1st time in awhile.
Fredo: From the friends I’ve talked to-
and I have a bunch in Boston-the parties and the riots were way more wild after ALCS Game 7.My one friend and I agree—when the Yankees failed to clinch in Boston, they had no shot, because Boston had ALL of the momentum.
What I’d do to get back that one stolen base!
I’d give a gardner a shot next year. That game where he made the great catch and also stole bases and scored shows his potential. Even if he’s a singles hitter, he can do more with that then melky. But you only find out if he can hit enough by giving him a shot.
Rebecca –
The Cowboys are a perfect fit too!
– - On Hank, he is apparently a managing partner of a billion dollar enterprise. If nothing else an owner has a responsibility to review the fan experience by being on-site.
There is no excuse I can imagine – if he can’t devote the effort, then he hasn’t earned the right to have his opinion given any weight.
“RF: Abreu offered arbitration, and ends up signing a two year contract with a club option for a third year.”
Doubt the club option will fly. Some fairly easily achieved incentives (say, # of plate appearances) that would trigger the 3rd year would likely be necessary.
Arbitration is by definition a one-year deal, no?
“What I’d do to get back that one stolen base!”
Hate to say it, but walking Millar to lead off the 9th was the most egregious thing that went down that night.
“It’s suspicious, sure, but unless I know why he didn’t come to New York that often, I’m not going to get upset by it.”
and given the media that surrounds the team, the resources the team has to communicate amongst themselves, etc, why does he HAVE to be at the stadium to run “the business”?
there arent companies that have a home base in one state, and operating regional locations away from the main campus?
people need to get over this hank nonsense.
Arbitration is a one year deal, but I don’t think it precludes the club from negotiating a long term deal before the arbitration hearing is set.
I’m not really sure why everyone thinks they shouldn’t resign Pettitte.
I think you absolutely resign Pettitte and Mussina.
Pettitte is a proven commodity, knows New York and still has something left in the tank as a #4 or #5.
Come on…is Pettitte better then Rasner, Ponson and Pavano…absolutely. If you don’t resign him those are the type of alternatives you’ll be facing again.
A rotation with Pettitte, Mussina, Wang is a good start. You’ve basically got your #2, #3 or #4, and a #5 starter.
I’d go to battle with those 3 any day.
Pettitte will rest this winter, heal and come back strong a la Mussina…you just watch.
“there arent companies that have a home base in one state, and operating regional locations away from the main campus?”
That’s an interesting point which has nothing to do with the Yankees.
The Yankees aren’t Kinko’s or Burger King – there is one basket with all the eggs in it.
“Arbitration is a one year deal, but I don’t think it precludes the club from negotiating a long term deal before the arbitration hearing is set.”
I agree – you just wouldn’t get the picks if you struck a deal before going to the arbitration hearing. You get them if a player declines the offer of arbitration (if I recall correctly)
I don’t think you jump at resigning Pettitte unti you explore your chances of getting the FA starting pitcher/pitchers you want. Pettitte will still be available. If my memory serves me right, one of the reasons negotiations broke off with Santana/Twins is that Pettitte said I’ll come back. I still believe Santana could have been had minus Hughes in the deal.
I think what they do in CF depends on a number of factors.
Do they sign one FA pitcher or two?
Do they sign Tex?
Do they decide to bring back Abreu and move Nady to first base?
Do they just blow it up (unlikely) and give all the kids first crack at making the roster?
I think all of those questions determine what they do in CF.
Perhaps they decide to load up on pitching, keep Abreu, and move Nady to first.
If they do, I could see them giving Gardner first crack at the job. They will hope he can hit .250-.260, steal some bases, make the plays in CF, and bat 9th.
With the work they are putting in with him, its not like they are treating him as if he won’t be on the team next year.
He has to hit better though. Right now, its not enough.
Doesn’t mean he won’t ever hit at the major league level. Just means he has to do so in order to stick.
“A players value at preventing runs in the field, even the best defensive player in the game, is still far, far shorter than the runs a player can make at the plate. The biggest mistake is to overvalue defense.”
I would have to disagree and say that the biggest mistake is to undervalue defense. Offense may help you coast through the regular season, but as it has been said time and time again:
Championships are built with [b]pitching[/b] and [b]defense[/b].
Can anyone answer me how Paul O’Neill changed from a .262 hitter with CIN to a .305 (avg over 9 yrs) hitter with the Yankees?
(This may appear off-topic, but I was actually wondering, when someone put up the numbers that might be expected of Nady, that weren’t they about where O’Neill was career-wise. They’re close, but if you separate CIN from NYY, it’s a world of difference.)
I really couldn’t care less if Hank is at the games or if he’s watching them from his little racing car bunk bed but don’t you think that if he really cared about the team that he would make more than 2 appearances at the Stadium?
And if anyone messed up that Santana deal it was him with his Gary Cooper act.
I like position-by-position breakdowns.
“RF: Abreu offered arbitration, and ends up signing a two year contract with a club option for a third year.”
Yeah, like TKinDC said, arbitration is a one-year deal. If they offer Abreu arb, he will decline and leave and the Yankees will get picks. I see him gone next season.
“LF: Nady in last year of contract”
Nady in RF to replace Abreu.
“CF: Gardner-Yankees so enamored with his speed and defense, but he hasn’t proven yet he can hit. Damon-no arm, and won’t be traded unless another lead-off hitter obtained[not sure if Gardner can consistently hit to lead off]”
No one is sure, sadly. Damon is needed in LF. Gardner will go in CF and we will all keep our fingers crossed that he can get on base. He just needs to get some hits and walks, and his speed and defense will make him a sufficient stopgap for a year. Bear in mind that I am not high on Gardner at all, I just think he’s the best option at the moment (assuming he isn’t a total liability at the plate, which is possible).
“3B: A-Rod- carries too much baggage that’s affecting his offensive skills in pressure situations. Interesting article in Fox Sports, why A-Rod will not last all nine years with Yankees.”
I haven’t read the article but I’ll pass on another attempt to get inside ARod’s mind. Last year, ARod was an absolute monster in pressure situations. This year he was hardly the disaster with RISP that many people say he is. I feel silly having to say I’m happy to have ARod at third next season, but I’ll say it anyway.
“SS: Jeter there until he says he’s willing to move to another position.”
Not for years.
“2B: Cano probably won’t and shouldn’t be traded, to sign recently hurt Orlando Hudson.”
He will be back and put up fine numbers. He’s had 2 seasons as one of the best players in the league and one season as one of the worst. He will come out somewhere between, on the above-average side.
“1B: Is it Posada part of the time? Damon? Will the Yankees take back Giambi for one more year? My bet is Teixeira is not even offered a contract by the Yankees.”
100% chance the Yankees will offer Teixeira a contract. Whether he takes it is the question. The Yankees would love to have Teixeira considering their hole at first, but some team (Angels) could throw such a huge contract at him that the Yankees decide not to beat it.
First base remains a mystery. I don’t see Giambi back, but at the same time I don’t see anyone else there to replace him.
“DH: Matsui-has to prove he can still hit after surgery if trade bait. Damon? Abreu?”
Yes to Matsui as DH. I don’t think he will be trade bait unless he has an unbelievable season, in which case we won’t trade him anyway. Why trade for a broken down player?
“C: Molina back, will Posada be ready?”
I sure hope so.
Yes you would get the picks if the player declines arbitration, and signs elsewhere. You also get the picks if the player, not offered arbitration signs elsewhere before 12/02/08.
SJ & Doreen,
Many thanks for the great posts in the last thread.
The only way you can carry Gardner in the OF is if you sign Teixeria to replace Abreu/Giambi’s production.
We are on pace to score 250 less runs than last year. Posada is 38 coming off shoulder injury will undoubtedly will affect his bat. Matsui hasn’t been healthy in 3 years and is very streaky.
You can’t just let good players walk and replace them with average players. What if Gardner can’t hit at the ML level?
I’m shocked how open Girardi has been these past couple of weeks about next year and free agents and how different the team will be next year etc, You can tell he is hoping for a HUGE off-season and wants this thing shaken up. Normally, he would just re-direct the media to Cahsman and be non-committal about such things. But lately he has been very open and has given a lot of hints.
The factor that nobody seems to want to talk about (by “nobody”, I mean the sports media) is, how will the economy affect baseball in 2009?
I think its a very legitimate on a number of fronts.
First off, many teams have suiteholders and season ticketholders from the banking and investment industries. As these various firms crash and burn, how will that affect teams’ bottom lines?
Regular fans, who use their disposable income to buy tickets, memorabilia, etc, how will that affect teams’ bottom lines, if that money dries up?
How many teams will want long term, big money contracts on its books given the unknown short term and long term effects of a down economy? Can these teams even afford to take on new deals?
How will that affect offers perspective free agents get this off-season?
Its going to be fascinating to me to see how all of these factors play into every team, especially the Yankees, off-season plans.
Jeremy-
Abreu declares for FA 15 days after the end of the WS. You offer him arbitration, he declines. What I’ve read is that does not preclude the Yankees from still negotiating and signing him as a FA to a deal. And thanks for your well thought out replies.
Nady is good but he is not Abreu,I feel Nady is having a fluke year , he will come down to
earth next year,if they let Abreu go they should make sure they have a Teixeira type 1st baseman .
Johnny Damon also has a career year this season I don’t think he will copy it next year,and he has a track record of not being healthy in a full season.So they’d better find a solid CF next year.
Gardner is good but don’t people think Melky did has some bad luck this season?Melky is not fast in the field,but he did make some amazing play,I remember in his minor league
scouting report,he has a good first-jump judgement which make up his average speed.If he can hit 0.270 again with like 15 home runs,which I think is his upside,I think he can be yankees’ center fielder for some years.
I think the Yankees should go with Damon and Gardner sharing time in centerfield. Nady plays everyday in right. Posada catches, but DH’s about 60 games. When Posada DH’s, Matsui plays LF and Damon plays CF. When Posada catches, Matsui DH’s and Gardner plays CF and Damon plays LF. Melky is the 4th OF. This gives the Yankees a chance to see what they’ve got in Gardner and allows them to completely rebuild the OF for 2010 when Damon, Matsui, and Nady are free agents when Jackson should be ready and guys like Carl Crawford, Matt Holliday, and Jason Bay are free agents.
.204AVG .263OBP .278SLG
Sox fans all over the US are hoping he’s playing CF next season.
You have to let Gardner be your centerfield next year. He is exactly what this team needs, brings great work ethic, plays hard, he’s a team guy and he brings a whole new dimension to the Yankees lineup. He stays out of double plays because of his speed which allows him to get into scoring position off a steal. I think you have let him be your starting CF next year…...with Damon in LF and Nady in RF. Thats a nice offense. I would keep Melky as a bench player for the big club, he can be a late inning defensive replacement or a nice switch hitting bat off the bench. Maybe that hinders his development, then let him play in Triple A and let Christian be that off teh bench. He gives the team nice speed as well. They have options and I hope they let Gardner have CF.
Impalin-Palin,
Just remember both Giambi and Cano hit under .200 for over a month at the beginning of this season. Give the kid a chance.
Dont know if anyone has mentioned this name.
Bubba Crosby all over again. What the hell is the difference between Gardner and Bubba? We are not going to play a center fielder that has a pitchers batting average.
What was that line Cash used a few years back? Ahh yes. Bubba is our center fielder.
“According to several metrics the Yankees were the worst defensive team in the American League this year. That has to improve if the Yankees want to contend next year.”
That’s odd. During last night’s game, they said that the Yankees had the best fielding pct.
As I stated on my blog http://gardnerformvp.mlblogs.com, the Yankee’s best option is to move Damon to 1st base. 1st base doesn’t require as much skill as many of you may think. Whether or not you guys want to believe me, Damon is a terrible outfielder. He has absolutely no arm, which is a very big part of being an outfield. Speed is 50% of being an outfielder. So I would rank Damon as a 50-60 out of 100 as an outfielder. However, Damon is a great offensive presence. He should alternate at the 1st base/DH spot. Gardner is faster than Damon and has a pretty good arm.
This is what I think the outfield should be next year. Nady, Abreu, Matsui, Gardner. Gardner should alternate with the other three for days that they DH. Melky isn’t on the list because I think he should be traded. He will probably be on the Nationals or the Giants next year.
“Bubba Crosby all over again. What the hell is the difference between Gardner and Bubba?”
Brett’s faster than Bubba.
SJ44-
What a great point. If banks can’t or won’t lend money, then companies or businesses would not be able to meet payroll, therefore job layoffs. It already steams the public that CEO’s walk away with millions[golden parachute] when their ship sinks-how does it look to spend close to a million a year for a premium number of seats in a suite at Yankee Stadium?
I agree that a CEO willing to take his golden parachute from a failed company should be given a gold parachute and be made to jump out of a plane at 18,0000 feet!!
Question? What relief do the Yankees get in the coming years from revenue sharing based on the new stadium costs?
I think Melky is done. It’s time to try Gardner-part time. I would leave the OF alone. Nady, Damon and Abreu. Not the greatest D line up in the world but all three of those guys were consistent at the plate this year. Gardner would be great to have on the bench for speed, late innings, tight games etc.
The only difference is, the Yankees have spent more time working with Gardner in a week than they did with Bubba his entire time in NY.
At minimum, absent a trade for a CF in the off-season (unlikely, IMO), Gardner will be competing for a job.
They obviously aren’t going to hand him the job but, you have to think he will be in the mix.
t-rock,
Interesting observation. I don’t know why people thought that it would be a seamless transistion, it never is. I mean people predicted it, but when all the stuff hit the fan they just lose perspective.
Your shakeup theory might have some merit, much in the way that a new football coach works better with the guys he brings in than with the roster he inherits.
Just human nature.
It’s kind of strange to see Girardi coaching his old ‘mates. They’re not the problem, though. They’re professionals and they kept their eye on the prize. Like they did for the last 13 years.
Still not liking the anonymous quotes, but there’s a 50%chance that person will be gone next season. And a 100%chance they’ll be gone the season after that.
Maybe your theory helps explain some, but not all, of Melky’s playing status. Still think there’s more to the story.
I think the Yankees knew they were going to get young, so they went with Girardi, knowing that the first year would be rough whether they won or lost.
SJ44 –
It’s certainly going to be quite interesting to see how it all plays out. All entertainment venues are going to suffer some setbacks, as the people who “put up the money” either no longer have it to give or need to be more conservative.
The idea that Brett Gardner’s defense is going to make the yankees a better team next year is a fantasy.
Melky couldn’t hit a lick this year but he was outstanding in the field.
He had the second highest zone rating and seventh highest relative zone rating for any centerfielder in baseball this year. That is outstanding.
Melky got to more balls hit to the centerfield area than any other player besides Carlos Gomez.
What are the chances Brett Gardner becomes the single best defensive centerfielder in baseball next year? And even if he does the difference between that optimal Gardner performance and Melky’s defense this year will be marginal at best. It will not make any substanstial difference.
The only way Gardner is going to make this team better is with his bat. That was the enormous problem they had in CF this year. There’s no room to go up on centerfield defense from Melky. There’s just not.
Gardner would help stealing bases. But he hasn’t shown he can hit. And the improvements in his offense people are talking about arent’ very large. Sure he’s been better than his first 50 at bats but that improvement is largely due to how bad he was when he first came up.
The yankees offense got killed this year for two reasons 1. They didn’t hit with men on base. 2. They had the equivalent of three replacement level players in their line up night in and out – Melky, Cano and Molina.
Having one replacement level bat in a line up kills a team. Kills them. Many teams have missed the playoffs just by having one replacement level performance. The yankees had three.
That must change. They have to have a CF how can be at least league average with the bat.
Can Gardner do that? Not so sure. But we’ll see next spring.
SJ –
Your point about the economy is a really interesting factor – I guess we have a new opening in the Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros. luxury suite slots.
It is a good thing the Yankees have the building built now for all intents and purposes. If Yankee management had to go out and get financing in the current market it would be an absolute non-starter.
Plus a lot of owners are real estate magnates – or at least they were before the bubble burst.
M’s are gonna have to trade Ichrio…the players on that team cant stand him
trade damon and something for Ichrio
Ichiro, not Ichrio
Why are a lot of you not mentioning Matsui in outfield talks? He is an above average fielder, although nothing spectacular. He is one of our best offensive players.
What about trading Damon to some place like San Fran for Matt Cain? Sell high on Damon I say.
If they put Damon at first. He will need to walk the ball to the pitcher after every pick off play. Iv seen enough of first basemans with no arms. Time to get a natural first baseman that can turn two.
Will Posada be ready to catch next spring? If not. DH? 1B? Will we have to trade Matsui to open up a dh spot for Jorge?
There is no way the Yankees could ever get Ichiro for Damon in a straight up trade. Ichiro is one of the best outfielders in baseball. Also, Damon is a good personality in the clubhouse. That trade would be detrimental to the team.
“Why are a lot of you not mentioning Matsui in outfield talks? He is an above average fielder, although nothing spectacular. He is one of our best offensive players.”
Two reasons:
1) His right knee
2) His left knee
Damon and what else for Cain? Hughes? Jackson? Cano? Damon won’t waive his no trade to play for SF. No deal happening there.
Yankee Trader,
I’ve seen you ask several times about Pettitte accepting a Roger deal.
Did no one answer? People are pretty adamant about him not returning because of his second half.
I don’t like the Roger deal and Andy won’t either. Because Roger’s the only guy to pull that stuff and he doesn’t want to be linked to Roger right now.
I’m on record of saying I want Andy back for one last hurrah. It’s partly sentimental, but it makes a lot of sense as we’ve only got Wang and a part-time Joba locked in right now.
I prefer Andy for 1 year over Garland or someone comparable for 5 years. Cheaper, shorter, and more flexible. And quite possibly, better.
“He had the second highest zone rating and seventh highest relative zone rating for any centerfielder in baseball this year. That is outstanding.
Melky got to more balls hit to the centerfield area than any other player besides Carlos Gomez.”
I enjoy looking at stats as much as anyone, but by watching the games there is no way one gets the impression that Melky is a premiere CF in terms of tracking down balls – no way. Great arm – yes… good range – yes… but not great.
You can’t trade Matsui. He has a no trade clause in his contract.
You can definitely count on having to DH Posada some of the time next year I agree.
You also can’t count on Matsui to stay healthy for the whole season. I also don’t think he should ever be in the outfield again.
“Why are a lot of you not mentioning Matsui in outfield talks? He is an above average fielder, although nothing spectacular. He is one of our best offensive players.”
Because Girardi has already said that he sees Matsui as the permanent DH.
Damon has a bad arm, but you are exaggerating how bad it is SOS. I’m sure he can make a good throw to 2nd base if he needed to. He’s at least an upgrade from Giambi. Jorge should continue to alternate with Molina at catcher.
I said Damon and something else…Ichiro is available since the clubhouse is a mess with him in it
“You can’t trade Matsui. He has a no trade clause in his contract.”
Matsui has already said that if the Yankees want to move him, he’d waive his no trade clause. He’s honorable that way.
I just checked Wikipedia and sadly, it seems Arte Moreno’s money comes from marketing and advertising. I was kind of hoping he was a real estate guy and Tex could come more cheaply
Yankee Trader,
And second half hopes don’t always work out. Injuries to both Roger and Joba put kinks in the plan.
If anything, Andy starts the year. If things go awry, then Aceves, Hughes, or Coke can take the slot.
“You can’t trade Matsui. He has a no trade clause in his contract.”
What i got from last years rumors were that he would not block a trade.
So if that’s the case, then Gardner, Nady, Abreu in the outfield. Damon at 1st. Cano at 2nd. Jeter SS. 3B A-rod. Catcher Posada/Molina. Problem solved. Maybe bring in a back up just in case of injuries.
As for pitching, I think the Yanks should pursue Kyle Lohse. Read my blog if you want my reasons.
“M’s are gonna have to trade Ichrio…the players on that team cant stand him”
Ichiro is probably pissed that he’s playing for a God awful team. That’s enough to ruin anyone’s mood. I bet he’d be thrilled to be in pinstripes and wouldn’t be a clubhouse problem at all.
That being said, Ichiro is starting to get up there in age. I might want to stick with a Damon/Gardner platoon than go with Ichiro.
The financial market hit has affected the Yankees.
Goldman Sachs, a co-owner of the YES Network (who has been trying to sell their share of the network for a year) just recieved a 5 billion dollar cash investment from Warren Buffet.
They also announced a stock offering in an attempt to raise another 5 billion dollars. With this infusion of capital, they were on the verge of going under.
Does that mean they will hold onto their stake in the network? Unclear at this time.
Goldman Sachs is a great partner to the Yankees. John Mallory, their LA head, is the guy who brokered the Arod back to the Yankees talks.
Ironically, it was Warren Buffet (a huge baseball fan) who told Arod to call John Mallory at Goldman Sachs and look to go back to the Yankees.
Its fascinating to me how all of this stuff intersects.
JMO but, the current state of the economy is going to affect free agency in a way neither teams, players nor agents ever thought back in spring training.
It may end up being the biggest story of the off-season.
I think if Damon would waive his no trade you could get Cain for Damon and a couple prospects. Just trying to come up with ideas.
Obviously not Hughes, Jackson or Cano…but San Fran needs offensive help.
Damon, Kennedy and Colin Curtis? Thoughts?
People love playing in San Fran.
The Mariners would not give up Ichiro unless we gave them Damon and some pitching prospects.
If memory serves me correctly. Ichiro and Matsui dont get along. So if you want Ichiro. Youd probably have to unload Matsui.
“I haven’t read the article but I’ll pass on another attempt to get inside ARod’s mind. Last year, ARod was an absolute monster in pressure situations. This year he was hardly the disaster with RISP that many people say he is. I feel silly having to say I’m happy to have ARod at third next season, but I’ll say it anyway.”
I hate to look at it like this, but it really seems logical. Last year A-Rod was in a contract year, he knew he would be able to cash in big if he performed. Since he put up HUGE numbers last year he was able to GUARANTEE himself that he would make 270 MILLION DOLLARS over the course of the next 10 GUARANTEED years.
It seems that A-Rod may be the type of player that feels that he has ALREADY earned that 270 million, he is not in the process of earning it.
If any of your 270 million dollars, I hardly think you would take your jobs quite as seriously as you did previously. It’s just such a big and long contract, he no longer has as much to play for. He will retire when the contract is over and all that will be left is his numbers. He’ll hit his home runs and go home happy regardless of the outcome. The only thing he seems to get upset about is when he has to respond to difficult questions.
The closing ceremony for the stadium made it apparent to me, he just doesn’t seem like he fits in with the Yankees…
This is the same move that got us in trouble with Melky. Melky was young and had one game-changing talent…his arm, so we threw him out there and ignored how he couldn’t hit at this level. Now Gardner has one game-changing weapon, his speed, and he’ll be thrown out there. I hope it works this time
lol yeah I’m sure he’d do that. Why put a no trade clause in your contract?
People like San Fran. But nobody enjoys playing there. Or at least nobody who is serious about Baseball enjoys it. It is basically a retirement check if you get traded there. You can kiss your career goodbye.
If Goldman is selling their Yes Network shares, I will gladly buy some.
“People love playing in San Fran.”
True, but I think they’d love playing for a team that has a shot at winning more. SF is years away from being a contender.
**if any of you were given 270 million…
Buffett needs to call LeBron and convince him to strongarm CC into come to the Yankees.
but cano in right field I like the way he goes back on flyballs, great arm, and let face hit “he needs more time to react on batted balls hit to him” (try to get brian roberts) nady in left, damon/gardner in cf
Except Gardner has the potential to hit. He has yet to prove it in the Major League regular season, but we can only hope.
Mel-
Thanks for being the first to offer a counter-point to not offering Pettitte a “Roger” deal.
I too don’t want Garland for 5 years,or any years, but I do want the Yankees to explore their starting pitching options thru FA, before being too quick to sign Pettitte, and having Pettitte come in later, might extend his ability to pitch effectively down the stretch, as he probably can’t be counted on for 200 innings anymore. Also waiting on Pettitte until you have a clearer idea what your roster is makes sense as he is going nowhere else.
Screw CC, he’s old and is worn out from all the complete games he is pitching. Get Kyle Lohse. He’s still young and managed to shut down the Red Sox and Rays in interleague play this year.
“What i got from last years rumors were that he would not block a trade.”
Sadly, this years realities probably preclude one from happening.
Gardner can’t steal 1st. He is a .204 hitter.
Justin Christian has comparable speed AND is a better hitter than Gardner, he also makes much more contact.
BTW – Nady is a .265 hitter. Easy to put up good numbers in the NL Central. Tons of strikeouts, low OBP. He is nothing special, certainly not worth the contract that Boras will get for him. Sell him high, or pay him a Torii Hunter/Rowand contract.
-Bedard is the problem, not Ichiro
-Ichiro and Matsui would get along just fine
-Matsui’s not getting traded. Why would anyone want to trade for a player who’s had 3 knee surgeries in the last year?
-Ichiro will be worth the $20M for his Confucian-like quotes alone.
SJ-
Yep – Goldman is forced to raise cash as it converts away from being an investment bank.
Steve Schwarzman of Blackstone is apparently in the wings with buckets full of cash – I remember when there were rumors about the Steinbrenners selling the team a couple years ago that Schwarzman was identified as a potential buyer.
All that talk of selling the team has obviously died down to nothing as Hank and Hal have elevated their profile.
Damon could go to San Fran, put up another career year, and sucker someone into his next contract.
That’s got to factor in some. He’s got to be thinking beyond his contract with the Yankees. I think if he feels his playing time will be limited, or he’ll be shuffled around position-wise, he might consider a move.
Again, just thinking of ideas.
“The closing ceremony for the stadium made it apparent to me, he just doesn’t seem like he fits in with the Yankees…”
I disagree. Alex would fit in fine if the fans would allow him to. I saw that he didn’t tip his hat and I don’t blame him. The guy gets booed as if he were a BOS player. It’s shameful and uncalled for. There are few who work harder than Alex does. Ask his teammates. They don’t seem to have a problem with him. Anytime Derek has warmed up to him, you know that Alex has gotten his act together.
Next year, we will see the same Alex we got last year. He’ll be happy, single and rich. I have a feeling that his numbers for next year are going to be off the charts.
I do think guys like Loshe and Lowe will be a better investment than CC.
I’d love to see the team give Gardner a chance to start in CF. If Gardner could muster a .350 OBP to go along with his speed and defense, he could be a difference maker at the bottom of the lineup.
To say he “can’t” hit in the majors is jumping the gun. It’s a small sample size. He is a young player who is adjusting. His performance in the minors has shown that he has initially struggled, and then made the adjustments to be successful.
As I’ve said all along, Gardner brings more weapons to the table than Cabrera, who brings little, if anything.
The team must get younger and better defensively. It’s why I believe the team should make a strong run after Mark Teixeira.
Using the various excuses of “Posada can play first” or Matsui’s knees are so bad, he can move to first” is unacceptable. That’s all there is to it. Tex is a gold-glove caliber 1B, who brings patience to the plate that could more than replace Giambi. Tex has 120 RBIs this year and a much higher .OPS than Justin Morneau, whose name is being tossed around as an MVP candidate.
More importantly, he feels a legitimate need. Dumping players in the mid and upper 30s, who have bad wheels (Matsui) or a bad shoulder (Posada) at 1st base would only serve to hurt the team.
And if the team doesn’t make a run at Tex, what are other options. Shelly Duncan? Juan Miranda? Wilson Betemit? Expecting the Yankees to compete with those players manning a position where offensive production a must-have for most teams is really absurd.
If Boras demands a 8 or 9 year deal and some other team is willing to pony up the cash, then so be it.
However, the Yankees should at least stick their collective toe in the water and see what it would take to bring him here.
If we go back to minor league numbers. Melky is a better hitter than Gardner. With what CB mentioned. Melky is also a better fielder. Better arm. That leaves one thing Gardner is better at. Speed. That doesnt help if you cant get on base.
Call K.C. and ask if they would take minor leaguers for Dejesus.
SJ
If you want to incorporate Economics into baseball, then look at how the income effect relates.
As someone’s pay increases, they are generally willing to work harder. Until a certain point…when eventually someone has gotten and is getting paid so much, effort starts to diminish.
”-Matsui’s not getting traded. Why would anyone want to trade for a player who’s had 3 knee surgeries in the last year?”
mel, good point. However, Matsui is a consistent 100+ RBI guy (when healthy). I’d take a chance on him. I bet a team like SF, OAK or TOR would as well.
Jeff,
LOL. Secretly, I hope they don’t get CC. Either way it’s a win-win.
YT,
Sorry to disappoint you, but Pettitte’s status will be one of the first things to be decided. Earlier rather than later. And it really helps clear up the picture. They can’t sign 3 FA pitchers off the market. But if Pettitte comes back, the only unknown is where he pitches in the rotation. If all goes well, he’s pitching in the 4/5 rather than the 2/3 or 3/4.
“Screw CC, he’s old”
How young do you want him? Hes under 30.
Laura,
If the potential’s there, we could use those RBIs. Unless you were thinking of selling damaged goods? Shame on you!
SJ—
Great point as always a really good site that discusses the business aspect of baseball is biz of baseball which Ibelieve Pete links to on the right. It has been one of my bookmarks for a while now. I would say that some of these issues are already starting to hit although they broke a revenue record this year. MLB fell below their projections.
http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2486:mlb-pulls-in-record-revenues-of-64-billion-falls-short-of-projections&catid=30:mlb-news&Itemid=42
I don’t like Lowe.Lowe is 35 years old and only does alright because he is in the NL West (worst division in baseball).
Lohse is only 30 Years old and pitched in the AL for 5 years before going to the Reds, Phillies, then Cardinals.
“I’d take a chance on him. I bet a team like SF, OAK or TOR would as well.”
SF won’t anymore. Can’t use him in the OF. Further, he’s damaged goods and you don’t get good return for 1 year of Matsui no matter how well he hits when he’s healthy…if he’s healthy.
Can someone tell me why C.C. was pitching with only 3 days rest?
“I saw that he didn’t tip his hat and I don’t blame him. The guy gets booed as if he were a BOS player. It’s shameful and uncalled for.”
Part of being a professional athlete is having the ability to keep the fans from affecting your game. A-Rod has gotten booed plenty in his career, and I would hope that he wasn’t so fragile that he lets it govern his play.
I don’t want CC… he doesn’t want to be here, he is only coming here for money. He is a West Coast groupie, he will hate it here like Randy did. I’m not in love with giving him 8 years and $170 million.
Give me Burnett for 4 years instead. He is an East Coast guy and needs a change of scenery. 1\2 the contract of CC and if you listen to Waldman, he is practically begging to come here.
Burnett and Teixeria > CC
“If the potential’s there, we could use those RBIs. Unless you were thinking of selling damaged goods? Shame on you!”
No way, mel. I’m a huge Matsui supporter and I want him on the team next year as the permanent DH. I was just saying that I do think that there are teams out there that would take him in a heartbeat.
Ok, I didn’t realize that CC is 28 right now. But you realize that he is going to cost a lot and he is deteriorating faster than other pitchers because of the innings he has pitched. He will want a long term contract, so that would not be good for the yankee cause.
Also, he is hitting really well. So I’d expect the Dodgers or one of the other big market NL teams to make an offer to beat the Yankees.
Laura,
Doreen & I have talked about this.
It’s not fair and it’s not right, but Alex really should start a very subtle, almost invisible PR campaign.
If he embraces New York, it will embrace him.
He’ll reach his milestone, but it’ll be easier and better if the fans push him. Towards the goal, not out the door
Alex was out beofre the game inter-mingling with fans who were waiting in line on the field siging autographs. He was there after the game signing autographs . That celebration at the end when he took a step aside I think was really more about letting long timers like Jeter, Mo, Posada and Pettite have their day in the sun. he was not part of that. If he had tried to assert himself everyone would have said he was trying to get in the spotlight.
I think he did the right thing.
Alex did tip his cap not sure what you all were watching
“SF won’t anymore. Can’t use him in the OF. Further, he’s damaged goods and you don’t get good return for 1 year of Matsui no matter how well he hits when he’s healthy…if he’s healthy.”
Perhaps, Fredo. It may not make good business sense since he’s got 1 year left, but as someone who has witnessed most, if not all of his clutch hits, I’d take the guy on my team regardless of how long it was for. As for his knees, he’s had both of them worked on now. Shouldn’t they hold up for at least one more season?
“Can someone tell me why C.C. was pitching with only 3 days rest?”
Because the Brewers are desperate to make the playoffs. Last night was his 2nd consecutive start on 3 days and a 3rd one could be coming up on Sunday.
Burnett is not worth it either. He has yet to prove anything to me. At least CC has numbers. Burnett has nasty stuff, but is not quite consistent enough for my liking. And Teixeira will be on the Angels next year.
Lohse is the answer.
We had a chance to get Jonathan Sanchez for Matsui, we blew it
CB called the CF situation perfectly…The Yanks need an offensive CF,,,Gardner & Melky are 4th OF type guys..Nothing wrong with that at all..Lokk at the Angels, their paying big $$$ for the same type of player ( Matthews )...If Gardner could at least bunt his way on ( let’s say 20 times ) then his value is increased….You just can’t steal first base, however bunting is about as close as it comes…..The Beltran failure will haunt this team for years …..
some of these people here really use stats the wrong way…just because gardner is hitting 204 right now does not mean he is a 204 hitter and never will be anything more..he is slowly adjusting to mlb and should improve with time…it seems like there are too many people who hate gardner for some odd reason…they like seeing him do bad and take joy in the fact hes batting 204 right now..kinda sad and pathetic
“Alex did tip his cap not sure what you all were watching”
I have to rewatch the tape, but the photo that has been circulating on the net has him clapping with his hat on. Again, whether he did or not tip his cap doesn’t bother me one bit. Some of the fans treat one of our own like dirt. And frankly, it’s embarrassing.
SoS,
His last two outings were on short rest. The first was a loss, this was a win.
He’s doing what they got him to do. Get them into the post-season. Last night’s got them the WC tie.
Supposedly CC gave his agent “the riot act” for interfering.
Fredo.
Re: Your question on the 2004 WS.
IMO, the 2004 WS was anti-climatic. I am not sure many Sox fans would admit it but the WS was a a tad of let down after an emotional ALCS. Going to opening day in 2005 was better than WS. I know that sounds starnge but that is the way I felt.
Respectfully. -dennis
I agree Ralphie. The intelligent people here who watch the games instead of taking the stats as a representation of the truth can testify to the fact that Garner is nervous at the plate. Why else do you think he is always throwing his bat?
“If we go back to minor league numbers. Melky is a better hitter than Gardner.”
Um…. when has Gardner EVER been a better hitter than Melky?
Gardner is the NEW Melky. All hype, no substance.
You can sign Teixeira, have Matsui and Posada in the lineup the entire year, but in our division, the Rays are not going away next year with their pitching and all players chipping in when Crawford and Longoria were out-without a .300 hitter in the lineup!
Boston is set except for catcher and a few tweaks in the bullpen.
Toronto is renegotiating with Burnett already[his wife loves Toronto] and with Halladay makes them competititive.
If you want us to compete the money 1st needs to be spent on finding two young quality FA starting pitchers. Yes they’ll listen to Boras’ demands for Teixeira, and yes maybe Teixeira doesn’t care to play for Baltimore, his home town team he rooted for growing up, but I seriously don’t believe he’ll be a Yankee priority.
Kyle Lohse is the classic case of Dave Duncan influence. Duncan takes guys like that and makes them pitchers.
Hell, he made Jeff Weaver a post-season hero.
Away from Duncan, those guys fail bigtime. Lohse was hideous in the AL.
He isn’t even in AJ Burnett’s class as a pitcher.
Just as they did in the off-season, I suspect they will pass on Lohse. His year is a total mirage. It will never be repeated if he leaves St. Louis.
CC for 8 yrs/$175 or Burnett for 4 yrs/$72?
“Perhaps, Fredo. It may not make good business sense since he’s got 1 year left, but as someone who has witnessed most, if not all of his clutch hits, I’d take the guy on my team regardless of how long it was for. As for his knees, he’s had both of them worked on now. Shouldn’t they hold up for at least one more season?”
Laura, a couple thoughts
1) Knees with no surgery > surgically rep