It’s 10 p.m. Do you know who your GM is?
-
- September
- 29
Still no word from the mountaintop bunker where Brian Cashman is hiding out to contemplate his future.
Some people think he’s gonzo, others think he won’t be able to leave the only team he has ever known, especially after a down season.
I think this is a legit 50-50 and in the end he will stay. But if Hank Steinbrenner can’t be muzzled, Cashman could walk. It’s not like he needs the money at this point. He needs to be able to do his job without interference.
Meanwhile … Hideki Matsui said he doesn’t think his knee would be ready in time to allow him to play in the WBC. The Yankees also will do everything they can to keep Chien-Ming Wang out of the tournament as he recovers. The only WBC players might be A-Rod, Jeter and Damon. … Jose Molina is getting laser eye surgery. … Kevin Long is headed down to the Dominican on Nov. 15 to continue his work with Robbie Cano. His new stance seemed to click the last two weeks.
Heard a great story today. After the rookies dressed up in their Village People outfits on Saturday and went back to the hotel, Jason Giambi invited them all to the hotel bar. After a few drinks, he paid for a bus to take all the rookies, a few other players, some staff members, assorted friends and a security guard to the Capital Grille for dinner. The Big G hosted a dinner for about 25 people, including the bus driver who he insisted join the group. He paid for the whole thing and dropped a huge tip on the wait staff.
On the way back to the hotel, Jason told the kids that he wished them a long and happy career and to always watch out for the rookies on their team.
Giambi told the other players he didn’t want any publicity for what he did. Tough break, Jason. People should know you’re a good dude.
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on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 10:00 pm by Peter Abraham.
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NOOOOOOOOOOO, The Big G better be back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a feeling we’ll be hearing news on Cashman later on tonight, or in the wee hours of the morning.
BTW Pete, sick title on the post. I love that title
This is why I love Jason Giambi. A man of good morals. What he did for all those people is a great way for him to end his legacy as a Yankee.
Jason does sound like a genuinely good dude.
Wherever he plays next, even if it’s Boston, I wish him well.
I’m all for Cashman taking as long as he needs to decide if he wants to return or not. I’d say he’d have to be crazy to return, but he’s been at this over ten years. The time for crazy has passed.
i have a feeling we have not seen the last of the big G…which may or may not be a good thing…gosh isnt 1st base the most confusing spot this offseason…if giambi is gone what do they do…man it pains me
Head for the Hills Brian, this ship is a sinking and YOU don’t want to be the last rat off of it! Follow Mussina’s lead!!!
Big G did the same thing last year. Took the rookies out to a fantastic dinner in Tampa. He is just “flat out” a good guy. Some clubhouse will appreciate him next year.
Thanks for the 7 years Giambino youm had your ups and downs but you will always be a great guy.
Cahman is just making the Steinbrothers sweat a little. They make his job a PITA for sure, but I’m sure they will reward him with a hefty raise. Cash will stay to see his vision through. Besides, going anywhere else after the Yankees will feel like a step backward.
I always liked Giambi, and still do. I really wish he had a championship to show for his efforts. No doubt he can still be a force, but it’s with a heavy heart I say that he must be let go.
Thanks for all the insight about Giambino, it’s really cool that you let us know those types of stories. Good Luck Giambino!
Hey Pete, just an idea, how about an in game boxscore on the game threads next year.
I also think registration is needed, especially with that clown last night posing as Rebecca, nobody should have to endure that type of humiliation.
Rebecca has thick skin, but still.
the big g breaks my heart
but even the biggest giambi haters know that if the yanks cant get anyone who can put up the same numbers (rbi’s and homers) or even more than the big g might just be back for one more year
jeez i dont want to be on this blof if/when that day comes, the bloggers here just might explode with anger lol
Yeah big G sounds like a great teammate unfortunately he isn’t worth 22 million anymore. I just hope Cash gets serious and REALLY tries to land CC enough is enough. Putting all the pressure on Wang to be an Ace coming off of serious injury is dangerous and not practical.
You mean that wasn’t Rebecca? I thought maybe she just had a little too much to drink after the Yankee’s last game.
J/K
“I also think registration is needed, especially with that clown last night posing as Rebecca, nobody should have to endure that type of humiliation.”
We should do registration and then Pete can arrange activities once a year or something where maybe all the LoHud posters could hang out and catch a game.
Folks, for the money the Yankees paid Giambi this year (and last year, and the year before that….), he could take us all out to dinner and still drop a nice tip on the staff. That may or may not make him a great guy, but, Rebecca is right (in her very polite way).
did someone just refer to a man who admitted to cheating and contributing to the destruction of the integrity of the game a “man of good morals”?
That Jason Giambi is a nice guy. That was very cool of him.
But if Hank Steinbrenner can’t be muzzled, Cashman could walk.
Again, I think we all need to chip in a buy Hank a muzzle for Christmas. Money is a little tight right now, but I am willing to donate money for this cause.
a reader,
hey people make mistakes and that doesnt make them a bad person, at least he admitted to it
Giambi sounds like a great guy, but he’s just not a guy you want on a contending team. He can’t make adjustments (how many groundouts into the shift did he hit into during his tenure here? You’d need an adding machine to figure that out) and, frankly, except for a good month and half or so, he was pretty awful. I wish him the best of luck, though. The advice he gave to the kids to always watch out for the rookies is heartfelt and wonderful advice…...he sounds like a big teddy bear.
The Big G is awesome, just awesome. I wish the guy could field
Some thoughts on a Monday night without baseball (Yankee baseball, that is):
1. By every logical measure, Brian Cashman will re-up for another three year term, with a big raise (50%?). That kind of money would get my attention. Having said that, who, besides Mrs. Cashman, really knows?
2. By every measure, Jason Giambi appears to be a genuinely good person. He may be a little wild, and he may have done something he shouldn’t have. But he did own up to you-know-what, in his own way, which is a lot more than many did. We know the facts of professional sports life here, and I think Jason needs to move on as the Yanks “go in a different direction.” But you can still miss someone, and many of us will miss having The Big G, and miss Pete’s anecdotes about him. Good luck, Jason.
I really hope Cashman stays with the Yanks. He is the Mariano of GM’s.
That was very sweet of Jason.
I bet there’s a lot of things like that going on behind the scenes. It’s really too bad people don’t know about it.
RSM: If only. But I had class today and kind of had to be sober for that.
However, it is the new year, so if I wanted I could go fill myself with Manischewitz!
I respect the fact that Giambi was honest and seemed sincerely sorry. Until Pettitte, nobody else handled the situation with class.
If Torre didn’t forget how to manage in 2003 or MO got 3 outs in 2004, Giambi would have a ring.
Enough with this ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ player crap. It is totally subjective and based on luck.
Can we bring Giambi back in some capacity? Maybe as the bench coach or 3B coach or something?
Forntoso: Probably in the future, but right now Jason still wants to play.
Al-
A LoHud get together is in the works. There was a pseudo one at a Scranton game earlier in the season.
After he signed with the Yanks, there was a tribute dinner for Long Beach State Coach Snow….Had to be at least 40 people at this dinner….In walks The Giambino, feeling highly spirited, cracks a few not so clean jokes and not only presents a 6 figure check to Coach Snow, but also picks up the tab for all in attendence…...
James 3D
i completely agree with you
Is the season really over, or is today just an “off” day?
“I really hope Cashman stays with the Yanks. He is the Mariano of GM’s.”
Huh? What exactly has Cashman done that was so great. He traded Soriano for A-rod and signed Moose thats like the only 2 good things hes done. his list of failures dwarfs his list of success. I’ll just drop a few names, Pavano, Tony Womack, Kei Igawa and I’m not even including the trades Big Unit, Kenny Lofton ohh boy I could do more but I wont.
it feels like an off day, it so weird i don’t believe they are done
if we are feeling this way imagine what jeter and the other players are feeling?
Why couldn’t Jason be an up and coming rookie with us? Having a guy like him on the team is great. It makes you wonder how the Yankees looked so lackadaisical at times, with personalities like Giambi, Damon, a leader like Jeter, etc…
Maybe the Big G should be the GM is Cashman doesn’t come back?
Brian will walk. The “advisory comitte” rant was the straw that broke the camels back. He doesn’t want to have to deal with pushing out the brush fires from Hank and don’t think he and his family aren’t embarrassed the way Hank refers to him in the media. So even if he isin’t directly overruling Brian he is making his life and job tough.
Brian’s hair is turning gray and he loves NY but he loves his wife more and doesn’t want to see him go through this high stress job with that idiot Hank.
The Mariano of GMs?
LMAO
More like the Luis Ayala
“Maybe the Big G should be the GM is Cashman doesn’t come back?”
Might not bring a championship, but would be interesting. Who’d care about the junk food ban if there were strippers in the clubhouse after the game??
A-Rod could learn a thing or two about life from Big G. While all this was going on, A-Rod was probably at a Five-Star Hotel far away from his teammates with Madonna.
What a play by Falco
Steelers look dreadful
Al from BK, you’re out of your mind.
He signed Pavano as a healthy player who he thought was a guarantee for 15 wins. The only thing that stopped him from doing so was his injuries. You can’t blame that on Cashman.
Also, the Big Unit, everyone thought it was a great move at first. Look at his previous seasons before that, he was absolutely great. With the Yankees, he was terrible. How could Cashman expect that to happen? If Cashman was such a bad GM, we would still have him in our rotation.
Kei Igawa is the only guy I’d admit. That was an absolutely terrible move to make. But other than that, I believe he’s going in the right direction with trying to stick with our young talent.
“A-Rod could learn a thing or two about life from Big G”
That’s a VERY good point.
Buddy: I was at the scranton game, it was great.
I didn’t actually pay attention to the Scranton game but instead went around saying hi to everyone and sticking my nose into everyone else’s business
Ron did an amazing job putting it together, even got Dave Miley to stop by for a little bit before the game. He was actually in uniform when he did…
See here
Actually, my flash went off accidentally when I took it and I felt horrible!
i really wish giambi could have won his ring. he deserves it as much as any of them
and i bet he would be a better gm than cashman
Anyone see the Raiders attempt a 76 yard FG yesterday before half-time?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3hDrGiXXZA
“Al from BK, you’re out of your mind.
He signed Pavano as a healthy player who he thought was a guarantee for 15 wins. The only thing that stopped him from doing so was his injuries. You can’t blame that on Cashman.
Also, the Big Unit, everyone thought it was a great move at first. Look at his previous seasons before that, he was absolutely great. With the Yankees, he was terrible. How could Cashman expect that to happen? If Cashman was such a bad GM, we would still have him in our rotation.
Kei Igawa is the only guy I’d admit. That was an absolutely terrible move to make. But other than that, I believe he’s going in the right direction with trying to stick with our young talent.”
I know what you’re saying man I just went off a little bit sorry. I was obviously for the Pavano and Unit deals but in hindsight they were awful and Igawa was just a reaction move to Boston getting Dice K. In my opinion Cash has done a moderate job at best not a “mariano-esque” job. He however can redeem all this by procuring CC.
“Actually, my flash went off accidentally when I took it and I felt horrible!”
Rebecca, you really are just TOO nice. It’s disgusting! Sure you’re not a Cardinal fan?
If Cashman walks, it is because Seattle has a brighter future than us.
They have a 1-2-3 or Hernandez-Morrow-Bedard and the #1 pick in the draft—that Stratsburg kid who is considered the next Joba.
I said it before and i’ll say it again Big G needs to take up the Strawberry bench role for the next year or two. Pay him 6m per and if wants to be a Yankee so bad let him be on the team that way. If the money is the most important thing in the world to a multi millionaire (which wouldnt surprise me) than he has to walk.
Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since I’ve heard him, but good lord. Mad Dog Russo extra looney talking about the Mets. lol
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26943643#26943643
Good for Giambi. One of my friends has met him a few times down in Tampa, and she said that he seemed like a good guy – this just enforces that.
Steelers look bad
The only reason Cashman is coming back is because there is nobody better. If Billy Beane, Josh Byrnes, Doug Melvin, Theo Epstein, Bill Stoneman (Angels), Walt Jocketty, Dave Dombrowski etc. were om the market Cashman wouldn’t even be in the picture. He is coming back due to lack of options, remember that.
RSM: What?! I felt bad for probably blinding him!
And there’s no way I’d be a Cardinals fan. I’m scared crapless of tornadoes, which means, barring major extenuating circumstances, I will never set foot between the appalachians and the rockies in the summer months.
No, seriously. I am that scared of thunderstorms.
“If Cashman walks, it is because Seattle has a brighter future than us.
They have a 1-2-3 or Hernandez-Morrow-Bedard and the #1 pick in the draft– that Stratsburg kid who is considered the next Joba.”
Seattle having a bright future? That is all hear-say at this point everyone thought they were going to win 100 games this year and sweep the postseason. Also Bedard is injured more than Ben Sheets no way he can be written into any teams “future” the guy doesn’t even enjoy the game according to many reports.
Getting C.C. is not the end all of our problems. C.C. would be a huge move. Having him, Wang, and Joba on the top of the rotation is scary for the other team I believe. Also having possibly Pettitte, and hopefully a better hughes in the bottom, is also great. However, we are missing a bonafide set up man. And our hitting was also a problem this year, and that’s a little tougher to fix because we have great hitters, but they just weren’t hitting in sync.
Giambi’s chances of staying would be greater if he’d shown he could primarily DH and still be productive.
i never want to see him butcher 1B as a Yankee again. however, i would like him as a DH – he’s still powerful, patient – an exciting AB.
5-2 after the Jets crush the Rams, Bengals, and Raiders?
All 3 of those teams could have fired their coaches by then too. STL already did, Kiffen is next, Lewis not far behind. Calvin Pace will do Raiders and Bengals fans a favor by ending their coaching careers by dominating their team’s O-Line.
Next time you complain about ticket prices, think of the $120 million the Yankees gave the Big G, which he earned by being a fraud. And he never owned up to anything. he never said the word steroids, we only have the leaked grand jury testimony as an admission. and pettitte handled his PED mess with class? Um, he has already lied about how many times he used. why do you believe he came clean? I think he was on it from the time Clemens and McNamee got here. Sorry, no benefit of the doubt just because he won the world series here.
Maybe C-Money is conferring with his rabbi.
Happy New Year, boys and goys!
Nice Rebecca, that’s pretty cool. Networking is part of the game. I live too far, but would have gone in a heartbeat.
I’m going to get flamed for this, but—-
I would not want Billy Beane as my GM.
The moneyball thing is great, except for a couple things:
Beane is so into that, so unwilling to dip into the money bag on occasion, that he NEVER takes that one big step to win it all. He got close in 2006, sure, but most of the time, Oakland is not a contender or eliminated in the ALDS.
The Yankees don’t have to worry about saving money (though with this economy that might changee), so they don’t need to take a small market approach—and, of course, with Alex’s contract, they can’t.
He’s a good fit for Oakland, but I would not want him managing the Yankees.
How many GMs have a vigil being held for their decision to return to a team or not?
Whether it be signing players, the manager or in this case the GM, everything Yankee seems to involve a level of drama.
Kim Jones knows more about sports than Chris Russo.
“RSM: What?! I felt bad for probably blinding him!
And there’s no way I’d be a Cardinals fan. I’m scared crapless of tornadoes, which means, barring major extenuating circumstances, I will never set foot between the appalachians and the rockies in the summer months.
No, seriously. I am that scared of thunderstorms.”
Thats interesting Becca I was afraid of storms and tornadoes ever since I was a kid I couldn’t even be outside during a storm it was that bad. Then last year while visiting family out in the midwest I encountered a tornado while driving with my cousin into town. The tornado literally cut across the road right in front of me and then I had to do 80 to get away from it. Ever since then I’ve been over it however it took a near death experience to do so.
They have a 1-2-3 or Hernandez-Morrow-Bedard and the #1 pick in the draft– that Stratsburg kid who is considered the next Joba.
No, the Nationals have the #1 pick.
And if he thinks working for the Steinbrenners is bad, from everything I’ve heard and read the Seattle ownership is no walk in the park.
If Cashman walks, it is because Seattle has a brighter future than us.
I’m saying Seattle because people will easily forget about them so it makes me sound smart.
They have a 1-2-3 or Hernandez-Morrow-Bedard and the #1 pick in the draft– that Stratsburg kid who is considered the next Joba.
See now I throw Stratsburg’s name in the pile and completely forgot that there is no chance in hell that Washington passes him up especially when they can pair him w/ Crow in the future.
How many GMs have a vigil being held for their decision to return to a team or not?
Whether it be signing players, the manager or in this case the GM, everything Yankee seems to involve a level of drama.
At least he won’t be sneaking out of the Stadium in a gorilla suit.
Rebecca,
You should try a Cardinals game sometime. The fans are so nice it’s nauseating. Really comical in a perverse way.
Philly is the opposite extreme. Think of sarcastic Yankee fans, but with half as much IQ and with twice as much beer.
Brandon: Someone should pay you for your translation efforts!
Poll:
Which was the best event from yesterday?
A. Mussina winning 20
B. Beating up Papelbon in the rain and then watching how ticked off he got.
C. Watching the Mets complete their 2nd consecutive collapse.
RSM: I’ve been to enough Devils/Flyers games to know what Philly fans are like…
Jesus Pete.. did Giambi save your sister’s life or something 20 years ago?
Enough already with the Giambi is such a great guy anecdotes. We get it, there’s a MLBer who gives reporters the time of day.
And I would hope the guy picks up the tab considering he cheated his way into a $120 million deal. I like Giambi if I want to hit up a party, but he’s still a cheater who never admitted to actually doing the juice and an unbelievably stubborn hitter who tried to pull everything his entire career in NY.
I think I speak for a lot of die hard yankee fans who have heard enough about Giambi being a saint. If A-Rod or gasp Girardi did anything positive we’d need a microscope to reveal it – cause we know that twosome has rubbed you as much the wrong way as Giambino has the right way.
Rebecca, I’ll do it for it free on this blog.
Wash didn’t sign Aaron Crow FYI and Crow was very ticked off about it and told them not to draft him next year.
We need to sign some more vets/paychecks
Brandon: Bueno. No tengo dinero para te pagar!
C. Watching the Mets complete their 2nd consecutive collapse.
I choose this because Johan smirks/scoff Santana wasn’t enough.
I don’t give a damn. Just get me a championship, be that with a team of A-holes and Barry bonds.
dellawanan-
You ain’t speaking for me, but thanks anyway.
D. All of the above.
“Poll:
Which was the best event from yesterday?
A. Mussina winning 20
B. Beating up Papelbon in the rain and then watching how ticked off he got.
C. Watching the Mets complete their 2nd consecutive collapse.”
Can I pick all of the above
Wash didn’t sign Aaron Crow FYI and Crow was very ticked off about it and told them not to draft him next year.
Well that’s even more of a reason they will draft Strats.
I couldn’t help but notice, during what most likely was Giambi’s final at bat as a Yankee, the Boston “faithful” chanting into the rain, “Ste-roids, ste-roids, ste-roids.” The moment, for me, was somewhat surreal. As I stared at the screen, watching the hulking mass that is the Giambino, I remembered.
I remembered 2001, when Giambi seemed to stomp all over the Yankees during the ALDS, and when it was all over, King George demanding the big guy be fitted for pinstripes.
I remembered when he hit his walk-off grand slam, with the rain pouring down around the “old” Yankee Stadium, where for but a few moments, Giambi became the Sultan of Swat. Who can forget the bat wiggle, the botched plays, the sky shots? Who will ever forget the long singles, the awkward slides, and the intimidating grimace mustered only for the opposing pitcher? What about the intestinal bug, the benign tumor, and the 14 home runs? Only those fans most blinded by optimism believed Jason when he told a concerned Joe Torre, “My swing is almost there,” when he refused an assignment to the minors. Donnie Baseball believed him, and Jason believed in himself. And it paid off. “I’m sorry for using that stuff.” Who believed him? At $20 million a year, would any of us have been sorry?
The thing about Jason, though, is that you know he meant it. Giambi has always wanted, and needed, acceptance, always strived for perfection, for achievement of that next great event. Rest assured, he was never hungry for attention. His best work usually came off the field – his unending charity work, his relentless dedication to fans and children everywhere. He’s built hospitals, paid for dinners, and given us all something to aspire to. Because what is baseball really about? What is it that brings us all back, night after night? For Peter, it’s the thrill of the story. For many of us, it’s the symbolic reflection of our own redemption. It’s adoring the heroes, and feeling the pain of failure. It’s recognizing the persistence and power of the human spirit, and the feeling of connection and acceptance that comes with being a fan of the greatest sports franchise in history. It’s respect for tradition, and a love for what is as yet unwritten. It’s the human story of triumph and disappointment that for the last 7 years Jason Giambi has embodied to the fullest. God help me, I was not blessed with any ability to write. But if he could ever read this, Jason should know that history will only remember in passing his failures, his steroids, and his lead feet. As Peter has once said, “He may be a big cheater, but he’s our big cheater and we love him for it.” Jason, know that in the hearts of many, you will always be remembered as a Yankee. What more could you ever ask for? Thanks for everything.
B
I enjoyed Papelbon’s reaction. I loved even more how Francona let him continue to get shelled in the rain. Also loved how ticked off he was for such a meaningless game.
Twins/White Sox tomorrow.
I’m rooting for the Twins.
Just so I can point out repeatedly to Mets fans the irony of them missing the playoffs with Santana and the Twins making it without him.
“Poll:
A. Mussina winning 20
B. Beating up Papelbon in the rain and then watching how ticked off he got.
C. Watching the Mets complete their 2nd consecutive collapse.â€
A. Definitely A.
Yeah, what Chris said.
Does everyone think Bill Madden will just forget about what he wrote when Austin Jackson is the Yanks starting cf. I love that he never brought up how he killed the Rays owners, and Joe Madden during spring training, and now the Rays won the AL East.
I know I am late to the party on this, but does anyone really think Bill Madden every saw Jackson play, or before writing this garbage he logged onto milb.com, and seached Jackson to get his stats.
Bravo Chris, great piece of writing, I tend to agree with everything you wrote.
“Which was the best event from yesterday?
A. Mussina winning 20
B. Beating up Papelbon in the rain and then watching how ticked off he got.
C. Watching the Mets complete their 2nd consecutive collapse.?———————————
A
There will be many more Mets collapses in the future and many more nights where we will tick off Papelbon and score off him. However, Mussina will never win 20 games again and watching him do it was special. He deserves it.
Chris: Send that to Jason.
There were times Giambi infuriated me and times I wanted him off the team.
But everytime, I found myself still liking the guy.
In a sport filled with phonies and premadonnas, he always seemed like the closet thing there was to a “real” guy in the game.
G’s a good guy. Best of luck to him with his new team.
I’ll aways thank to the Big-G for those HUGE hr’s off pedro, game 7, alcs. amazing
“I enjoyed Papelbon’s reaction. I loved even more how Francona let him continue to get shelled in the rain. Also loved how ticked off he was for such a meaningless game.”
Papelbon showed himself for what he truly is in that game, a big, overrated crybaby with only one good pitch and 0 respect for the game.
Now that Madden has lost all of his connections to Steinbrenner, he has a vendetta against the Yankees.
Notice the Daily News NEVER has any interviews with Hank or gets quotes from Hank? The Star Ledger, Newsday, and Post all get in touch with Hank and the Daily News is nowhere to be found.
Guys.
I think I need help.
I just wondered why there was an add for the baseball postseason…on a baseball blog.
Atleast you can respect guys like Pedroia, Youkallis, Lowell, Lester, Ortiz etc. they play the game the right way and are respectful. I have no respect for that clown Papelbon.
Chris, wow, nice piece of writing. Sounds like you really love the guy.
Still, didn’t knowing how much he was getting paid, and how much he wasn’t going to make some kind of adjustment to go the other way, lay down a bunt, etc.. even when the opposing team all but dared him to do it, in big games that might have meant a few more additional wins- didn’t that infuriate you? To me that is stubborn and selfish, even though I like the guy.
btw – someone mentioned there was some kind of Mets – daily news connection? What was that again?
Cash Daddy: Okay, Teddy. Lights out.
Teddy: No, daddy. One more book, please?
Cash Daddy: Sorry, son. I have a lot to do.
Teddy: Whatch gotta do?
Cash Daddy: Well, I have to make a big decision. Want to help?
Teddy: Yes!
Cash Daddy: Well, I have decide if we’re going to stay here or move. How do you feel about going all the across the country to Seattle?
Teddy: NO! Those people are mean. They want to beat up their own friends.
Cash Daddy: (chuckle) Well, how about right down the road to Washington, DC?
Teddy: NO! The people there are always fighting. Dem’rats always fighting the Pelicans. Can we live in the big white house? Are you going to be President, daddy?
Cash Daddy: (chuckle) No, Teddy. I want to stay in baseball.
Teddy: Well, why don’t you stay with the Yankees? I like it here.
Cash Daddy: Well, Teddy. Maybe I want to build a team. Build a contender.
Teddy: You can do that here. We finished third. Third place is for losers. You gotta stay and make the team super, duper good. Number one again.
Cash Daddy: Okay, Teddy. I’ll think about it. You want anything? A glass of water?
Teddy: No. Just get CC. The really smart people on that blog say give him a blank check.
Cash Daddy: That’s it. I made my decision. We’re moving.
peter, on this year’s winter meetings being held in Las Vegas:
“That’s where the Big G roams in the off-season. Some unsuspecting MLB general manager is going to wake up with hangover and a new first baseman for the next 3 years.”
line of the year. It had to be repeated.
The Daily News is the flagship paper of SNY. Thats why they have the “Daily News Live” show there every day.
Harper and Madden kill the Yankees yet they are the biggest Mets apologists in the media, even more than Lupica. Bob Raissman kills the Yankees and YES every chance he gets but not a word about SNY because they are his employer. Those 3 guys are always on the show.
Daily News Live is the show on SNY. A 30 minute Yankee bashing fest every weekday. Clowns galore.
My favorite moment was Joba shutting down the sox in boston against Beckett.
Jonnycat –
I completely agree with you. But like I said, it’s all about the human story. I really did not ever think about how much I liked Jason as a Yankee, how much I appreciated his presence on the Yankees, before tonight when I read Peter’s last post. I knew how great of a teammate and guy he has always been, but that last post, coupled with an impending sense of loss, caused me to look back and reflect. Yes, I was infuriated more than my fair share. Yes, I screamed at the TV, “LAY DOWN THE BUNT – THERE’S NO THIRD BASEMAN!!.” And yes, I always knew how much he was getting paid.
But I ask the question again – why do we watch baseball? Why do we really watch it? To see our team win every night. I can assure you, a 162-0 season would be a terrible one. Because the wins mean nothing without the losses. Today’s games means nothing without the steroid-tinted days of the dark ages. Giambi was guaranteed every cent of his contract – every 20 mil on the year. He could have ignored everyone, every day he sat in Pinstripes. But he did not. He befriended the beat writers, the staff, the security, the rookies, the fans, the passersby, and everyone else on The Strip. He apologized, like a man should. He went out every day, and did what was best for the team – or at least what he felt was the best. I don’t want to belabor the point, but there is something to be said for a throwback player – one who respects the fans, who respects life, who respects the game, and above all else, respects the Pinstripes.
If the Marlins are having a firesale, try and nab Miguel Cabrera for cheap
“Daily News Live is the show on SNY. A 30 minute Yankee bashing fest every weekday. Clowns galore.”
The best is when they bring on guys like Joe Benigno who has an IQ of 70 and a sports IQ of 60.
absolutely terrific chris – i think u are more of a writer than you give yourself credit for. I have always liked Giambi – even thru the rough times, I thought eventually he would pull through. Unlike Pavano who was doomed from the start.
As for cash, I hope he goes to Philadelphia and continues his tradition of signing free agent pitching failures. It is time to move on – for me, cash has had his shot. I dunno why people think he is here to fix a mess when in reality, he is partially responsible for creating the mess. We need more than one head making these types of decision and cash will not allow it. Its his way or the highway and I say, let him hit the road. Ive had enough of his failures and Im even more tired of people trying to make cashman seem like he can be the savior for a time that he is responsible for creating in the first place.
Pete.. did Giambi save your sister’s life or something 20 years ago?
Enough already with the Giambi is such a great guy anecdotes. We get it, there’s a MLBer who gives reporters the time of day.
And I would hope the guy picks up the tab considering he cheated his way into a $120 million deal. I like Giambi if I want to hit up a party, but he’s still a cheater who never admitted to actually doing the juice and an unbelievably stubborn hitter who tried to pull everything his entire career in NY.
I think I speak for a lot of die hard yankee fans who have heard enough about Giambi being a saint. If A-Rod or gasp Girardi did anything positive we’d need a microscope to reveal it – cause we know that twosome has rubbed you as much the wrong way as Giambino has the right way.
I could not have said this better … Pete’s Giambi-love is ridiculous … does Pete forget that a short while before the grand jury testimony Giambi told Yankee fans he never did steroids … I guess not … why bring up the fact that he lied to the fans and only told the truth because he was afraid to lie under oath … yikes … what a champ … NOT!
mel: That’s hysterical.
Steve, you’re one year too late.
That was one of the finer posting in the 2 years I’ve been hanging out here…..Great piece CHRIS…....
“I could not have said this better … Pete’s Giambi-love is ridiculous … does Pete forget that a short while before the grand jury testimony Giambi told Yankee fans he never did steroids … I guess not … why bring up the fact that he lied to the fans and only told the truth because he was afraid to lie under oath … yikes … what a champ … NOT!”
don’t care for Giambi as a player either. However, it is peter’s blog. Shouldn’t he have a right to have a favorite player/person on the team? This isn’t him complaining of injury reports etc. Don’t turn something postive, into a negative.
Joe Torre would like to be at the stadium for the November ceremony. From USA Today:
“Torre, who got a congratulatory call from Cashman the day the Dodgers clinched the NL West title, will be back in New York after the World Series. He and Ali are hosting a reunion of the 1998 World Series championship team at their Safe at Home Foundation dinner Nov. 7. The Yankees plan to have a final ceremony two days later at the Stadium.
“I would like to go,” says Torre, who plans to get a couple of seats from the stadium. “It would be nice to say good-bye.”
Top 5 games from 2008
1. Joba outdueling Beckett 1-0 in Fenway
2. 14-9 game against the Angels
3. Gardner walkoff against Papelbon
4. Damon 6 hit Royals game
5. Giambi walkoff HR against Toronto
Rebecca, thanks. I love Cashman’s ‘Teddy’ stories.
Steve is kidding right?
Pete, you going to follow Big G to his new team?
How much trouble am I getting in if I crash that party?
Top 5 games from 2008
1. Joba outdueling Beckett 1-0 in Fenway
2. 14-9 game against the Angels
3. Gardner walkoff against Papelbon
4. Damon 6 hit Royals game
5. Giambi walkoff HR against Toronto
I’d add the Final Game. I know at the time it was realistically a meaningless game, but it’s something I’ll remember forever.
Torre deserves to be honored. Best manager in Yankees history, class act all around, should have never been let go in the first place.
We play in Miami and in Atlanta next year in interleague play.
It sounds like Giambi is gone. I like Giambi and I respect him. He’s a great guy from what I hear, but I think the yanks will be better with someone else at 1B.
Flacco and the Ravens tie it up.
good game.
Rebecca
If you have a spare $3500 laying around, you can buy a ticket and go legit.
Dave D: For real? Do we get a throwback to the 96 and 99 World Series?
Maybe have Girardi do a little hitting and Wohlers (sp) a little pitching?
Chris that was very nice. I have to admit, for the longest time I was extrmemely critical and down on Giambi- mostly because of the steroid use. Theres a point in your life where you have to realize though that everyone makes mistakes. He owned up to his and apoligized. Theres a point where you have to forgive and move on. This was an era where many players made the same choices that Jason made- however his choice was one of the few that were made extrememly public.
Giambi is a guy that made millions of dollars, but never seemed to let it get to him. He is the life of the party and just wants to have a good time. His presence I know will be missed if he does leave. Him and Damon both are so fan friendly and in a day where players of that magnitiude are selfish and he is someone I will miss.
It’s a shame Giambi’s legacy is tainted by the steroid era and his “mistakes” barring that issue he seems like a great teammate and a really good guy in general. Kind of makes you wish people outside of these blogs would know these things before judging people.
I’m ready to move on to the post-giambi era but I don’t have any bad feelings for the guy.
This is a great Monday night game
What do you guys think about trading Cano to Atlanta for Jair Jurrjens? I think its a pretty fair trade value wise.
Or Maybe Cano for Kotchman? I would love to get both but we’d have to give more. Cano and Hughes for both. Im still pushing it. Just interesting. Cano has a very reasonable contract which should add to his value.
Cano and Hughes for Jurrjens and Kotchman.
What do you guys think about trading Cano to Atlanta for Jair Jurrjens? I think its a pretty fair trade value wise.
Or Maybe Cano for Kotchman? I would love to get both but we’d have to give more. Cano and Hughes for both. Im still pushing it. Just interesting. Cano has a very reasonable contract which should add to his value.
Cano and Hughes for Jurrjens and Kotchman.
AZ four. It was great until Pitt blew it. I need them to win by 6. They’ll likely kick a field goal though.
Do you guys remember that time when Giambi was in Beirut and he rescued 37 children trapped in a front line hospital by brokering a temporary cease-fire between the Israeli army and Palestinian guerrillas?
Oh wait that was Mother Teresa.
One guy on this thread has Giambi “building hospitals”. What? You’re kidding right?
Giambi’s a good guy that makes people laugh and often picks up the check. Regular joes do that all the time but because he’s a pro ball player it’s something special?
Saint Giambi had 2 more hits than strikeouts this season. His contract was one of the worst in MLB history.
Now I like the guy and if I saw him in the street I’d smile and shake his hand. He hit 2 big dingers in the “Aaron Boone” game and many forget this. But now it’s time to move on and frankly for the sake of our beloved team, good riddance.
Cano and Hughes for Jurjens and Kotchman?
I would seriously consider that. Don’t want to give up Cano though. Don’t mind giving up Hughes tho, I might do Hughes straight up for Kotchman.
I don’t sell Hughes at all right now. Much too young to sell on him.
Cano for Jurjens and Kotchman? That you could talk me into, and I’m hard to talk into deals.
No way I do Cano AND Hughes for Jurrjens and Kotchman. I’d do Hughes for Kotchman and Jurrjens, not Cano. They can have Kennedy too if they want.
Trading the future 20 game winner Hughes would be a critical mistake…Pitchers like that come by very seldom….He’s a keeper guys, when is that going to sink in….
Umm, Clint, are you out of your mind? If your a Braves fan, obviously you would consider that. If your a Yankees fan, why the hell would you even think of that?!?!?!?!? Hughes will be MUCH better than Jair, and Cano, if his mind is always on baseball, is an MVP award waiting to happen. Cano, again if his mind is always on baseball, has the potential to be the best 2nd baseman ever in the majors, when all is said and done. I wouldnt do Hughes straight up for Kotchman. Kotchman is good, but when it comes down to it, who would you rather have, The Big G or Kotchman? I think its clear that Big G is the better option, dont you?
Excuse me, I just have one question. Can Kotchman or Teixeira make a throw to second or toss a ball in a rundown? That’s all I need to know.
“don’t care for Giambi as a player either. However, it is peter’s blog. Shouldn’t he have a right to have a favorite player/person on the team? This isn’t him complaining of injury reports etc. Don’t turn something postive, into a negative.”
Far be it from me to turn a positive into a negative … but I don’t see Pete complaining about injury reports as a negative … however, if you look at the entire page today of the blog it’s a Giambi lovefest … I thought we are allowed to post our comments here about the blog … I simply grew tired of the lovefest today … and I figured I could post my opinion like everyone else.
That Giambi only had 2 more hits than strikeouts is a very telling fact. Even moreso, he only had 10 more hits than Melky. Yikes!
For the abreu crowd, he also led the team in hits this year…
I don’t mean to pick an open wound but this beauty is from the hospital building guy.
“I can assure you, a 162-0 season would be a terrible one. Because the wins mean nothing without the losses. Today’s games means nothing without the steroid-tinted days of the dark ages”
Just how big is that bong you’re smoking?
Gotta say, though. Giambi could pick it out of the dirt pretty good.
Many of you who say giambi never admitted to steroids forget about the Mitchell report
GGTM: it’s all good.
Thanks vinney – b.! (smile)
Kotchman is great defensively from my viewpoint. Hughes has really shown that he will be better than Jurrjens. Jurrjens is 22 and 3 times as many wins as Hughes does and Im willing to bet he doesnt have a severe an injury history as Hughes. The guy started 31 games last year.
I also dont understand why people are unwilling to trade Cano. You dont need allstars at each position. You could get a 23 year old starter and a 25 year old defensive rock at first base. Kotchman has a serviceable bat too. I think this is a fair trade for both sides.
I’m not saying Giambi’s a saint, just that he comes across as real.
So when are they retiring Jason’s #? What is his number?
Giambi is the Anti-Arod
How is a 36 year old pilon of a 1st baseman with a .250 batting average a better fit than a guy who had 2 errors in 141 games? On top of that he can hit well. This exactly the kind of move that could change the mood in the clubhouse. After that you go out and sign Orlando Hudson and you have by far and away the best infield defense in baseball. With Gardner in center you have a rock solid up the middle defense.
I hear 45 is going to be retired also
Sounds like Giambi’s a good guy. However, don’t we usually talk about how great a player’s unmeasurable “intangibles” are when their “tangibles” just don’t measure up?
Giambi is such a great guy.
I wish we had guys with as much heart as him.
#45?
for who? Cecil Fielder or Rudy May?
Why not just bring back Giambi for the bench? He could be our Strawberry
Spare me the Cashman drama. It’s the best job in baseball and a lot of people could do an equal or superior job than he can.
If he can’t put up with Hank talking 6 times a year to the press, then don’t let the door hit you in the arse Brian.
The rest of us who work in “this world” deal with a lot worse than Hank on a daily basis.
If big bad Hank is his reason, then Cashman better take off the skirt and grow a pair and if he’s tired of the pressure of NY then go. Don’t think too hard.
Just know one thing—you want to get paid in another city, they expect to win and they expect you to be right when it comes to player moves. The pressure isn’t going to any less anywhere at the salary Cashman will command.
And anyway, I’d rather have a motivated GM who wants to be here than someone who will always be thinking “what if” about other towns.
I hate all this “should I stay or should I go” nonsense. The job is GM of the NY Yankees. I don’t care if Hank, George and Hal call me at 4am and scream “stupid” at the top of their lungs.
It’s the best job in baseball.
AJ: Because it’s not what Giambi wants. He wants to play 1B for another three, four years.
G Love: and the most stressful.
G. Love: All right, if you think you can do it, why don’t you?
Nice story. Too bad Jason had a ME attitude on the field.
Aside from the roids, what happened to that hitter who used the entire field in Oakland and the first year or two here?
He’s just a pull hitter now who’s getting older and losing power. It’s time to say goodbye.
Seems like Cash just has to come to terms that he now have to report to more than one guy.
Not that easy – like the saying goes: “Man can only serve one master.”
http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2008/09/yankees_gm_cashman_undecided_a.html
But as recently as last weekend, he was telling people it was still a toss-up whether he’d return. Cashman is intrigued by the GM opening in Seattle (he has never worked for a team other than the Yankees) and also frustrated by now reporting to multiple members of the Steinbrenner family rather than just patriarch George.
Then again, Cashman seems committed to the restructuring of the Yankees organization, with an emphasis on player development. And on Sunday, he was communicating normally with employees, showing as much interest as usual in Yankees matters.
I wish they’d call me and offer the job.
First thing I’d do is call Cano and ask him how he likes Kansas City.
Second I’d call Arod and scream, “FROSTED TIPS? What the hell are you thinking man?”
So then you sign Derek Lowe and Dempster and your team looks like this:
Wang
Pettitte
Lowe
Jurrjens
Dempster
LF-Damon
SS-Jeter
RF-Nady
3B-A-Rod
C-Posada
DH-Matsui
1B-Kotchman
2B-Hudson
CF-Gardner
Bench-
Molina
Ransom
Christian
Other bench player
Bullpen
C-Mariano
SU-Joba
MR-Coke
MR-Bruney
MR-Marte
LR-????
This would be a team with great defense, probably the best defense in baseball. It also kind of gets away from the super star at every position approach that clearly does not work. The rotation at the very least is serviceable. They will eat innings. The bullpen is a great strength. Offense would be good because A-Rod will bounce back and hoepfully the team would be based on situational hitting. I just dont like the whole feel of the team and think some changes are necessary.
That Giambi is a class act
I will miss the Big G, but he has to go. He has now become one of those all or nothing hitters. I’m tired of him killing rallies by hitting into the shift and being extremely slow.
I love how gimabi is painted as a good guy. Just a reminder, good guys dont cheat.
PJH: Careful on Dempster.
“G. Love
September 30th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I wish they’d call me and offer the job.
First thing I’d do is call Cano and ask him how he likes Kansas City.”
lol.
Oh, I understand Dempster is not a sure hting. He just had a break out seaso. I know its a risk, but its a risk-reward situation. It could pay off.
PJH: It could, but not for the price it would command.
Hughes > Dempster, Perez, Sheets, Garland
To Wilson and a couple of others,
Why use every positive anecdote about another player as an excuse to bash ARod? First, given Peter’s relative feelings about ARod and Giambi, we’ll never hear anything positive about one or negative about another. (Just imagine for a second, what Peter’s daily diatribe about honesty would be like if ARod had Giambi’s PED history.)
Second, ARod has done many things to help younger players. For example, I heard he took Robbie and Melky out and bought them suits when they first came up. He was willing to work out daily with both of them. Rasner couldn’t say enough good things about ARod – he specifically singled him out as someone who was supportive of him this year, and said something like people don’t realize what a good teammate he is.
So can we stop with the ARod can learn something from Giambi nonsense?
Giambi, what a class guy…
Jeremy never did cheat like his brother…
bosox bob i thought they both cheated
Sea Net
September 30th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Hughes > Dempster, Perez, Sheets, Garland
I dont get this. The only thing Hughes has proven is injury proneness.
Rebecca- Im not worried about the prices we are paying for free agents. As long as the contract is no longer than 2-3 years, we will be fine. We have so much money off the books it is like Christmas. If there were a salary cap I would care.
”
Second I’d call Arod and scream, “FROSTED TIPS? What the hell are you thinking man?â€
”
Second. Something must be done.
Atlanta doesn’t need a 2nd baseman. They need pitching, starters and relievers. You can forget that wishful trade.
Dempster likely to be resigned by Cubs.
Dempster is the game 1 starter in the playoffs for the best team in baseball… ahead of All-stars like Zombrano and Harden. A HOF manager in Sweet Lou liked him enough to bypass those 2 to give the ball to Dmpster.
He can’t be that bad.
5 years/$75 mil for Dempster.
Bosox- I think JEremy was on the Juice too.
5 years is too long. Maybe 3 years 45 mill.
“Dempster likely to be resigned by Cubs”
according to Wikepedia, Peter Gammons is not Ryan Dempster’s father. Didn’t know.
Derek Lowe’s 3 full years in the rotation in the AL east:
2002: 21-8 2.58 ERA
2003: 17-4 4.47 ERA
2004: 14-12 5.42 ERA
Despite 2002 was only excellent year and it was his first full season in the rotation, the numbers balloned during the next 2 years. With a 4.47 ERA, it’s still okay but then it expanded to almost a 6 ERA the following year. His numbers gotten better when he moved to the NL. Some pitchers were born to pitch in the NL.
Am I against the fact of giving Lowe a try? No, if he were to be signed at a cheap contract, I wouldn’t mind signing him. In all likelyhood, Boston will try to resign Lower to fill in their rotation holes and to mentor Justin Masterson, who the scouts been comparing him to Lowe.
Isin’t Dempster the type of pitcher we’re trying to stay away from? A mediocre starter/reliever who has spent his entire career in the NL and is having a fluke season at age 32?
PJH: Wishful thinking, but Dempster will probably want a long term deal.
Will be interesting how the offseason progresses, what with the collapse of the economy and all.
How is that a wishful trade? Its very fair. Its not like Atlanta is giving up a pitcher for a 2nd baseman. They are getting Hughes back the other way. They are in the same place as they were before the trade. They might well be getting the better end of the deal. If Hughes develops and Cano is whipped into shape, they got the better players. The most talented players are not necessarily winners. See A-Rod.
Atlanta doesn’t need a 2nd baseman. They need pitching, starters and relievers. You can forget that wishful trade.
..and they also need a slugger.
Hughes is not getting traded. They didn’t trade him for Santana, they sure as heck aren’t trading him for Jergens.
You’re getting a new first baseman and one or two high priced free agent pitchers. AL pitching experience preferred. Old folk no need apply.
Eliminated from consideration: Sheets, Kyle Lohse. List to expand in the next month.
If Moose does not come back, you guys crying about Andy better thank your lucky stars he’s even considering coming back.
I dont think the economy will affect the Yankees at all. Maybe middle market teams, but the Yankees will fill the new stadium every game unless things get really, really bad. I think the Yankees are above the economy to an extent.
Remember when A-Rod was struggling in 06 and Steve Phillips wanted to trade him to the Cubs for Sean Marshall, Rich Hill, and Felix Pie?
He also suggested we trade him to the Chi Sox for Brancon McCarthy
PJH: It won’t affect the Yankees straight off, but a lot of the Yankees sponsors are the big banks in so much trouble now. And it’s not like the Yankees are paying their players pittances, either.
No sports team is above the economy—attendence has already been declining.
notice the “to an extent”.
t-rock- Whats your point?
mel
If Cashman isin’t the GM, all bets are off as far as Hughes or any prospect is concerned. But if Cashman is here, then no, he won’t get traded.
Peter,
According to Sept.26’s paper in Taiwan, that Cashman pointed out that player who injured during the season will not play in WBC..
However, only Wang and Matsui are the two mentioned will not play in WBC….
don’t laugh at steve phillips, he could very well be our next gm
hey, steve. I hear the female interns at ESPN, aren’t giving you any play.
t-rock,
Just one more reason for Cashman to come back. Got to protect the bear cubs.
Steve,
If I look hard enough, I’m sure there’s a Steve Phillips quote saying some unflattering things about Hank.
Steve phillips as Yankees GM might make the world explode.
Kind of like the Mets being allowed to have a bullpen.
I remember Phillips said during one of the ST games ESPN broadcasted that he would never work for Hank. He reiterated it after he made those “NL needs the DH” comments.
Kruk and Phillips have both killed Hank all year.
did you know Steve Phillips traded Aj Burnett, when he was a prospect for Al Leiter when he was GM for the mets 10 years ago?
Aj Burnett’s bio.
“Tank
September 30th, 2008 at 1:24 am
I remember Phillips said during one of the ST games ESPN broadcasted that he would never work for Hank.”
or anyone else.
Ed,
Took me a while to find the part about Phillips. I got distracted by the Spooneybarger and nipple rings.
Phillips was calling a Toronto game on espn radio and he trashed AJ the whole game. Said he had great, pure stuff but wasn’t quite good enough to win you a lot of games. Like he would pitch just good enough to lose. Now I understand that it was just sour grapes.
Phillips was just good enough to suck at being a GM.
I forgot to add: Steve Phillips doesn’t know a good prospect when he sees one. He could had held on to Burnett and Bay when he was still a GM, but nope, decided to trade them for older players.
Steve Phillips traded Jason Bay?
Ouch.
Mel –
Jason Bay went on to win ROY after he was traded. Burnett took the Marlins to their 2nd world series in 2003, after Phillips was fired. I bet he shi**ed himself after seeing their accomplishments.
Rebecca –
Phillips traded Bay to the Padres for Steven Reed. Then the Padres traded Bay to the Pirates, thus winning ROY in 2004.
Phillips got problems trading upcoming prospects for older players, like 10 year vetern.
Steve Phillips, former NY Mets GM, best transaction was:
A) Trading AJ Burnett
B) Signing Mo Vaughn
C) Signing Roger Cedeno
D) Trading 3 prospects, for Roberto Alomar
E) all of the above
Vinny-b
I pick E. lol
Oh, so they fired him for being incompetent, not sexual harassment. Okaaay.
Hey, Rebecca, this is how unhip I am. My daughter says, “Ooh. Optimist Prime.” So I ask her, “What’s that?” She’s like, “Uh, MOM. Transformers?” So I tell her, “Oh. I just thought she was being the ultimate optimist.” Duh.
WOW Giambi is such a mensch.
The guy made $120 mill over 7 years and spent $20 grand on dinner for the young guys.. He is like Mother Teresa..
After taxes Giambi made at least $72 mill., $20 grand is like normal people spending $40 bucks…
Including what he made in Oakland, money made in marketing and money he will make the next few