The Sunday Links
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Sep 28, 2008 
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All that’s left for the Yankees now is Mike Mussina’s quest for 20 wins. It could be the final game the Moose ever pitches.
The Sunday Baseball Beat looks at the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year races.
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Meanwhile, it’s raining at Fenway Park as I write this at 9:47 a.m. It could be a while before this season gets finished.
over/under, on how many times Manuel uses the term ‘gangsta’ the rest of the year?
The Red Sox are planning to let Dice-K pitch the first five innings of each game, so he can reach 20 wins for the first time in his long, illustrious career. Should make him a lock for the Hall of Fame.
If the Mets bullpen hadn’t blown about a half dozen games for a certain pitcher that should remain nameless, then this pitchers 200 K,s, league leading ERA and 20+ wins would have him at the forefront of the NL Cy Young Race.
And in the interest of not repeating yesterdays day long boring debate, his AL east #’s would have been 0- 20 with 17 K’s and an ERA of 7.35.
vinny-b -
Manuel is very difficult to listen to in his post-game interviews.
Anyone watch the “Shea Goodbye” special on SNY?
CC has been a good rent-an-ace I agree, but I’m still waiting for his arm to fall off. He’s pitching on 3-day rest today. If he goes 120 pitches again, I will say, again, no CC for us next season (unless it’s a short contract, fat chance). Give me AJ Burnett.
Gary Sheffield saying you dont take cheap shots???
That is classic coming from a guy who has made his career taking cheap shots at his team, his ownership, and the fans
doreen: how was it?
Loved the Sunday Baseball Beat, Pete. Great stuff.
“CC has been a good rent-an-ace I agree, but I’m still waiting for his arm to fall off. He’s pitching on 3-day rest today. If he goes 120 pitches again, I will say, again, no CC for us next season (unless it’s a short contract, fat chance). Give me AJ Burnett.”
ANd then you will be the one next year when Burnett is injuired WHY DIDNT WE GET CC STUPID CASHMAN
vinny-b -
Well, there are not a whole light of highlights in Shea’s history, you know? Though they have had them. So, instead of going chronologically, they kind of flipped around a lot. It felt a little disjointed and very stretched out. Shea Stadium is just not Yankee Stadium, but, the people who are Mets fans do have some good memories from there.
The funniest thing was the attention paid to the Home Run Apple. David Wright would like to take a piece of that from Shea. (He enjoyed watching it as a kid and said he still steals a peak at it whenever he hits an HR when he rounds 2d base.) IMO, David Wright is the best Met.
So, it was underwhelming. And as with most things NYY vs. NYM, a tier lower in scope.
Santana fastball is 88-91 tops even though he has the good change hes going to get hit hard in the AL East at least 3.5era shows how weak the NL East is
I think if the Yankees get CC, people are going to have to steel themselves for him to get off to a slow start, perhaps, just as he did this season. I don’t know if the Yankees will get him, not because they won’t go after him hard, but because who really knows what CC wants. I’m sure if the Yankees get him, they will not abuse him during the season with an eye toward keeping him strong down the stretch.
It’s just as important for the Yankees to have good pitchers following CC in the rotation AND a good bullpen to back him up, which I do think the Yankees will have.
Same with Burnett. If the Yankees get Burnett either in addition to or instead of CC, with a good bullpen they can keep a close watch on his innings and not over-extend him. There’s no way to absolutely prevent injuries, but you can take precautions. A solid bullpen and a few guys (3 at least) who can go min 6-7 innings every start will help.
If Pettitte comes back, will he be a 6-7 inning guy, or a 5-6 inning guy?
If I’m a Met fan headed over to Shea today, I’d be wearing a bota full of wine on my back, a flask full of whiskey in my pocket and a handful of Valium.
Over/Under on how many batters Ollie hits today?
Oliver Perez .2 inning 5 runs
after mets get elimited they celebrated while the fans booo Hard
As much as I would like to see the Brewers make the playoffs, given the more innings Sabathia would be pitching, if we happen to be lucky enough to get CC next year, it behooves us to root for the Mets to make the playoffs.
We should not be so quick to resign Pettitte. Once we see who we can sign from the FA starting pitching pool, then see if there is a need for Pettitte, as he clearly was ineffective pitching 200 innings this year.
doreen: thank you, for the word. If they re-run it sometime, may try to check it.
Hal Steinbrenner rather than brother Hank will see the new way of doing business in baseball and let go of his father’s methods.
Other teams have adapted new philosophy and the Yankees will be on board with it as of now.
From a Phillie blog earlier in the year, sound familiar?
“While it is impossible to deny that Bob Abreu has put up some impressive statistics, any true baseball fan can tell that these statistics do in fact lie. Abreu loves to pride him self on having a long streak of consecutive 20-20 seasons, if you watched him play with the Phillies it was obvious that he at times, was out there to get his statistics and just that.
During the last three years he was in Philadelphia he must have done this or something very similar at least twenty five times. He was able to bloat his numbers to All-Star caliber, on paper he appeared to be one of the best five tool guys in recent memory. In reality, Abreu is more of a three maybe four tool guy.
Alas the one thing that could not be stomached: his defense. The fact that he was awarded a Gold Glove in 2005 is a complete sham. A total disgrace. Never has this award been abused to this degree. Bobby played the field with the tenacity of Mother Teresa. A few outfield assists does not qualify you for the most prestigious defensive awards in baseball.
One of the best things about Abreu was watching him go back on a deep fly ball, only to see him shy away once the wall came into view. Since he was traded the Phillies have been playing a new brand of baseball. They are playing the game the way it should be played.
Trading Bobby Abreu ushered in a new era of Phillies baseball. With former veterans Jim Thome, Placido Polanco, Kevin Millwood, and Bobby Abreu gone players like Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels could step up and become the leaders of the team.
With these young guys leading the team a whole new attitude was adopted. A never say die attitude, this team was filled with scrappy talented players who were ready to fight for a win everyday. With this young core of blue collar guys the Phillies made the 2007 playoffs and look like they will make it again in 2008″.
Very interesting…a parallel analogy? A caveat? Deja Vu “all over again”? A voice in the wilderness? I think not…I could post quite bit more. In Baseball Prospectus 2008 at page 337, Bobby’s “defensive prowess” is summarized with the statement “As a defender, he goes back on the ball with all the enthusiasm of a roman convict being herded toward the Lion’s den.”
There actually is much more along the same path. A plethora of Sabermetrics numbers as to his defense is absolutely chilling (previously posted by another a few days back) and should frighten off any GM who would consider him for other than a DH, which, by the way, is precisely where Baseball Prospectus suggests he be following this season, but as a “Platoon DH”.
Let’s move on with a re-vitalized attitude and fresh approach in 09!!
Pete, you think Dice-K will beat Roy in Cy Young votes? I’m surprised.