Spring Game 8: Yankees at Braves
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Mar 04, 2009 
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YANKEES
Damon LF
Gardner CF
Nady RF
Miranda 1B
Berroa 2B
Molina CF
Russo 3B
Pena SS
Kennedy RHP
Pitching today: Ian Kennedy followed by Andrew Brackman, J.B. Cox, Dan Giese, Kei Igawa and Mark Melancon.
BRAVES
Anderson CF
Escobar SS
Johnson 2B
Kotchman 1B
Francoeur RF
Heyward LF
Infante 3B
Ross C
Kawakami RHP
Pitching today: Kawakami, Blaine Boyer, Todd Redmond, Kris Medlen, Francisley Bueno, Mariano Gomez.
Notes: There should be more info on A-Rod’s medical condition later on today. … Mark it down on your calendar now: Live video chat on Friday at 11 a.m. … Long ride to Disney for the game. I’ll check in from the stadium later on
Derek Jeter is here this morning. His comment on the latest A-Rod mess: “I’ve got nothing to say, man.”
Smart guy that Jeter.
UPDATE, 12:01 p.m.: Here’s Yogi signing for fans:
UPDATE, 12:33 p.m.: We just spoke to Johnny Damon, who said he took no offense at what A-Rod said yesterday. “I’ll just have to show Alex what I can do,” he said with a laugh.
As for Alex, his appointment is in Colorado this afternoon, so we may not find out his status until late tonight or tomorrow. Joe Girardi said the Yankees would abide by what the specialist decides But he made it clear that the organization will take no chances.
“We have to err on the side of caution for the Yankees,” he said.
Girardi said that A-Rod had the hip issue at the end of last season. He described it as “stiffness” and not pain. “He’s been able to play and play at a high level,” the manager said.
It sounds like the Yankees are clearing a path for Alex to be taken out of the WBC. But the injury doesn’t sound all that serious. He doubled yesterday and scored from second on a single.
UPDATE, 1:21 p.m.: IPK is not having a good day. Double, groundout, walk, two-run double. 2-0 Braves.
UPDATE, 2:01 p.m.: It’s still 2-0, now at the top of the 4th inning. The Yankees don’t have a hit.
Get used to this. With three key players at the WBC, Matsui out, Posada limited and other guys not playing every day, you’re going to see AAA and AA lineups.
Meanwhile, Ty Kepner has a cool blog post on Cody Ransom.
UPDATE, 2:22 p.m.: Well, how about that? Down 2-0 and getting one-hit, Dan Giese ignites the Yankees with a two-out single. Then he scores on a triple to the right field gap by Johnny Damon.
A triple for Johnny Damon? Take that, A-Rod. The Yankees don’t need Jose Reyes!
(Disclaimer: I am joking. There is no reason to get excited.)
2-1 Braves, middle of the fifth.
UPDATE, 3:09 p.m.: Yankees trail 3-2, bottom of the eighth. Just spoke to Ian Kennedy, who said he could not command his curve today. “It’s tough when you feel like you’re going well and then you take a step back,” he said.
Dan Giese, meanwhile, was told not to swing. But he didn’t hear the voices from the dugout and took his hacks. He singled and then scored on Damon’s triple. “It was like the dizzy bat race,” he said.
Giese said it was his first at-bat in spring training. He’s never had an AB on the majors.
Long ride to Disney? I’m guessing you have to make the trip to Disney from some place other than Tampa Pete.
Pete was probably in Miami sniffing through A-rod’s trash to try to get a Selena Roberts-like scoop. Miami to Orlando is a pretty rough trip to make in a morning.
I know that Alex has a need to be hip, but today’s news is taking it to the extreme. Don’t you agree?
Many Fans believe that Ian Kennedy is never going to be an option for the Yankees in the major leagues ever again. Those fans want him traded for whatever the Yankees can get. The few points that they’re missing are – A. He’s young and has played decently in the minors and the same can be said about his 1st stint with the major league club. B. If 2 starters fall (to injury or innings limit) Kennedy will almost surely be in the majors again this year (unless the Yankees want him to have a full year in AAA no matter what) there’s even a chance (yes, it’s possible) he’ll be the 1st starter called up if needed. C. There’s no starting pitcher that’s closer to the major leagues than him (he’s just as close as Hughes[/Aceves]). Trading him for a piece needed is understandable but trading him just to get rid of him and picking up someone else’s problem is a waste. Good Luck to him. Have a great day. (added by Mobile using Mippin)
Really … Tampa to WDW is a little over an hour’s drive … you must lead a real sheltered life Pete … LOL
Ian Kennedy’s problem appears to be that he has very little margin for error. When he is in the groove, he’s on. But if he is not he is a minor league pitcher who can’t withstand major league batting.
IPK has a real good chance to be a very decent pitcher in the major leagues and even borderline great if he were in the national league. With the amount of arms the yankees have it does not seem likely that they will allow anyone in their rotation that is not a potential ace.
It is very realistic to look at the yankees in two years and think this team is going to have a rotation full of people with a chance to win 20 games.
Wow. Its the only word I can use to describe yesterday’s nonsense from many fans and media over Arod’s “dissing” of Jeter.
Is this what’s its come down to? People coming completely unglued over a nothing comment?
Are some fans and media that desperate to be “heard” that they now have decided they can “interpret” anything Arod says as a slap toward Jeter?
How about context? Do we ever think about that anymore? Or, are we so ready to pounce on ANYTHING the guy says, we just go off in any direction anytime he opens his mouth?
I was in Jupiter yesterday, standing right next to Kevin Kernan of the Post when Arod said what he said.
He was PRAISING Reyes. He wasn’t dissing anybody.
You know what’s funny? The media wants guys to talk. They don’t want vanilla quotes. They actually want guys to say what’s on their mind. Yet, when they do so, this is what often happens.
Look, Arod took steroids. To the fans and media who still have their panties in a wad about it, get over it.
Once you can get over that hurdle, how about covering the guy like you would everyone else? Is that too hard to ask?
If it is, then start every column with the following disclaimer:
“I don’t like Arod. I think he is a phony and diva and everything he says will be interpreted by me in that context”.
If guys who are so intent to get their names above the fold will put that disclaimer in before anything they write about the guy, write whatever you want.
Just stop embarrassing yourselves by trying to make up a controversy where none exists.
Personally, I hope Arod shuts it down with the media the rest of the year. Go “Thurman Munson from 1978″ on them.
Just say nothing and move on because everytime he does say something, too many people are trying to turn it into a controversy.
For the fans, stop being sheep. Stop being so dumb and kneejerk that you just react without thinking. In other words, stop acting like you are a member of the media.
Think for a change. Its actually refreshing. Unless of course, your hero is somebody like Wally Matthews. If it is, then by all means, act as if you don’t have a logical thought going on in your head. Then, you will be just like your hero.
I really hate that I can’t make the game today that’s 20 minutes away
Pete – don’t worry Tampa to Wide World Of Sports isn’t that bad – the worst part of the drive on I-4 is in downtown Orlando but you won’t be anywhere near that – should actually be a pretty easy ride as long as you miss the morning traffic
This was the first negative post I’ve seen on Phil since ST started – I was wondering what you guys thought (since most are very happy with this power curve). This was posted on NYYFans.com by Casius:
***I’m actually fairly concerned about these changes. I sort of assumed his curve looked so shallow so far this year because….well, it’s his first two starts in spring training, but they have not looked nearly as good, and it’s not like he’s changing velocity and going for a power curve a la Lincecum, it’s still about 70-75 MPH. His old curve was ++ at its best.
His changeup looked pretty much the same as it used to: it has fade (more fade I guess with the split grip), but he can’t get it over for a strike. They key difference seems to be he’s not getting as much speed differential, which is a big deal.
Of course, it’s early, and he’s still working on them, so they may prove to be good changes, but I’m not liking what I’ve seen so far. I’m not sure why people are giving his curve props, because it definitely looks a lot weaker than they did last year, and he isn’t commanding it as well.***
I think Phil looks terrific so far, but does this guy raise good points or is he being harsh?
Thanks!
Minor notes: For all those who wanted to know why Jeter to 2nd base wasn’t listed as an option – A. His problem is range, at 2nd base he’d still have the problem that’d force him to move from SS. B. Even though some fans are sure that Cano is going to be traded, if not this year then next year, I personally believe that he’ll atleast remain till his free agency years, there’s isn’t a better option in the minors now and if he has a bounce back year (which I believe he will) trading him would only bring somebody worse, the Cano before 2008 is worth more than his contract (especially if he bats in a higher spot in the order, since he’ll drive in more runs). Gardner keeps on hitting. You have to wonder at what point will he be locked in as the CF? Will we have to wait til the end of spring training? Maybe the pressure of being sent to the minors is what’s making him click. But if he hits in another 5-10 games like this and Melky continues not to, you have to give it to him. One question, Cody Ransom or somebody else? (added by Mobile using Mippin)
pete molina not a cf and can’t have 2 cf.
SJ, thanks for putting into words what I feel. It’s sad that Alex can’t say anything without it being analyzed to death, but since that’s the case….I agree, just clam up. It sucks because it sounds like Alex was happy and enthusiastic – he shouldn’t have to censor himself when he wants to emote. I didn’t read and don’t intend to read the Matthews piece; I have a good imaginiation and I’m pretty sure I know what he wrote.
Anyhow, I would love to see some Yanks go on the trip (that aren’t playing) just to go to Disney so we could see funny pics of them with Mickey Mouse, lol
Pete,
The “mess” in this case, is completely a media creation.
I was there yesterday. It was a nothing comment.
Unfortunately these days, this is what passes for “news”.
If Arod says nothing, guys in the media will rip him for not talking. If he says something, it will be interpreted as a “slap” toward somebody.
Not the way to cover a team or a guy IMO. But, I guess folks think it will sell papers and get blog hits.
Once the season starts though, I hope guys actually go back to covering the games. That would be refreshing.
Arod does enough stupid stuff on his own without manufacturing controversies. This one? Completely a media manufactured controversy, IMO.
Dont like this comment by Jeter. I havent heard audio so idk in what context he said it, but from that writing, it sounds as if hes pissed
Oh, and lol at Gardner starting over Melky 2 days in a row
SJ44,
You are my new hero and I could not agree more. When I read the actually context of the quote last night I was appalled that the media made this into more than anything it was. It was nice compliment to Jose Reyes and he even through a compliment the way of Brett Gardner.
Of course no one takes it as a slight against Johnny Damon who is actually batting lead off where he wants Jose to bat.
It really is embarrassing and unbelievable.
I make that drive semi often with the girlfriend.. lol it’s nothing. hELL i worked in lakeland and lived in tampa, and that’s a good 40 miles
SJ44
March 4th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Wow. Its the only word I can use to describe yesterday’s nonsense from many fans and media over Arod’s “dissing” of Jeter.
Is this what’s its come down to? People coming completely unglued over a nothing comment?
Are some fans and media that desperate to be “heard” that they now have decided they can “interpret” anything Arod says as a slap toward Jeter?
How about context? Do we ever think about that anymore? Or, are we so ready to pounce on ANYTHING the guy says, we just go off in any direction anytime he opens his mouth?
I was in Jupiter yesterday, standing right next to Kevin Kernan of the Post when Arod said what he said.
He was PRAISING Reyes. He wasn’t dissing anybody.
You know what’s funny? The media wants guys to talk. They don’t want vanilla quotes. They actually want guys to say what’s on their mind. Yet, when they do so, this is what often happens.
Look, Arod took steroids. To the fans and media who still have their panties in a wad about it, get over it.
Once you can get over that hurdle, how about covering the guy like you would everyone else? Is that too hard to ask?
If it is, then start every column with the following disclaimer:
“I don’t like Arod. I think he is a phony and diva and everything he says will be interpreted by me in that context”.
If guys who are so intent to get their names above the fold will put that disclaimer in before anything they write about the guy, write whatever you want.
Just stop embarrassing yourselves by trying to make up a controversy where none exists.
Personally, I hope Arod shuts it down with the media the rest of the year. Go “Thurman Munson from 1978” on them.
Just say nothing and move on because everytime he does say something, too many people are trying to turn it into a controversy.
For the fans, stop being sheep. Stop being so dumb and kneejerk that you just react without thinking. In other words, stop acting like you are a member of the media.
Think for a change. Its actually refreshing. Unless of course, your hero is somebody like Wally Matthews. If it is, then by all means, act as if you don’t have a logical thought going on in your head. Then, you will be just like your hero.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Many people feel as you do. The “fans” you speak of, like many drawn to this forum, reflect the opinions of Pete Abraham.
Forums free of an “editoral director” seem to attract much more independent thinkers. Many people out there are bright enough to understand the media nkangaroo court in session.
I agree…The media will take any non story about Arod-Jeter, and make it front page news. It’ll be that way until Jeter retires
i cant stand arod and i completly agree with sj. I would like to see reyes on the yankees, and i LOVE jeter. reyes is a fantastic player, he changes games by himself.
and if jeter comes back and says he’d like to see wright in pinstripes, well, i would, too, the guy’s an awfully good hitter.
and id take beltan for sure, too.
arod stating the obvious and giving some love to his teammates on the d.r. team is no issue at all.
Thanks, SJ for being a credible voice of reason.
The made up controversies add unnecessary fuel to the fire…
SJ44,
You don’t have to look any farther than this blog as to trying to start a controversy over Arod’s innocent comments in trying to compliment his temporary teammate.
“i cant stand arod and i completly agree with sj. I would like to see reyes on the yankees, and i LOVE jeter. reyes is a fantastic player, he changes games by himself.
and if jeter comes back and says he’d like to see wright in pinstripes, well, i would, too, the guy’s an awfully good hitter.
and id take beltan for sure, too.
arod stating the obvious and giving some love to his teammates on the d.r. team is no issue at all.”
You hate Arod, but you love 3 of the Mets starters? You sure your a Yankee fan?
“Dont like this comment by Jeter. I havent heard audio so idk in what context he said it, but from that writing, it sounds as if hes pissed”
It just sounds like Jeter wants to avoid the BS, certain members of the media are trying to make out of Arod’s comments.
From the NYTimes:
A-Rod Made a Dumb Remark, Nothing More
By Jack Curry
Alex Rodriguez has said a lot of dumb things, many of them recently. He will probably say a lot more dumb things in the future. He said a dumb thing on Tuesday. Still, anyone trying to attach intent or malice to Rodriguez’s words is searching for something that is not there.
Most of the reporters who heard Rodriguez gush about Jose Reyes by saying he wished Reyes was a teammate realized that Rodriguez was going over the top to praise Reyes. His remarks were all about Reyes, and they had nothing to do with Derek Jeter or Johnny Damon, Rodriguez’s Yankees teammates.
When Rodriguez was asked about Reyes’s speed after the Dominican Republic beat the Florida Marlins, 10-1, he even paused after starting his answer to smile and force out a laugh. It was obvious he was speaking casually and was showing affection for Reyes.
“I wish,” said Rodriguez, who stopped, laughed, then started again. “I wish he was leading off on our team or playing on our team. That’s fun to watch.”
It is obvious Rodriguez should have chosen his words more carefully, but he did not say he wanted Reyes to replace Jeter or Damon. He picked a dubious way to compliment Reyes, nothing more. Rodriguez likes to appease people and, in his world, saying he would like to have Reyes as a teammate was the ultimate compliment. Because Rodriguez has a cyst on his hip, he and Reyes may not be teammates in the World Baseball Classic after all.
Seemingly fearful of the potential headline, “A-Rod Wants Reyes on Yankees,” Rodriguez later said, through a W.B.C. spokesman, that his comments were not intended as criticism of Jeter. Rodriguez has had a strained relationship with Jeter since criticizing him several years ago, and was concerned that he had crossed him again.
Rodriguez also called the Yankees and asked them to contact the New York reporters who had covered his news conference and repeat that he was praising Reyes, not disparaging anyone. He did a dumb thing. Again. But presuming that he was dissing his teammates is even sillier.
Molina is going to cover tons of ground in CF
“I wish he was leading off on our team and playing on our team,” Rodriguez said. “That’s fun to watch, any time you have that type of speed. We have a guy in [Brett] Gardner. That’ll be fun. That’s probably the most fun you can have — watching a guy like that run.”
For all we know, A-Rod may be a Schilling wannabe to create or become part of controversy.
SJ44,
I think you are absolutely right with everything you said. It’s mind-boggling how a comment like that could get twisted by the media and unfortunately Pete jumped right in and did what he usually does – bash Alex for absolutely nothing and sell it as a “story”.
Sorry Pete, there really is no story. We all know you love Jeter and don’t like Alex but please, it’s enough already. We get the point. Jeter is the good guy, Alex is the bad guy. At least for you. Time to move on…
He did a dumb thing. Again. But presuming that he was dissing his teammates is even sillier.
=====================================
Can’t disagree. That’s pretty much it. Moving on
I wonder if we will get a new and non-cyst related Alex situation for today?
Sj- You are right. It is funny Kevin from the NYP is saying AROD DISSED JETER.
Yes Jim Curry of the NYT,
Rodriguez also called the Yankees and asked them to contact the New York reporters who had covered his news conference and repeat that he was praising Reyes, not disparaging anyone. He did a dumb thing. Again. But presuming that he was dissing his teammates is even sillier.
SA- I am waiting for the article that says the he made the cyst appear to get of the wbc and blood test.
Hey guys
Did you hear what happened?
A media member asked A-rod what he liked for breakfast. A-rod said “I like to eat French Toast.”
He should be ashamed of himself because the only correct answer is that he usually eats American cheese but for now he is having huevos fritos. What an insult.
is arods cyst anything to worry about???
im just sick of the whole arod thing for now, but ill be rooting for him when the season starts.
as for the reyes, wright and beltran, they are each among the top 3 at thier positions, why wouldnt i like them.
what arod said is what you’d expect to hear from any player in the wbc about the guys they are playing with for the first time,no different than pedroia’s jeter worship yesterday. did anybody suggest that lugo should have been mad at him? (well probably on socks blogs)
The fact A-rod frosts his tips should be seen as an insult to people with dark hair.
Why does Alex hate brown hair’d people?
Jeter is smart, but there is also the small fact that there IS nothing for him to say. He’s probably rolling his eyes at the mediot clowns who insist on continuing this circus.
LOL jennifer!
Okay I just read the Newsday article by Wallace Matthews concerning A-Rod. Has Wallace Matthews ever written something that wasn’t just pure crap?
jennifer
March 4th, 2009 at 9:02 am
….. He did a dumb thing. Again. But presuming that he was dissing his teammates is even sillier.
XXXXX
Imagine that. The ARod sadism fest is so out of control, even media types are starting to police their own. The headline should really read:
MEDIA DUMBER THAN AROD
Hey – you know who you are
>“I’ve got nothing to say, man.”
See, he knows it’s a non-issue.
SJ44 – Thanks for posting what I was feeling. And for Alex’s sake, I hope he does refuse to talk to the media and does his talking with his bat.
^^^BTW, I responded to SJ’s covert rant about this, but because I included the name of the blogger, it was deleted. So much for free speech here, bereft of profanity
P.S. I’ll be elsewhere, with the “independent” thinkers.
Kettle
ha ha ha!!
In figuring the 25-man roster, there’s 12 pitchers, 2 catchers, 4 infielders, 3 outfielders, and 1 DH (Matsui).
This leaves 3 spots from among Swisher, Ransom or Berroa, and either Melky or Gardner.
Damon doesn’t seem to feel “dissed”.
“Damon took the opportunity to praise Reyes and said he wasn’t bothered by Rodriguez wanting Reyes to replace him atop the Yankees’ batting order.”
“Obviously, we know how talented Jose Reyes is,” Damon told The Post. “I know Alex loves me as a teammate and leading off. Jose Reyes still has 10 to 15 years in the tank; I have five at the most.”
SJ – elloquently put!! thanks
——
“And for Alex’s sake, I hope he does refuse to talk to the media and does his talking with his bat.”
he probably should stop talking but he won’t. with as many advisers as he has you would think someone would be in his ear to say, “hey, now might be a good time to stop talking.” but alas he opens his mouth and digs himself a little deeper hole…i am the first to admit that ARod sometimes says things that are taken out of context and blown up into bigger issues then they really are, but at the same time sometimes he says some real bone-headed things that he would be better off just shutting his mouth on rather then providing the sound bytes….
I think Alex needs to freeze the media out. Don’t talk to them since every single thing he says and does is magnified 1000x by them.
Let them run to Derek for his vanilla quotes.
I will admit I jumped on Alex yesterday, but looking at it more closely it wasn’t a slap at Jeter and Damon. Just and over the top praise of Jose.
I still don’t see what A-Rod did as dumb- there’s no way I’m excusing the media on this. Intent is everything – and if anyone things Alex was intending to disrespect his teammates, well….I guess it’s not a surprise. I don’t call them mediots for nothing. These guys all have their agendas, even though they like to believe they are above it all. The fact that Kevin Kernan could stand next to the guy and then write what he apparently did (though as he calls Alex “A-Roid”, why should we be surprised?) tells me all I need to know about this guy. There’s just no point in Alex saying ANYTHING to the media as they will just twist it to suit their purposes. He shouldn’t have to censor himself, he should be allowed to feel good and express that feeling…..just like anyone else. I hope Alex realizes that he can’t win here and just clams up – it’s sad that he had to call the Yankees and ask them to explain his statement. I don’t blame him ,but it’s sad nonetheless. Just end it, Alex – say whatever you have to say to your teammates and friends and that is IT.
Man, what a shame. The Yanks vs. USA was a great game with many good things to emerge (not least of which was the performances of their young players) and this is what we are talking about.
Glenn,
That “3 outfielders” would include either Melky or Gardner. So then you can keep the loser, Swisher and Ransom/Berroa from your list.
It really only boils down to if they need a 3rd catcher, Melky or Gardner doesnt make the team. If Jorge is good to go and they carry him and Molina, then both Gardner and Melky make it.
you know it is kind of a shame that the arod/jeter friendship from way back didnt blossom. there is probably nobody better that arod could have had as an advisor and confidant. i guess it just wasnt meant to be, they are probably too close in age to develop that kind of relationship.
Another picture of Joba and Wang from last night. Wang looks happy.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0enEcs57tK5DU
Jim Curry NYT
Still, anyone trying to attach intent or malice to Rodriguez’s words is searching for something that is not there.
Most of the reporters who heard Rodriguez gush about Jose Reyes by saying he wished Reyes was a teammate realized that Rodriguez was going over the top to praise Reyes. His remarks were all about Reyes, and they had nothing to do with Derek Jeter or Johnny Damon, Rodriguez’s Yankees teammates.
When Rodriguez was asked about Reyes’s speed after the Dominican Republic beat the Florida Marlins, 10-1, he even paused after starting his answer to smile and force out a laugh. It was obvious he was speaking casually and was showing affection for Reyes.
“I wish,” said Rodriguez, who stopped, laughed, then started again. “I wish he was leading off on our team or playing on our team. That’s fun to watch.”
As for Jeter, he should have said all he was doing was praising Jose, he wasn’t dissing me. But no his stupid vanilla quote will keep it going. He never has his back, he needs to get over the article for 10 years ago and grow up.
is it just me or does joba look like phil jackson in that pic?
SJ
You are SO the voice of sense and reason! And Jeter was simply refusing to get into yet another media induced mess!
Let’s just play baseball!!!
“I hope Alex realizes that he can’t win here and just clams up”
you know the persecution that would follow that? look, partly the media goes out its way to prove ARod is a goof, some look for any quote they could turn into contreversy, but lets face it, the media is a product of what the people make it. if ARod wasnt such big new and didnt sell papers no one would be quoting him, if a large portion of the populace didnt want there to be contreversy between Jeter and ARod, the media wouldnt care less about these quotes, they report what people want to here as much as actual news. Lets face it, EVERY news story is colored to a certain extent by the reporter writing about/covering it, no exception! thats true in sports reporting as much as politics and war correspondence. you get opinions mixed in to all news. yes it sucks, but smart people take it with a grain of salt….again, if the media didnt make money off spinning these quotes they wouldnt bother with them….
Seriously, is the media on a mission to make this guy just say “no comment” to every question? Because that’s what it’s gonna come down to. The guy cannot say ANYTHING without everybody jumping all over him.
The reporters may think that stirring up controversy will get them more readers, but to me it just makes them less credible. Just report what he said. The rest of us are smart enough to figure out what he meant.
Pete, you’re a disgrace. A disgrace. Absolutely, end of story.
You have no shame whatsoever.
Haven’t read the posts because as opposed to being in Florida, I’m back to work. But I just want to quickly jump in and say that the NY papers, all of them, have made it clear that they believe that Arod’s comment was not meant to disparage any member of the Yankees and he was just attempting to be gracious to be gracious to Reyes.
Based on that, what possible reason could anyone have to even question Jeter on it.
Times like this are when I find the media to be at its seamiest and I feel like I need to take a bath even reading the stuff.
It has nothing to do with Jeter being smart. The press once again is an embarrassment.
Pathetic attempt to sell stories.
If Dustin Pedroia said he wished he had Jeter on the Red Sox, it would be passed off as a thing of pride for the Yankees and a nice compliment to Jeter. Nothing more.
i dont sweat the small stuff, whether or not he ‘posed’ with his kids, what he said about reyes, who cares? he’s just a jock doing stuff they all do. small stuff. i wouldnt think more or less of him for playing with his kids with or without cameras. same for praising his d.r. teammates. where’s the problem?
my problems with arod stem from his actions and what he said about them, thats the big stuff. we can agree to disagree on the big stuff, but this micro-analysis of every move he makes and every breath he takes is ridiculous.
“I wish Mike Lupica (insert your rival NY reporter here) wrote the LoHud Yankees Blog and was the beat reporter writing on the Yankees.”
Now tell Pete not to be offended by the comment and that it had nothing to do with your feelings about him. I’m sure Arod didn’t mean anything by it, but how is Jeet supposed to feel?
I realize that it’s only the first week of meaningless games and today there are a bunch of guys not making the trip but…. I’m sort of hoping they win a game or two cause it’s been 5 games without a W now.
there’s no way ARod can just stop talking to the media. The first time this would happen I picture the follow up “article” going something like this.
“ARod answered every question with “no comment”. Even when one “reporter” asked if ARod saw Jeter broke down on the side of the road would he help out?. ARod responded coldly “no comment.” Based on that it’s easy to report that ARod hates Jeter!!!”
SJ44 @ 8:31AM, very well written. You have a very objective view of the situation.
More than a few writers said Manny did the fans a disservice by freezing out the media because the fans were the ones who got hurt by his silence.
I could deal with a little disservicing.
Today’s back page of the NY POST:
Insult & Injury
A-roid rips jeter, could miss wbc with cyst on hip. I’m done with the new york post!!!!
The media is determined to cause friction in the Clubhouse by any means necessary. THIS IS SAD!
Whoa Molina is playing cf. All the weight he lost made him fleet afoot?
Gee where’s that retread “lala” who was so up in arms about our defense of Arod, of course singling me out as the most idiotic of all since I postulated that Arod was being complimentary of Reyes’ game yesterday well before it came out that Arod was merely being complimentary of Reyes’ game yesterday.
I WOULD SAY THAT MAKES ME THE SMARTEST OF ALL, LALA, AND YOU TRUE TO YOUR RIDICULOUS NAME – ALWAYS OUT IN “LA LA LAND!”
This morning I feel proud to be a member of the Yankee fan contingency on this blog; well actually it’s unfortunate that you have to go to the extreme of having it be as obvious as the nose on your face that Arod was not dissing anyone. But at least nobody that I can see has come on and tried to perpetuate the myth that Arod was taking swipes at his teammates.
SJ44 – absolutely spot on with your post.
jen, I do have ambivalence too about Jeter’s noncomment, but I am hoping it was more his way of shutting down the press rather than anything else.
*KUDOS TO JACK CURRY*
In fact, if I were Arod I would seek out Curry and only speak to him. I’d LOVE to see that happen.
You know what, you guys really want to baby A-rod. It’s more annoying than Media creating so called storm about him.
Is A-rod not aware of the fact that he’s a lightning rod? He can’t be oblivious to it, that’s for sure. Now as someone who is aware of the fact everything you say will be taken out of context, no matter how you say it — why on earth do you utter anything about Jose Reyes, who’s Jeter’s cross town rival.
A-rod makes his own drama, all of you need to stop blaming the media. It’s their job to sell papers, or get you to the blog. A-rod gives them fodder to just do that.
Don’t blame the media, A-rod is his own worse enemy.
Now they are going to bother derek over this mess.
i can also see the “reporter” trying to get a comment from jeter going like this…
“A-Rod says you suck, what do you think of that?!”
Then of course the article would read…
“When asked about A-Rod’s “comments” Jeter said, “I have no comment about that”
“Don’t blame the media, A-rod is his own worse enemy.”
No, you don’t seem to get it. Arod had every right to compliment Reyes and say he wishes he had Reyes on his team. That is a NONSTORY. (read Jack Curry of the NY Times if you want to educate yourself a little. Look at the context of the entire story.)
Deal with the fact that the hypocritical press took the time to say Arod wasn’t dissing Jeter but then went right to Jeter for a comment.
That stinks like rotting fish.
Just my opinion of course.
And by the way, it appears that at least one member of the media, Jack Curry of the NY Times, got it right. Nobody’s blaming him. In fact everyone here is praising him for portraying events as they happened and not trying to stir the pot to sell papers.
Betsy,
Can you clarify? Who is Casius of NYYfans? Blog host, scout, pseudo-anonymous blogger? I want to know how authoritative their opinion is.
Thomas Robust:
write this down: Ian Kennedy does not have major league stuff. At least not, in the American League.
Jamie Moyer, you say? Jamie Moyer has gotten by in recent years, on experience, intelligence, and gile. Kennedy has intelligence.
i have news for all of you regarding the media. they are only giving you what you want.
people come on here and endlessly quote from all these columns ripping arod. they are writing them for exactly that reason. if they were writing about the knicks or rangers, you wouldnt even think of reading them.
arod in the headline equals eyeballs reading your piece. if you want it to stop, stop reading all the crap they are writing and they will go find something else to write about.
personally, i never went to look at the pics with his kids, and i have read almost no columnists pieces about arod. in fact, the only arod stuff i’ve read since the presser were several reports about presinal’s relationship with arod, which i consider big stuff.
this is a feeding frenzy, and feeding frenzies are fed by insatiable fascination with the subject, in this case arod.
and this particular feeding frenzy’s epicenter is new york city and the yankees universe.
believe me, cubs fans arent chatting this am about what arod said yesterday.
so if you want the media to stop the feeding frenzy, stop feeding it yourself by reading all this crap about all the small stuff going on with arod.
“I will admit I jumped on Alex yesterday, but looking at it more closely it wasn’t a slap at Jeter and Damon. Just and over the top praise of Jose”
from hero to zero, back to hero again in 1 day. Life in the day, as a man.
It’s very clear on here that Pete hates A-Rod, and although it’s nice to get insights as to how a player acts, and who a player is in the clubhouse, in is eternally frustrating and makes for skewed journalism. The only reason this guy is a story 90% of the time is because of the same media people who say they can’t stand he’s always the story, like Pete. So the guy wants to see his kids and happens to do so on the first day of WBC practice. Staged? Possibly. But only a huge deal because of the way it’s reported. And I’m sure A-Rod injected that cyst into his hip just so he could remain the center of attention, right? And even without reading this comment in context, it’s clear he’s just praising Reyes as opposed to taking a swipe at anyone else. You don’t want A-Rod to be the center of attention? Then stop making it that way. It’s like reading ‘D-Listed’ sometimes. Total discrace. SJ44, totally agree.
Does it make me a complainer if I complain about the complaining going on here?
Garnder’s performance aside, yesterday was very positive for Dunn and Coke.
remember when NYY had no LHP relief? Buddy Groom, anyone? Both of them look very promising. One of them may turn into a BJ Ryan type. who knows.
i guess i am confused by peter’s post. a-rod is hurt. why is that a “mess?” when other players get hurt, is that also a mess? is the hip cyst what peter considered to be a “mess?” confused…
m -
I’m thinking the same thing.
with the steroid era hopefully behind us,ian kennedy has a better chance to stay in the majors.
mussina survived in the al east during the steroid era,kennedy can also.
this kid pitched great,not good but great at every level & is pitching well now.he is said to be attacking the zone better & pitching with more confidence.
lets not give up on him or hughes who is also pitching well.
wang,pettitte,sabathia,burnett will not be around forever & you never have enough pitching.
after this year we need at least one more pitcher,maybe 2 for debth & hughes & kennedy are only 22 & 23 yrs old.
if at 24 yrs old they don’t look good then it might be time to move on but we have no way of knowing how good they will be & them pitching last year & now is extremely important to their development.they are still babies.
Yikes, Wallace Matthews demonstrating a brand of A-Rod hate that puts any before to shame:
http://www.newsday.com/sports/.....050.column
The Yanks are really pushing it with that lineup. Four regulars? I only see 3, and two of them are competing for a starting spot.
Anyways, I’m more interested in hearing about the pitching, there are some interesting names today. Kennedy, Brackman, Melancon.
Jeter is smart ..much smarter than the media. He realizes it’s a non-issue thus no comment from him.
Go Yankees 2009 !!1
kennedy has been a winner at every level without eye popping stuff. this tells you he’s got some skills. what he’s done so far in the majors doesnt indicate he wont be able to bring his game up to mlb level, i think he will.
that being said, with other good arms pushing him, a good first half in scranton would make him valuable trade bait around the deadline and i think his fate may lie with another organization. i think we’re gonna be seeing alot of ian kennedy over the next 10 years.
Doreen,
Haha. Actually, it’s not the complaining on this particular thread. It’s the complaining since, well, since the Alex steroid story broke.
As soon as Pete posts something and injects his, um, humor, he gets attacked. Yet people keep coming back for more. If you don’t like the food or the restauranteur, don’t go back. Even if it is free.
If people want unbiased reporting on A-rod, go to Alex’s website or to a DR paper.
Arod on Reyes
NON
EFFING
STORY
Hmmm, does that make you a complainer, m? I guess it would if you are objecting to people responding to the lead-in to the blog and what it represents about the latest nonissue, since that’s what people do here.
I have no problem with people going on and on about the unfairness of the press. I actually feel heartened that Yankee fans are taking up for Arod as opposed to piling on.
I know he isn’t your favorite Yankee, so maybe that is coloring your opinion about the complaining here? Just a thought.
“I think we’re gonna be seeing alot of ian kennedy over the next 10 years”
Ham: as a #4 starter, with the San Diego Padres, i wouldn’t disagree.
Kevin Towers, likes our players.
In case you don’t know they are missing 3/4 of their infield.
Wallace Matthews.
At worst, the former will knock him out only of the World Baseball Classic. At best, the latter will knock him out of the Bronx, for good.
Wow can this guy be a bigger jerk. That has to be one of the worst things I’ve read.
“mussina survived in the al east during the steroid era,kennedy can also.”
Apples and oranges. Mussina was far more talented than IPK at the same age.
Not to say that Kennedy can’t make it as a low end of the rotation starter in the AL. He may very well do that. Mussina comparison is bogus though.
“Arod on Reyes
NON
EFFING
STORY”
Yep.
Kennedy certainly doesn’t have eye-popping stuff but he WILL be a pitcher at the major league level.
m
No, but I think that makes you an anti-complainer apologist by blog definition.
Well, thanks for assuming I didn’t read it and was un educated on the matter. Reading is hard, it hurts my earballs.
Point being A-rod is a grown man who has sparked more controversy than even his ex girlfriend Madonna. If he wasn’t aware the words; “I wish Jose Reyes played for the Yankees” is a going to end up badly, then he deserve what he gets.
I’m aware A-rod apparently said the comment instinctually after being goaded by seeing him steal third, but I don’t care. He said something stupid for about the 900th time and you all want to defend him and blame the media. A-rod has no sense, the sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.
It’s a-rods job to hit home runs, it’s the medias job to create story, if a pitcher drops a fat one down the middle, it’s gone. A-rod says something stupid, it’s in print. People have jobs to do, and A-rod clearly loves to media. At least subconsciously.
And by the way, Arod is far from my favorite Yankee, and I was quick to jump all over him when the steroid story broke – even before he owned up to it.
But I can tell the difference between the press reporting and the press harassing.
That’s what really bothers me in all of this.
SJ44, what arod said was harmless. Most level headed people know that he didnt mean anything by it. BUT, the problem that a lot of us have is that he’s clueless. Or the stupidest person on earth. Only a fool would say something like that after all of the crap he’s gone through with Jeter. He just doesnt think before he speaks. I actually like your idea…I hope he stops talking to the press. Just go out and let your bat do the talking.
hey, everybody cant be a world-beater. if kennedy is a nl #4 type pitcher for several years, then that is a successful career. and if he gets traded and brings back a similar talent, that is a successful trade.
if a few if our other prospects we have high hopes for turn out to be nl #4 material, then we have been pretty successful in turning out prospects.
in an average draft there are maybe 6 pitcher in all of the draft who turn out to be top of the rotation guys. if anybody below that isnt good enough for you, then you dont understand how the draft and player development works very well.
trisha,
Absolutely. But if Pete complained about my favorite Yankees all the time: Jeter, Molina, and Wang, then I wouldn’t read or post here.
I wouldn’t complain about it in every thread that’s got a slight in it. I wouldn’t call Pete rude names. He gets so much verbal abuse, it’s just disgusting.
Pete and I don’t see eye to eye on everything, and I’ve poked at him plenty of times. But he’s not going to change in re: to Alex. That’s quite obvious. People either need to accept it or get a life.
Like he said yesterday. Someone from Team A-rod reads the blog and reports back what is written. Pete knows this for a fact. This stuff doesn’t seem to bother them, so why should the fans take it out on Pete? If they don’t like it, find another cool blog where the host has fostered a good community like the one here.
Arod is in a no win.situation…If he shuts up…they will rip him even more. if he talks, they will rip him.
just wanted to point out the all of you who jumped on that link to the wallace matthews piece (i passed) are perpetuating the feeding frenzy.
m, no love for godzilla?
Papi has A-Rod’s back (looking for “nice” news for a change):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03.....f=baseball
Speaking of Matsui, I read in the paper today that he could start DHing in games as soon as tomorrow.
“But I can tell the difference between the press reporting and the press harassing.”
His intent (lobbing bouquets Reyes’ way) was exceedingly obvious. Sadly, he could have articulated that in a better manner than he did, but it’s a fair reflection on how dull things can be in ST when the writers, knowing his intent, turn it around on him.
Stick around. Later today the press will explain to the masses how he was able to stage getting a cyst in his hip.
I think the principal in Billy Madison would have responded to today’s Wally Matthews’ column most appropriately:
—————
Mr. Matthews, what you’ve just written is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent column were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in the blogosphere is now dumber for having read it. I award you the gold medal for the most asinine column of the year, and may God have mercy on your soul.
If everybody stops following Pete off the cliff every time he posts something about A-Rod, then he would stop posting them. (Really? You guys really were mad about a COMPLETELY INNOCENT quote about Reyes? Come on.)
I posted this last night but now can’t find it:
Pete, you can’t post nonsense about A-Rod every afternoon after the game and then make fun of how A-Rod dominates the news. No, I’m not an A-Rod supporter, I hate the guy, but am sick of reading about his kids or an innocent quote that you know meant nothing.
Be the MLB correspondent for TMZ if you want because other than your A-Rod obsession, I love the blog and read it every single day for hours, but if you are going to keep doing it, don’t then fault the guy for dominating the news when you’re the one creating it.
Ham Fighters,
Actually, they’re all my favorites. Godzilla’s not godzilla anymore.
I just named those 3 because they’re the 3 scoops of rice on my mixed plate.
Favorite rookie: Gardner
Favorite soph: Phil Hughes
I haven’t quite warmed up to AJ Burnett because we don’t know much about him. But if he starts blowing away teams, he’ll become an instant fave.
If Mark Teixeira’s in the middle of a lot of rallies, then he’ll probably be a favorite, too.
What I try to remember is that this is a forum where people feel free to express what’s on their minds regarding baseball, and especially regarding the Yankees. I know that sometimes I “think things out” right here. Meaning, I have an initial reaction to something, and in time, I either find I feel the same way, or new facts or just mulling things over makes me think differently. I try not to go to extremes and generalities, but sometimes forget about not doing that.
All that just means that I don’t want to let myself get too caught up in all the angst that’s here, especially with respect to ARod.
I’ve always liked him as a player. I think the guy has “foot in mouth disease,” but I learned that fairly soon after he joined the Yankees. There is nothing new about this. I hate that he took steroids. Absolutely hate it, but nothing can change the fact that he did. But his personality has always been what we’ve seen. He’s tried to live up to what other people think he should be – say what they think he should say. He seems to at least understand that on some level, he’s not what people expect that seems to bother him – at least from what one can tell sitting watching a guy on TV and reading about him in the papers.
But, ARod is ARod. And anyone expecting anything different from him, personality-wise, at this point is just beating a dead horse. And that has nothing to do with the steroids.
What the steroid story allowed was for people who just have this “I don’t know why but I just don’t like the guy” feeling to put that feeling somewhere.
Being able to hit a baseball, run the bases and make spectacular plays does not automatically turn you into a fully-functional human being. If ARod didn’t join the Yankees, I don’t believe is inadequacies would be quite as magnified. He is, undoubtedly, the anti-Jeter in many ways. And he knows it, and doesn’t seem to like it. He’s a wannabe in the personality department.
I wish he could just be who he is – go out and play baseball and the rest of it be darned. It’s not going to ever be that way – not for the next 9 – NINE – years. I hope that whatever disappointment, anger, dismay, whatever, feeling the media has toward ARod can all be let out and that at some point an equilibrium can be reached.
But ARod is never going to be able to be the person many people want him to be. We seem (many of us – some of us) to have a need, in general, to put the people who do their jobs well up on multi-faceted pedestals. It’s not good. Because then we are destined to be disappointed. If we could just look at ARod as a guy who has a phenomenal talent for baseball and leave it at that, I think we’d be a lot less anxious, disapppointed, whatever.
And I hope his hip is not going to be a serious problem.
Guiseppe, I love that quote.
m, I hear what you are saying, and you made a comment later that this is about the entire issue and not just yesterday. My response is only to yesterday. First of all, there is not a question that Pete has an anti-Arod bias. That’s his right, and this is his blog. And of course, people have a right to respond to what he writes. I don’t bother weighing in on every nonstory. I didn’t really care if Arod showed up on the field with his kids. I think I know enough about Arod to realize that he makes bad choices and that he probably is going to be pilloried no matter what he does. He’s brought it on himself over the years. But yesterday was just ridiculous.
I had hoped that after Pete saw that even the reporters from the Post and NYDN said that Arod wasn’t dissing his teammates that Pete would have come on and made some kind of disclaimer about it because his take was that since Reyes was a SS, it was an intentional diss to Jeter. But he didn’t and that’s okay.
I don’t know if today was so much about Pete as about how stupid it was for the press to continue with this, hounding Jeter for a comment, after coming out and saying they acknowledged that Arod definitely didn’t mean to diss his teammates. (Actually Jack Curry said it best.)
Yesterday all of the forum seemed to be piling on Arod, well most of them. So I was happy to see that this morning posters took the high road.
On the few occasions that Arod is acquittable, I like to see him acquitted.
I don’t think this is so much about Pete as it is about the NY media in general, minus Jack Curry. It’s outrageous on the one hand for them to say Arod didn’t mean anything by it and then on the other hand to seek out Jeter for a comment.
It is just my opinion that that kind of behavior stinks like rotting fish and makes the media immediately suspect and less than credible.
Pete …
I don’t comment much but I read everyday because you truly have an informative and fun blog for the most part. You give Yankee fans glimpses of things that we might otherwise not know about the Yankees. Most of the posters on here are terrific too and also provide lots of information for which I am thankful…BUT…the stuff with Alex is completely out of control. No matter what he does it is blown out of proportion by you as well as the rest of the New York media. This recent so called controversay about his remark is totally over the top. It was a comment praising another player…period. It’s things like these that make the NY sports media an embarrassment at times. If only they would stick to the real deal …reporting sports instead of gossip just think how much more credible sports journalism would be.
SJ44 ..spot on with your earlier post re Alex
Ham is right …we read and comment and give credence to this nonsense so I guess we have blame in it too as fans.
m – well aware it’s Pete’s blog and he can post whatever..which for the most part is terrific..but…the Alex stuffed is over the top now and in truth does get tiresome. It’s so much more fun to read about Wang back into form, Gardner or Melky for CF, exciting new acquisitions like CC, AJ and Tex than what Alex said or did every other post.
Anyway ..aside from the Alex stuff…great blog and fantastic posters. Here’s to a terrific season for ALL the Yankees …
Go Yankees 2009!!
here’s what i know about aj
filthy, i mean filthy stuff, injury prone, a.l. east stud last yr, tatted, pierced and lets say…intense. oh and he wanted to be in n.y. and says he fits right into the ‘circus.’
which makes him an instant favorite for me.
“But ARod is never going to be able to be the person many people want him to be. We seem (many of us – some of us) to have a need, in general, to put the people who do their jobs well up on multi-faceted pedestals. It’s not good. Because then we are destined to be disappointed. If we could just look at ARod as a guy who has a phenomenal talent for baseball and leave it at that, I think we’d be a lot less anxious, disapppointed, whatever.”
Doreen, brilliant in its simplicity. I couldn’t agree with you more.
trisha,
I used to go to the post and daily news sites and read their Yankee articles and columns. I used to click on the stories from those papers that are linked here. No more. I stick to mainstream media, this site, and NYTimes baseball page.
Hopefully, the Yankees season will be on the upswing and I can begin to revisit those sites.
But I reserve my right to complain about the people who complain about Pete.
It is funny how little we hear about A.J.
If Pete wrote an A-Rod post and no one commented on it, would it really exist?
Maybe we should test that concept?
“But I reserve my right to complain about the people who complain about Pete.”
And I reserve my right to support any comments anyone wants to make to any lead-in to the blog. And since Pete is the person who writes the blog, well if they want to complain about Pete, so be it. As people have aptly pointed out in the past, nobody here is perfect. And as a few people have noted, the stuff Pete writes on his blog certainly differs from what he writes as an official reporter, where he is entirely objective (which is more than I can say for a lot of the other “reporters” in NY).
But if Pete didn’t want comments on what he puts on his blog, he would ask people kindly not to comment, I would think. Short of that, everything is fair game.
See that’s what makes America great. You reserve the right to complain about the people who complain about Pete, and I reserve the right to support people who want to complain about whatever is written as the lead-in to the blog. And yet we both end up in the same place, as Yankee fans.
And isn’t freedom of thought what this forum is supposed to be about? I would think that is a yes. Freedom of EVERYBODY’S thought. Yours, mine, the people who don’t com-plain about Pete, and the people who do!
To have a successful year on and off the field, A-Rod needs to say only 2 words . . . . “no comment”.
The only exceptions are MLB officials and the union.
Here’s some Projections for A.J. Burnett.
Bill James 14-11; 3.62era; 224.0ip
CHONE: 12-7; 3.83era; 167.0ip
Marcel: 13-9; 3.97era; 187.0ip
Yanksgal,
I can understand why Pete even makes a post. It’s news. Sad, but true. It’s here, at the Bats Blog on the Times site, espn. Everywhere.
I think Alex and the Yankees have accepted that everything Alex says and does is news.
I’ve finally accepted it myself. In fact, I’m numb to a lot of it. I was spitting mad about the steroids because I was shocked and disappointed, but otherwise it’s “Alex being Alex” for me.
So, yes, it’s the media’s fault. But they’re really only doing their job. And they still manage to tell us how Phil, Gardner, Jeter did. And you sometimes find a quote or interview with Girardi.
“If Pete wrote an A-Rod post and no one commented on it, would it really exist?
Maybe we should test that concept?”
I’m game! I’d love to see a sign-up sheet on that one, along with follow through!
Consider mine the second signature – after yours.
“But I reserve my right to complain about the people who complain about Pete.”
Then your anti-complainer apologist title has been rescinded.
You know – all this “Arod v. Jeter” stuff is just a way to keep the discussion flowing (and people posting) until there is actual baseball news to post…
m,
Do you really think the problem was that Pete posted the news item, or that he presented it in such a defamatory way? I don’t fault Pete for posting it as, like you said, all the other news sources had the “quote”, whether we like that or not. However, he doesn’t have to introduce every A-Rod story about his kids or about an innocent quote such as this as blindly negative as he does.
SJ44 –
Your comments would be valid if the person being interviewed was an ordinary person unused to reporters or the public eye.
However, ARod isn’t. He knows, he should know, that every word he says can be taken in several ways by the media — rightly, or wrongly. That’s a fact.
Especially in the context of the previous week, you’d think he would be careful. It’s not what he said, it’s the timing of it. Pete was quite correct yesterday, there are ways of praising Reyes without trashing Jeter. He may, or may not have meant to trash Jeter. But he definitely did, by proxy.
He KNEW he was talking to a reporter. He employs several PR agents, talent agents and probably half the media relations people in the US. What an incredible waste of money they are, because he’s quite evidently too dumb to learn from them, or say the right thing at the right time.
I guarantee you they have sat him in classes on how to deal with the media.
And yet … he learns nothing…
… Or he’s such an attention whore that he IS deliberately provoking them.
Would Jeter or Joba, or several others who are great with the media, ever have said anything like that? No. You know they would never have done that.
There is something seriously wrong with ARod. And it is quite correct for the media to keep exploring it.
I really just wish we could get rid of the guy off the Yankees. He’s going to be trouble for a very long time.
pat,
I’m so confused. That’s like a sentence with 11 negatives in it!
I’m no Pete apologist, but I still think people would’ve gotten it by now. Pete will post about Alex. And often. And not very kindly.
pat – what happened with your trip to the west? Did you get cancelled out altogether or are you there and posting from there?
it is amazing how this arod soap opera has not run it’s course.
how much can we keep talking about him?
i read this stuff & move on immediately.i like when pete posts every lille thing including the arod insults but i judge it on my own & move on quickly,no big deal.
i might comment here & there but when it goes on forever i just read the comments but don’t post much.
we dictate the content of this blogg once pete sets the tone & i believe that is the way it should be but if we wan’t this to go away just stop talking about it.
i just can’t wait till baseball starts when the stats will consume most of the posts.
darkmoonfire -
Just shut up. No matter what ARod says or doesn’t say he going to be blasted by the media. He was at fault for saying he’d like to have one of the best players in the game on his team and leading off? Seriously, that’s a bad thing?
will aj only win 14 games on this yankee team when mussina won 20 with the 2008 team?
14 wins seems a little low,maybe 16 or 17.
“There is something seriously wrong with ARod. And it is quite correct for the media to keep exploring it.”
It was totally INCORRECT for the media to acknowledge that Arod did not mean any disrespect to his teammates and then to track down Jeter for a comment.
If you are working from a premise that the media can do no wrong when it comes to their coverage of Arod, then you are working from a faulty premise indeed.
m -
The problem with your stance is I don’t just want to accept it and move on. This blog used to be so great. And, it ticks me off to no end about what it’s become.
I don’t know what you people read, but the preponderance of the New York papers is clearly exculpatory re: Rodriguez’s comments about Reyes.
Both Kepner and Curry of the Times downplayed it and assumed it was at worst clumsy but well-meant praise of a WBC team-mate, and the Daily News’s Harper took the same view. That leaves only the Post, where Rodriguez supporters know never to go since they call him A-Roid in headlines.
On the national sports news front, espn.com today is following the hip story, and si.com has that, a favorable report on his play for the DR team, and held-over stuff on the Couric ‘career advice’ story plus Strawberry shocking us all by saying he’d have taken steroids too if they’d been offered.
So, with four out of five major outlets giving this non-story the scant attention that it merits, how far into the world of suburban rags do you have to dig to find all this persecution you’re crying about?
Stick with the real world of metropolitan papers and major sports outlets and keep away from suburban rags, your blood pressure will thank you.
And how are we defining media – (I’m not talking about Pete) – but in this world where anyone can get a computer, set up a website/blog (or even a Twitter account) and broadcast whatever they want (regardless of how they found out whatever it is they are broadcasting) how do you set boundaries/manage “media exploration”
Predicting wins and losses is silly unless there is some type of math behind it like with Marcel and CHONE. The number of wins and losses is directly influenced by how good a team’s defense and hitting is, as well as a pitcher’s skill.
Also, notice how the projections have Burnett throwing less than 200 innings, that would obviously effect how many wins/losses he has.
the chone and marcel projections for all pitches are very low. i believe ther are only 5 or 6 pitchers they project at 14 W’s or above. they hedge thier bets on W’s b/c they are the most unreliable pitching stat.
bru, I’m no expert on projections; but I think predicting/projecting wins does not factor in certain variables-run support; the fact that A.J will be pitching against other teams #3 starters; ect..
I wish CB were around to explain it better…
this blogg is still great.what other blogg brings you so close to the players & has instant chatting in real time updated to the minute.
no baseball is being played & the best player in the game got knocked off the throne.
once the season starts & the yankees rule baseball again a lot of this will go away.
m ..
It just seems like when it comes to Alex it’s more sports gossip than sports news. Most of the reports are hearsay ..one reporter writes a story and the rest run with it without even a thought if there were more to it than just the quote given. I’m with the people who think Alex should just not comment the rest of the year…just go out and do his thing…let his talent alone speak for him.
Again ..I feel Damon and Jeter could care less because they do know Alex and they know it is a non-issue for the players involved. It’s just the media and fans who love to write and read about this stuff.
Soooooooooo…who has the most wins this year on the pitching staff?? I’ll be at the Exhibition game on the 4th and can’t wait to see the new Stadium (although the old stadium will always feel like my home away from home ..sigh). I’ll just have to make many more new memories in this one…hopefully great ones at that…
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
I actually thought that Wally Matthews piece was spot on. Harsh, but spot on.
i am just waiting for the media to say that arods cyst is from injecting steroids.i am suprised it has not been suggested yet.
You know why Jeter has nothing to say about it? Because he’s smart enough to realize that what Rodriguez said means absolutely nothing.
bru -
But not close to as great as it was. Waaaaaaaaaay too many ARod posts to come close to what it once was. Seriously, a post was needed to blast ARod for driving a $400,000 car with a license plate frame around it that says his name?
rodg12 -
Nah, you shut up.
Yes, he is at fault for saying that in the context of the previous weeks. Because it was definitely an unskilled thing to say, one that can only be taken as trashing Jeter.
There are ways to say how much you admire Reyes. That was absolutely not one of them.
He’s an idiot, and whose many hundreds of PR people must be constantly suffering from high blood pressure from as a direct result.
Again, and for emphasis, do you seriously think Jeter would have EVER said anything like that?
I deal with the press often in my job. I’ve not had all the high level training ARod has to deal with them. And yet I would never had said anything like that around a reporter.
He’s either got some mental problem, or it is a deliberate act to provoke.
ARod does get a lot of column inches devoted to him, regardless of what he says, because he deserves every bit of it. His best approach would be to shut up and stop talking for the rest of his life. But he loves the attention too much.
He’s the Britney and Lohan of the baseball world, and he simply reaps what he sows.
my win projections
cc 20W because he’s a stud
wang 19 W’s because he’s the wanger
aj 16 W’s because they dont always play the east
pettitte 13 W’s down another notch from last year
joba 14 W’s not going to pitch every 5th no matter what they say now
phil 10 W’s and none before may 20th
sabathia 19 wins
wang 17 wins
burnett 16 wins
pettitte 14 wins
joba 10 wins
BREAKING NEWS:
A-ROD goes to Starbucks this morning before departing to Colorado and doesn’t leave a tip in the tip jar! What Would Derek Jeter Do?
As fans we just have to accept the media hates A-ROD and it’s not going to stop anytime soon. He doesn’t help himself though, not the greatest public speaker and usually doesn’t think things through before speaking…..all those paid advisors should have noticed this by now
bru – It had been suggested by plenty of people yesterday haha.
rodg – Yea that was bad, but the one about his kids and his family was the worst.
bru,
I hear ya on that one.
some interesting numbers/thoughts regarding this blog’s obsession w/ A-Rod.
of the 10 posts on the front page 2 have A-Rod in the title (3 if you count the “Today in the Journal News” post.
7 of the 10 articles have at least one mention or jab @ A-Rod.
Other than the in-game post, comments on the A-Rod posts far outway any other posts. And average about 170 comments per.
My interpretation is, that as much as Pete and all of us complain about how much A-Rod is in the media and a major “distraction” to real baseball news, A-Rod is by far the biggest reason most people read and react here. As posters have said before, if we all just stop reading and reacting to every post about A-Rod, it will probably all just go away. As i am obviously guilty of contributing i will say that is probably not likely to happen anytime soon.
And Jeter does nothing to diffuse the situation with his comment, “I’ve got nothing to say man”.
Why didn’t he be like Damon and say “Reyes is a great player, I know he didn’t mean it as a slight on me, we’re fine”?
Trisha –
I deal with the media a lot. It does not matter whether they are right or wrong in what they do. It IS what they do regardless.
This is why it is essential for anyone dealing with the media to be careful of what they say. ARod MUST know this.
… and yet he continues to shoot himself in the foot.
Again, what on Earth is he paying all those PR people for? What a total waste of money.
hokiehill,
Correct. There are a select few who keep on ragging on Pete and ask him to talk baseball and slam him for posting about A-Rod. Why should Pete not talk about ARod? Compare the blog activity to when A-Rod is the topic, to when baseball is the topic and it’s not even close.
A-Rod gets more readers and generates more interest. So clearly, the number of people who don’t want to talk about it is a small one. The theory that people want to talk about meaningless Spring baseball has been proven false. Pete knows that, anyone can know that by reading the comments on the blog.
i love me some jeter! if he responded about the reyes comment in any way, his response would have been parsed for any possible slight of arod. and just the reply itself becomes another story. he understands the feeding frenzy and refuses to feed it. thats why you say ‘no comment, man’ because even if you back the guy up, it keeps the story going.
Everyone knows by now that Jeter doesn’t like Arod. He won’t go out of his way to help him, but he won’t make any comments to take him down. He just says nothing, which pretty much says it all.
Projections? Do people actually pay attention to them. How do they predict that a blister will knock Josh Beckett out for 2 starts. What? They put that in the simulator? And they factor in Jeter’s .15 GIDP per game played into each starter’s projections? And they give Hughes a blind ump factor in 3 of his starts?
trisha
Stayed at the airport hotel Sunday night to avoid the messy roads Monday morning. Had a 2 hour delay at the airport but survived the journey.
FYI- No one here cares about A-Rod dissing Jeter and Damon or A-Rod’s hip but they would like to see Manny in Dodger Blue. Just like real estate, it’s all about the location.
Hokie – It doesn’t count when half the comments on the A-Rod posts are begging Pete to stop posting them.
darkmoonfire, but Arod has no breathing room whatsoever. Maybe that is what he needs to learn, and I don’t know truly whether he is capable; but I cannot see him being pilloried for his comment on Reyes. At worst it was clumsy. If another player said the same thing it would be a nonstory.
However I have great respect for the NY papers that backed off. I think what you are seeing here today was Pete fanning the flames by announcing the Jeter was asked for a comment. Who knows who asked Jeter. It could have been a reporter from some dinky rag that barely gets read. We weren’t provided with that information. So it makes it appear that “the media” is once again at Alex. Maybe that isn’t even the case here.
I’m sure we’ll eventually learn what “reporter” tried to get a comment from Jeter. Bush league stuff in my opinion.
But I guess you are right that that is what the media do.
Well, the next time Pete sensationalizes an A-rod item, just respond with “crickets”.
btw, i just want to say i love pete’s coverage of arod, its his blog and he can say whatever he wants. i chuckle at the arod comments. i dont need pete or anybody else making up my mind on things, i come here to find out what’s going on with the yankees and this is THE SOURCE for yankees info.
keep it coming pete, [screw]‘em if they cant take a joke!
My predictions for the wins…
Sabby – 21 (Cy Young Year – I say dream big)
Wang – 18
AJ – 16
Pettitte – 14 (again)
Joba – 13
Also saying Mariano gets 45 saves this year …Go Mo !!
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
Just read matthew’s article….LMAO
Now Arod is not suppose to get divorced. And somehow the torre book is his fault as well. I dont understand why the media makes a big deal out of he and derek not being close friends. I work with people who i’m not compeltely fond of, but we talk occassionaly and will share some laughs. I don’t hang out with them after work and I dont invite them over for thanksgiving. I have a lot of associataes, but few friends.
A-Rod is judged differently. Whether thats fair or unfair is the point. He HAS to have better judgment than that. It’s unbelievable how every comment he makes and everything he does constantly shows bad judgment. He has to understand he is a polarizing figure and every action of his will be magnified.
He didn’t stop to think that Reyes plays the same position as Jeter? He didn’t realize that Reyes vs. Jeter is a constant debate on talk radio/message boards among Mets/Yanks fans? He didn’t think maybe Damon would be offended?
It was a harmless quote coming from anyone but A-Rod. He should know that. Considering the Jeter/ARod dynamic anyway, it was a dumb comment that even a 5 yr old knows would be blown out of proportion.
“Well, the next time Pete sensationalizes an A-rod item, just respond with “crickets”.”
I’m in. And whack my hand if you see me do otherwise.
Projections are just for fun …who really knows what is going to happen during the season ..ala Wang last year.
“one that can only be taken as trashing Jeter. ”
By you and other idiots. I didn’t take it that way at all. But, keep spewing out crap.
“He’s either got some mental problem, or it is a deliberate act to provoke.”
Seriously? Because he said he’d take one of the best players in baseball on his team he has mental problems. I’m inclined to believe it’s the other way around. The idiots who took it as anything more than that are the ones with either mental problems or are deliberately trying to provoke.
“This is why it is essential for anyone dealing with the media to be careful of what they say. ARod MUST know this.”
Because he said a LOT when he drove away in a $400,000 car, right. Man, he was just commenting away at the reports when that happened. Also, when he brought his kids to the field for pictures he was just hollering at the top of his lungs at them. Also, he was yelling at them when he went sunbathing in Central Park a few years ago. Please. It doesn’t matter if he says anything, the media is so biased against him, they’re going to blast him regardless. If that’s the case, why change who you are? Why?
A source tells ESPNDeportes.com that Manny Ramirez has agreed to general terms of a $45M deal with the Dodgers. But the team and Scott Boras won’t confirm any deal
Jeter thinks A-Rod is a clown and is sick of putting out his fires. I think that is pretty clear. He has never come out with anything resembling a strong statement about A-Rod.
Even today as the guy said above… he had a chance to say what Damon said (about it not being a big deal and how good Reyes is), yet he chose to say “I’ve got nothing”. He left A-Rod hanging, yet again, as he should.
“Well, the next time Pete sensationalizes an A-rod item, just respond with “crickets”.”
I’m in. Take me to task if I do otherwise, please.
Jeter’s comment on A-Rod shows exactly what he thinks about him. He didn’t say “You guys (the media) are blowing it out of proportion”. He didn’t even comment.
m,
That criticism of projections ignores what they actually do. Typically, you get a player’s 50th percentile line — essentially, it’s the mean statistics of a player’s season simulated 10,000 times, or something like that. It’s not meant to be taken as saying “This is what Derek Jeter will do this year.” It’s the expected value of his performance, before there is random error. Chances are, the season a player will have is very similar to at least one of the seasons simulated, but because so many seasons are simulated, no individual one is given as the projection. That’s why projection models rarely “predict” outlier seasons, because those types of seasons, by definition, were unlikely to happen.
Mel Hall,
Interesting post.
I wondered out loud how it would be received if Jeter was really impressed with Pujols’ power and said something like, “I’d love to have Albert hitting cleanup on our team.”
Players don’t say that kind of stuff.
We are all Yankee fans here, right? What’s up with all the name calling and anger?
^v^v^v^v^v^v RANDOM NON SEQUITUR WARNING ^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
While the Phils (Hughes & Coke, lame – sorry) looked strong against Team USA, Jose Veras looked SICK. With the sanity Joe Girardi has restored to the entire concept of a pitching staff, guys like Veras and Bruney shouldn’t have to worry about being burnt-out.
Girardi’s approach has a ripple effect: not only is the current bullpen being utilized appropriately, but when Melancon is finally delivered to NY, it will be in the ideal environment: as a cog, not The Savior. His tutelage will be unparalleled. He’ll have Eiland and Giradi as coaches, and teammates who seem like genuinely good guys. Mariano Rivera is as open and receptive as any iconic player in history. The beneficial effects he’s had on young pitchers is invaluable.
Yanksgal,
Sorry, I meant the projections like the ones Baseball Prospectus use. Bill James, CHONE, etc.
Kevin,
I was just kidding. It’s just amazing to me that people actually pay attention to them in a game of inches.
Please – We all know when A-Rod does another stupid thing, this blog will get 200 comments in 45 minutes, as usual. Whether it’s the A-Rod bashers piling on, with the A-Rod apologists coming to his defense, or guys talking about how stupid it is, or how harmless it was etc.
Then there will be posters unfairly blasting Pete and then Pete responding and going back and forth with the A-Rod apologists.
This is like an addiction.
Most level headed people know that he didnt mean anything by it. BUT, the problem that a lot of us have is that he’s clueless. Or the stupidest person on earth.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Well Wright and Pedoria were singing the praises of Jeter as a teammate yesterday. You don’t see the beat writers for the Mets or Sox all up in arms about how Pedoria was Jeter to be the captain of those teams. So why is it that Alex gets beat up for similar things that we have heard about most players in the league?
hardwired -
Not to mention that our starters this year should be able to go deeper into games than last year’s starters – thereby further limiting the overuse potential. Our bullpen this year is shaping up to be a strength. A lot of different looks, which I like. A lot of depth.
Yanks 1927
Maybe that is because he has read and heard the quotes out of context? Could that be it.
And when has Jeter ever ever come to Alex’s defense and put out his “fires”? Never.
Wins -
Wang – 21
Sabathia – 16
Burnett – 13
Pettitte – 14
Joba – 4
Hughes – 4
Rivera – 5
Bruney – 4
Coke – 3
Veras – 3
Edwar – 2
Marte – 2
Melancon – 2
Giese – 1
Dunn – 1
Tomko – 1
Yankeediva,
Did any of those players wish out loud to the press that Jeter on their team?
Alex meant well, for sure. But wishing that Reyes was on his team is just another example of an over the top comment from Alex.
well, i play 2 fantasy teams every year, so i need some projections in my mind to decide who to draft where. in regular 5×5, wins is not as easy to predict as the ratio categories (era and whip), but it’s still 10% of the scoring.
Jeter doesn’t even want to get involved. He knows A-Rod is a clown, he doesn’t care. He is busy preparing for the WBC.
O-Dawg,
I would love it if Jeter would answer like this when asked an o/t (a-rod) question.
“Did you have a baseball question?” He’ll never do it, but it would be wicked if he did.
Y1927,
Jeter has never put out A-Rod’s fires. He just watched the burning LOL
There are several stages to dealing with Alex, much like the stages of mourning. They are: Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and, finally, Acceptance.
Those teammates of Alex who finally get to Acceptance realize that you ignore what comes out of A-Rod’s mouth, and most of what he does off the field, and you just keep it between the white lines.
We all need to get there.
“i am just waiting for the media to say that arods cyst is from injecting steroids.i am suprised it has not been suggested yet.”
It was. Today on Dan Patrick Radio. He talked about it with Tom Verducci, who discounted it as unlikely.
I’d say they’re worth paying attention to. I wouldn’t take them as the be-all and end-all, but they have their place. For example, if PECOTA predicts a team is going to be very different from what conventional wisdom is saying, you might want to poke into what’s causing it to be bullish/bearish on that team. Saying “Chone projects Albert Pujols to put up a .327/.438/.604, so he’s not going to be as good as he was last year” is foolish.
It just makes Jeter look better. While he was named the Captain of the USA team and had praised showered upon him from the entire team including his ‘competitors’ like Pedroia and Wright…. A-Rod was busy sticking his foot in his mouth.
It was kind of funny that it happened in succession. Pete posts the comments that the other players had for Jeter, followed up with the dumb A-Rod comment lol. I feel bad for A-Rod, he doesn’t mean any harm. He just doesn’t get it though.
LOL Jeter’s quote says exactly what it says – “no comment”. He’s refusing to dignify this non-story by commenting to the mediots. I love these so-called experts who are so sure that Jeter hates Alex, lol
They’re reporting that Manny has finally signed. Don’t know about you but I was more sick of that soap opera than Arod’s even.
Once again, this much to do about nothing except for irresponsible journalism…..It does provide a rise here though….SJ was there overhearing the conversation and somehow it gets twisted to this…..Amazing…
i love how Pete works a snarky comment on A-Rod into EVERY F’ING POST, then simultaneously rips A-Rod for ALWAYS being the story.
zero self awareness. what a joke.
fabricate a controversy, then complain about the fact that A-Rod is always the center of controversy.
I think Pete is punishing us. No updates at all.
Jeter did exactly what he should have– not throw a bone to A-Rod like Johnny Damon did.
Don’t acknowledge it at all – Just stay out of it and leave him hanging.
Kevin,
I know they have value, otherwise people wouldn’t go through the trouble of making & using them.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love numbers. But the only ones that matter to me are the ones in the standings.
Bill James has Hughes with a fantabulous ERA and win total, but I’ll celebrate any success after the season. I’m super superstitious and see jinxes around every corner.
Of course it’s fun to read the bloggers predictions here, but I’m not a fantasy player and only worry about getting into the playoffs so W-L is what really matters to me.
duh – Thank you, thank you for seeing the hypocrisy.
some more projections for the rotation:
cbs
cc 19 W’s
wang 18 W
aj 18 W
pettitte 14 W
joba 10 W
espn
cc 19 W’s
wang 15 W
aj 15 W
pettitte 14 W
joba 13 W
That Casisus post was spot on, IMO.
Yet Pete still gets you to post here and give hits to his blog.
It’s like people who say they hate the mediots, yet post every negative article here every morning and rant about how much they hate the media.
james has hughes at
22 starts, 9-5, 3.35 125 IP 122 K 1.25 whip
i agree i have phil at 10 W’s
Wow this story just totally bummed meout
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....NHeadlines
Amen SJ44…Amen.
We get it Pete, you don’tlike A-Rod. Heck alot of us probably really don’t care for the man personally either.
But for crying out loud, give it a rest with this nonsense.
All I care about is what he does on the field. All this nonsense being fueled by the media, and eaten up by the sheep, is so tiresome. Dispute that all you want Pete about the media, but you know it’s true.
You’d think with baseball season fast approaching I’d be coming on to this blog more, but it’s actually turning out to be less. I’m so sick of reading all this junk over and over again.
i should probably watch putting my projections here, because of you are now going to be my adversaries in fran’s lohud espn league.
Ham Fighters,
Jinx! Thanks for that. I don’t see how Phil gets 22 starts. But from what I’ve seen, Hughes CAN pitch in the bigs as long was healthy.
Thanks for the Yogi pic, Pete! Too bad Alex isn’t in camp, we have to settle for a legend.
For every article about ARod there have been a million or two posters on blogs obsessing on how the media obsesses on ARod.
You get what you ask for, obsessors.
Pete, as for me please keep up the good work. I like the Yankee updates and news. If I feel it isn’t good anymore, I’ll just choose to go elsewhere. I thought that was free choice was about…
Back to your regularly scheduled poster obsessions.
“Yet Pete still gets you to post here and give hits to his blog.
It’s like people who say they hate the mediots, yet post every negative article here every morning and rant about how much they hate the media.”
here’s the difference: i’m not a professional reporter.
sorry im a yankees fan i dont believe in jinxes or curses, i leave that crap to socks and cubs fans.
And I would like to apologize in advance.
At some point, Pete’s going to say something snarky about Girardi, and I will respond. And it won’t be with *crickets*.
Has anybody been to Atlanta’s Spring Training stadium in Disney? I’ll be there in 10 days! Is it as nice as I hear it is? Is there anything else to do in Disney’s Wide World of Sports?
Going to see Yanks/Twins and Yanks/Phils in Tampa and Braves/Mets in Disney.
At some point, Pete’s going to say something snarky about Girardi, and I will respond. And it won’t be with crickets.
——————————
Everyone’s entitled to an opinion and this is Pete’s blog afterall. He sure has the right to give his.
But this A-Rod stuff has gone way too far.
It’s like A-Rod stole Pete’s lunch money one day in the clubhouse and now he’s on some “trash A-Rod at any chance” kick.
It’s just getting real old reading it over and over again, especially when it’s over some meaningless trivial comment he made yesterday.
gayle -
I read that story this morning and was bummed out as well. Sad.
If Babe Ruth and DiMaggio and Yogi and Mantle were playing today, they would not be media darlings either. They would be endlessly hounded and their every utterance would be fuel for the tabloid like headlines.
Their private lives wouldn’t be left alone. Every fault and flaw would be harped on throughout the 24 hour news cycle.
I hear the laments of how baseball is just not the same as it used to be. A large part of the problem is created by the excess of news. Its groupy tabloid stuff most times, yet it sells.
A-Rod brings some on because of the way he phrases things, but it always gets blown out of proportion. Always. Read through some of the things that Ruth or any of the old players said and think about how that would be taken now. Its not just about eras and cultural differences, its about how it gets portrayed in the media and by the pontificators.
We enable this to get out of hand, and then wonder where the magic has gone.
“Jeter’s comment on A-Rod shows exactly what he thinks about him. He didn’t say “You guys (the media) are blowing it out of proportion”. He didn’t even comment.”
If Jeter wasn’t the Captain of the Yankees, I would agree with you. However, as Captain, he’s got to be there for all members of the team. That includes the ones he doesn’t like.
If Jeter doesn’t want the responsibilities that go along with being Captain, then he should tell the Steins that he wants to give it up. I have a feeling that if Jorge was Captain and A-Rod had made some comment about wishing some other catcher was a Yankee, he would have made an effort to diffuse the situation much like Damon did. Jeter’s “no comment” only makes the situation worse.
im saying it now, phil’s next call-up will be his last. he will pitch his way into the rotation this season.
Gayle- That really bummed me.
Hughes will get 22 starts when Burnett goes on the DL
A-Rod must remind Pete of the playground bully that would break his # 2 pencils when he was in 6th grade…
i didnt like the way pete was on girardi last year, but too bad, its his blog. he can say whatever he wants as long as he keeps serving it up with the real info he always provides.
Laura – Absolutely. Thats what people don’t understand— Jeter’s ‘no comment’ actually makes the situation worse.
Murph,
Bingo. That’s why guys on the team don’t lose sleep over anything Alex says.
I love how folks KNOW that Jeter doesn’t like Arod. Nothing can be further from the truth but, the myth goes on. At least it sells papers and gets blog hits.
Even Jeter knows yesterday was not a “diss” of him. He is just unwilling to play the game right now.
What is the “game”? Its the breathless media going to Jeter to comment on Alex’s comment. If Jeter says something, they will then go to Alex to comment on what Derek says. Then, back to Jeter to comment on what Alex had to say about Derek’s comments and on and on we go.
Derek is smart because he won’t take the bait. If the roles were reversed, Alex would get KILLED for saying nothing.
All of this is much ado about nothing. I was there. I heard the entire conversation and there wasn’t ANY hint of a diss to ANYBODY. It was Alex praising another player. That’s it. Parsing his words to say how much, and what context he should use, to praise another player is idiocy at its finest.
Its why I can’t wait for the real games to begin. At that point, the media has a tough call to make. Cover the team like a real baseball team or continue to go with an TMZ version of “All-Arod, All-The Time”.
The good reporters in the business will choose the former. The sleaze, the latter.
If the media is “sick” (as I have heard some of them say) of the “Arod Show”, there is a simple solution to the “problem”. Start reporting news instead of trying to make news. There is a difference.
Flunk a steroid test? That’s REPORTING the news. Trying to turn an innocuous comment into something? That’s trying to MAKE news.
Whatever side one chooses, is a way of seperating the men from the boys among baseball writers.
Teixeria said he would give A-Rod a big hug and tell him he would be there for him… when has Jeter ever said something like that?
Jeter does not like A-Rod and does nothing to hide it. Look at how he responds to A-Rod comments compared to other things. Look at how his other teammates respond to A-Rod compared to Jeter.
Then again, A-Rod burnt his bridge with the GQ comments in 01.
Did Manny Ramirez just become a Yankee in 2010?
He’ll surely exercise his opt out clause. With Damon and Matsui possibly leaving after the season it is much more of a possibility next year than it ever was this year.
So SJ44… are you saying Pete isin’t a credible baseball writer?
danny stop trying to make news.
What would Jeter say?
Even if Alex called and told Jeter it came out the wrong way, Jeter would NEVER EVER tell the media. He keeps his confidences private.
If Alex didn’t call what would Jeter say? “I’m not offended by what Alex said”. Even Jeter knows that it came out the wrong way. Him saying that he’s not offended would lend credence to the original story.
Jeter could crack a joke, but I have a feeling that when he’s hounded about Alex, he’s not in a joking mood.
another thing about the arod quote. i wouldnt be shocked if jeter hadnt actually heard the quote anyway. i doubt he goes home and watches sportcenter all night and ill bet he doesnt get up and read the baseball news online first thing in the morning.
seriously, ill bet he had alot better things to do last night than watch sportcenter…
“I love how folks KNOW that Jeter doesn’t like Arod. Nothing can be further from the truth but, the myth goes on. At least it sells papers and gets blog hits.”
SJ44, you’ve been right on point today with your comments, but here is where you lost me. It’s no secret that Jeter was upset with Alex over his comments in that Esquire article. That ended their sleep overs. Go back to the press conference when the Yankees first signed Alex and look at Derek’s face. I’m sorry, but there is no mistaking that he was not happy.
It has been often reported that Jeter is not a forgiving guy. Once you cross him, he’s done with you. This was true for Alex until he became a Yankee. Derek had to see him for countless months out of the year. Derek had to “support” him (although he’s done a lousy job of it so far IMO). Derek has to tolerate Alex because he needs him to win. You of all people know that above all else, Derek wants to win. If putting up with Alex accomplishes that goal, Derek is all for it. But to think that he likes Alex – I’m sorry, but that’s one bill of goods I’m not prepared to buy. Does he hate him? Probably not. Hate is such a strong word. But if Alex were to be traded to another team (yes, I know – pure fantasy), I’d bet serious money that Derek would never speak to him again.
“another thing about the arod quote. i wouldnt be shocked if jeter hadnt actually heard the quote anyway.”
He knew about it because Alex called the Yankees to let them know that he didn’t mean anything by it. I would hope he called Derek as well, but we don’t know.
gayle i posted that yesterday i saw it on foxsports that really bumed me out to thats reallly tragic
Is there any chance of Gardner not starting the season at this point?
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday.....b_atlmlb_1
So…..nobody has been to Braves ST stadium to give me some insight?
you’re assuming jeter would answer if he saw it was arod calling…
SJ44–
I actually *know* for a fact that Derek and Alex are good friends again, but no one would believe me.
Ham Fighters,
Why wouldn’t he answer? Alex is a friend. He’s got a physical malady.
Alex is not an ogre. He’s human.
“Then again, A-Rod burnt his bridge with the GQ comments in 01.”
Is it a fact that Jeter still holds this against Arod? If so, how long will Jeter hold a grudge over a few comments in a magazine from nearly 10 years ago before he becomes the bad guy in this? Sure, Michael Jordan used to take seemingly innocent or obscure comments and use them to motivate him, and Tiger Woods does it all the time. The thing is, they do it to get an edge on an opponent, not to continue making a teammate uncomfortable.
im just pointing out that i dont think jeter pays any attention to this crap when he leaves the park. he’s got hot girlfriends, he’s close to his parents, he’s got more than a few party invitations, and he’s the kind of guy who might actually read a book or something not baseball or money related.
i think he gets away from all this at least mentally when he leaves the park.
Actually, Pete is a credible baseball writer.
I happen to disagree with what he posted yesterday simply because he wasn’t there to hear the context of the comments.
If he was IMO, he wouldn’t have posted it.
Wally Matthews idiotic babble today? That was comedy at its finest. Wally ought to hit his knees and thank God everyday he has a job in the #1 media market in the country because he may be the dumbest human being to ever have a column in the history of NY sportswriting.
Derek doesn’t dislike Alex. He’s just not going to buy into what some members of the media want, which is a soap opera. Its not going to happen.
Derek has gone above and beyond the call of duty behind the scenes to be supportive of Alex. That’s how he rolls and frankly, its why he is so well respected by so many people.
Alex is being covered the same way Reggie Jackson was covered by the NY media 32 years ago. True Yankee (Munson) vs. Mercenary Diva (Reggie). If you go back and look at the Daily News and the Post from 32 years ago, the similarities are striking.
The difference? You have sports talk radio now which keeps this stuff burning 24/7. Also, the manager isn’t a drunk like Billy Martin was, which only added fuel to the fire. Jeter is also MUCH better at handling the media than Thurman was, so he limits the play to stories like this to one news cycle.
Everytime Arod does something publicly, like playing with his kids, talking about another player, leaving the ballpark, etc, the slant is ALWAYS negative from some members of the media.
You don’t think Derek sees that and decides that’s not the way to go?
He knows that ANYTHING he does publicly with Alex gets played out as a soap opera by the tabloid media. So its makes perfect sense not to play the game.
Look, Alex does and says enough dumb things over the course of a season to keep microphones, phone lines and notebooks filled. You don’t have to manufacture something to fill the day’s quota. That’s all I’m saying.
Pete,
You seem like a Cashman defender, so I was thinking maybe you can start a post about what the fans think of Cashman’s work. There was a topic on RiverAveBlues about bad contracts and I feel like most Yankees fans think Cashman is a great GM. I strongly disagree but I feel that I am in the minority on this one.
“Hokie – It doesn’t count when half the comments on the A-Rod posts are begging Pete to stop posting them.”
I disagree with that Steve M…any post complaining about Pete’s posts fuel the fire just as much as posts that just agree with or analyze what he wrote. Any posted comment says only one thing to the blogger and particularly the guys that tracks the traffic for selling ads and that is this…”people are paying attention!” if you react in any way to the post, whether it be with “crickets” “ZZZzzzzz” or anything, you are saying to Pete, “I read the post and have an opinion” which is the entire purpose of blogging anyway…to generate discussion.
“Is there any chance of Gardner not starting the season at this point?”
sure. there is a month of ST left.
do you guys really think Gardner is going to keep hitting .600 for the next month?
lots of baseball left.
Pete can’t ingore the story du jour – even if it’s a mostly contrived story; he’s the beat writer. Like a cop walking a foot post or riding a sector car, he’s gotta take all “jobs” he’s assigned in his sector, even if it’s ultimately a non-arrest.
Wally Mathews, on the other hand, is really taking advantage of the situation, trying to run water into wine. He’s flogging the fallen horse.
FYI, I love reading Pete’s blog and think he does a great job. The comments (at least most of them) are also a big reason I love coming here. My point isn’t to trash Pete or any particular person posting, but merely to point out that as mush as we all complain about the situation, Pete and the posters and myself included, we are all contributing and that’s ok.
Elizabeth,
Exactly.
Laura,
Not true. The Esquire stuff was handled YEARS ago. You want to know the exact time it was “handled”? On the private plane ride to NYC, after the Yankees acquired Alex. They are closer now than they have been probably since Alex’s Seattle days.
Do they run the streets together at night like the old days? No. But, their friendship is just fine.
The problem (at least from a media perspective) is, saying Derek and Alex are “friends” is bad for business. Also, Derek is MUCH more media savvy than Alex (despite Alex having 2,144 media advisors) and simply isn’t going to put his life out for public consumption.
Their friendship is fine and has been for years. Folks will NEVER believe it so, it doesn’t even make sense to talk about it. However, saying they aren’t friends, which many members of the media still insist, is not even remotely accurate.
on a baseball note…i’ve seen it mentioned several places that girardi wasn’t too please with Jeter being in the exhibition game for all 9 innings yesterday. That seems like a reasonable assumption but I was curious if there are any direct quotes from girardi regarding his position on it.
Matthews’ column was one of the dumbest things i have ever read.
he literally wrote that even if A-Rod wins multiple championships with the Yankees, his contract will be the worst in sports history.
think about that. the Yankees win the WS with A-Rod, and according to Matthews, it was still the worst contract ever.
so dumb.
even the biggest A-Rod haters here would have to admit that if he delivers titles, his contract would be be worth it, right? or has everyone lost their collective mind?
SJ, At least Alex hasn’t done a Sport Magazine interview in the realm of Reggie’s 77 piece…That was clubhouse dynamite…Your comparsions to that Yankee Club and all it’s dysnfuctions is excellent….That was an amazing time and an even more amazing team of characters….
i was thinking that davey johnson probably left it up to jeter when to come out.
Pat M,
One of my first jobs while I was in college was to be a stringer for AP. In those days, a stringers job was to get sound from the locker room (pre-game and post-game interviews) and give it to the wire service, which would send it out to their affiliates.
I used to watch Reggie and Thurman in that locker room. It was unbelievable. The hatred was so thick from the beginning of 1977 through about August of 1978, you couldn’t help but notice it.
If I went to Reggie after a game for a comment, then went to Thurman, the first thing Thurman would say is, “You play what that #$#$ said before I decide if I will talk to you”.
I was 19 years old and scared out of my mind! lol
This stuff? Trivial, compared to those days. There is NOTHING between Derek and Alex that remotely compares to Thurman (and Graig Nettles for that matter) and Reggie.
duh- What about this comment?
******
At worst, the former will knock him out only of the World Baseball Classic. At best, the latter will knock him out of the Bronx, for good.
*****
So he hopes the cyst is career ending? How sick is that?
****
and this
***
Since the end of last season, we’ve had The Divorce, The Torre Book, The Steroids Test, The Cousin and The Shady Trainer. Yesterday, we had The Slight and The Cyst. Still to come, two days before the home opener, is The Next Book, Selena Roberts’ unauthorized A-Rod bio that is said to be chock full of salacious personal details.
**
Okay the divorce was his fault. Shall we look into Wally’s life and see if he’s done anything he shouldn’t? So the book is Alex’s fault according to Wally? And the cyst. Well geez yeah he made the cyst appear. All Alex’s fault.
These articles are laughable.
So fat boy is sick and YES goes into Yankees classics ? Yeh he wasn’t happy when Maddog left.
You guys do realize that Wally’s job is to write instigating articles like that right? That’s what he gets paid to do. He isin’t a beat writer, he is a sports critic. No different than guys like Raissman or Munshnik. He gets paid to be a hack… and atleast thats better than guys like Bill Madden or George King who are paid to be baseball writers but are hacks instead.
Thurman was an intimitading presence…I’ll never forget him spitting tobacco juice on my sanitaries during a bp session..I looked back at him. and I still can recall his snarl, ” you have a problem rook “…No sir…He was a tough sob….SJ, remember Nettles punched Reggie out during a victory party in 81 at an Oakland resturant, so there was no love lost, but they did play great together….
Which Classis is it?
There’s a reason wby no one thinks highly of A-Rod, he’s a jerk, fraud & liar. Why bust him on him for trivial stuff when he’s an ADMITTED STERIOD USER and constant embarrassment to the Yankees. Too bad the cyst ain’t on his brain it would prove there’s actual activity in there.
I mean, Classic
While I understand those who want to be pessimistic about AJ, I admit that I can’t go there; I just feel tremendous optimism about him. I can’t prove that he will stay basically healthy – it’s just a feeling. Also, I admit that he’s become a favorite of mine, so that’s part of it; he impressed me a lot at his press conference. This was a risk, no question, but it could pay off big time (and yes, it could cost the team….but I think it was worth it). I’m sure he will miss a few starts this year (as many pitchers do), but if he does (and they are just starts here and there, not several in a row), I really prefer that Phil stay in AAA.
I just don’t think that shuttling Phil from Scranton to NY on a fairly regular basis will do him any good. I especially feel this way regarding any spot starts he might make for Joba – that may throw Phil completely off schedule. Let’s say Joba is going to be skipped and Phil comes up. Well, the game is postponed due to rain and now, obviously, CC will pitch on his regular days rest the next day. That means Phil will have missed his start in Scranton and now this one….it just doesn’t work. I think he should stay in AAA for at least 2 or 3 months before he is brought up to NY.
Rishi – The Texas one in 06 where we came back from that 7 run lead… Jorge hit the walkoff HR
is there a Gameday link?
now I’m just coming to see Pete’s rabid frothing Arod hate. It’s funny to me, seeing a grown man so unhinged by a ballplayer.
Oh, if you grow some journalistic integreity, here’s the whole ARod quote, Pete. Maybe you want to post it? Nah, that wouldn’t be in your interest.
FROM ESPN: “Reyes scored twice and stole a base. Rodriguez smiled when asked about the way the Mets star runs the bases and said the Yankees could use that speed.
“I wish he was leading off on our team and playing on our team,” Rodriguez said. “That’s fun to watch, any time you have that type of speed. We have a guy in [Brett] Gardner. That’ll be fun. That’s probably the most fun you can have—watching a guy like that run.””
It’s truly amazing the fixes you make up to put this guy into. It really is.
jennifer
March 4th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
These articles are laughable.
——————————-
The best way to make them go away is for everyone to stop reading them.
These clowns are dying a slow death anyways. There is way to much intelligent baseball writing elsewhere on the interent these days. Why anyone would waste one minute of their time reading the tabloid/TMZ type garbage these guys spit out is beyond me.
Thanks, Jack – I totally remember that game…when someone plowed into Jorge at home…
How is he a joke, fraud, and a liar? Anyone in that situation would have lied to that lady. Let me guess you wanted A-rod to be another Jeter Scorpio? The Yankees signed A-rod after he opted out and said his days as a Yankee were over . What does that say about them?
didn’t nettles punch reggie in the face back in the days????
I need the season to start right now! I want CC on the mound in Baltimore with Teix manning 1B.
With AJ, Joba etc. looking up on the top step. I want Swisher in right and I want there to be actual meaningful games now!
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday.....b_atlmlb_1
The Derek/Alex relationship has been analyzed to death. The media doesn’t “get” that just because they are not BFF anymore doesn’t mean they aren’t friends. They were BFF a LONG time ago – the fact that they’ve come out the other side with a good relationship is pretty remarkable, to me. Even a writer like Jack Curry, who I do respect, often states that their relationship has “cooled”. Well, I suppose it has from those innocent younger days, but when he says that, I don’t believe he’s referring to those days. When he Curry says that, he absolutely means to imply that things are not so hot between them. If I have to read one more writer say Alex/Jeter have a “strained” relationship, I’m going to scream.
Jeter’s “no comment” is just that – he undoubtedly doesn’t feel that Alex said anything that needs defending and just won’t give the mediots what they want. My guess is that he and the rest of the team understand that Alex is just a guy that says goofy things sometimes…and without meaning to. They know the guy a lot better than the mediots….
Looks like Kennedy’s going to get a couple ABs today
Rishi – I think I’ll start a rumor that Jorge hates Teixeira.
1976 or 1977 is when i started liking the yankees & i remember the hatred between nettles/jackson & munson/jackson.
SJ, back to baseball – what did you think of Phil Hughes yesterday?
Thanks!
“didn’t nettles punch reggie in the face back in the days????”
He punched Bill Lee once.
Yanks went 1-2-3 in the 1st
Rishi
I’d bet that Joe instructed him to just stand there. No swinging of the bat.
The Braves are jerks, they could have let us use the dh, while they used the pitcher.
Hola – I was thinking it was Tex…
What’s the benefit to anyone of having AL pitchers hit in these games? Don’t the NL teams want their pitchers facing acutal hitters as practice since the games don’t count?
I know Joe doesn’t want him out there, I wonder why the Braves do
Nettles also punched Reggie in the locker room once.
BJ–thanks for the link!
If he’s in line to pitch that day he’ll def be called up.
no score in the yankees/braves game in the 1st inning.hopefully kennedy pitches well.
it is time to step it up for him.
Betsy,
I was at the Marlins-DR game in Jupiter and didn’t see his start.
Liked the encouraging reports on his outing. I believe he will get 10-14 starts with the Yankees this year and I think he will be fine.
Why did A-Rod have to be taking a shot at anyone with that comment about Reyes? I seriously don’t think he was needling Damon, Jeter, or anyone. He was simply saying he would love to have a guy like Reyes on his team because Jose is a good player and creates havoc. It was a compliment to Reyes that’s it. Pete we all know you can’t stand A-Rod. Every post does not have to imply that. WE GET IT DUDE. Maybe the Yankees would be better off without the guy but he’s here to stay so get over it.
UPDATE, 1:21 p.m.: IPK is not having a good day. Double, groundout, walk, two-run double. 2-0 Braves.
Also, Kennedy is complete garbage and they should trade him while he has any value left
“I know Joe doesn’t want him out there, I wonder why the Braves do”
Mets have had their pitcher hit 2nd in the lineup a few times this spring. They can always use work getting bunts down and all.
‘Why did A-Rod have to be taking a shot at anyone with that comment about Reyes?’
It is what it is, only people w/o a brain believe it was a shot. Which it clearly wasn’t.
gameday is moving at a glacial pace–they dont even have the braves up to bat yet..
How often do we think Kennedy is going to be in a position to hit this season…I think it has a close to 0% chance of happening unless he gets traded to an NL team
kennedy & hughes both look good so far.reports confirm this.
wouldn’t that be interesting if they both pitch great?what do we do?trade one,both,none of them?
Gameday will update at the half inning
maybe i spoke to soon.
we still have hughes.
2-0? Uh oh! This is the part where fans like KO completely jump all over Kennedy and say he should be gone ASAP. Watch!
If he is “garbage” why do you think he has trade value? Teams don’t trade for “garbage”.
Learn a little about baseball before posting. Losing your mind and making foolish comments over ST results doesn’t make you look good.
Bam Bam Kennedy
Damon’s response to the A-Rod question was perfect. He made a joke out of it, instead of taking it as some malicious attack.
Media made something out of nothing.
Ty Wiggy puttin’ some early hurt on Johnny Cueto and the Domicans. This Uehara that the O’s signed whiffed Hanley and Ortiz in the 1st.
Jeff Francoeur is already out of the game, not a good sign for the Braves.
Oops! DomiNIcans
Duh, stop showing your ignorance.
Duh3
You sound just like a member of the media with that response.
Ah, my least favorite Yankee pitcher, Ian Kennedy.
JohnC, you will have to forgive me for jumping all over Kennedy and saying he should gone. But since I have never varied from that position I don’t feel I need to start now.
It’s Dominicans*
We’ll hit him but damn that Cueto.
Any idea whathappened to Francoeur
“Duh3
You sound just like a member of the media with that response.”
Hmmm. Interesting thought.
Yeah Brandon, I corrected myself. I’m expecting a pretty big year from Cueto, but he will give up the long ball some, especially in that park.
duh, the media MAKES him a problem by twisting everything he says.
can sumone give me tha box score of the orioels against team dominicana
Ian Kennedy not having a good day? Imagine that.
Yankeefan91
Check it out on MLB.com
3-0 Orioles thru 2. Hits by Tejada and Taveras for the DR. Cueto’s got nuttin’ today. 5 hits, 3 runs and no K’s thru 2.
Kennedy will be traded at the deadline for Roy Holliday
Domenican Game gameday:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday.....t_balmlb_1
Trisha:
Thats exactly my point. Once a guy fails, its etched in stone in some fans minds that they guy is garbage and should be shipped out as soon as possible. As if there is no chance with some more seasoning or further oppotunities that he can be effective.
No one in their right mind would actually think Arod was dissing Jeter yesterday. Even Mets fans think it’s made up drama. I thought Pete was out of line yesterday but whatever.
I really wish there were more ST games available on tv. I can’t watch it but I could put the sound up and listen to it at least.
thankz steve i found it
thankz rishi really aprreciated
I was never a big fan of Alfred… I thought he could be a useful placeholder for a year or two until the Low A guys were ready, but he didn’t even last a month in the rotation.
He’ll do great in the NL West
3 scoreless innings for the braves’ japanese pitcher
why can’t we find any good japanese pitcher?
for sum reason when i wanna see gameday i can never see it its always blank da only gameday that works is da gameday mini and dat really suck cuz is slowww does anyone noe what i can do
Local boy Rick Porcello sandwiched 3 K’s and 3 groundouts around a single and a couple walks in two scoreless innings against Panama. Good for him.
IPK never has good days anymore.
‘Rishi
March 4th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Domenican Game gameday:’
Thanks Ryu
“3 scoreless innings for the braves’ japanese pitcher”
3 walks in three innings though. Seems to have a little Dice K in him.
JohnC, I have to admit more of a bias than that. If you look at my tagline you see that I will stick with players to the bitter end. I got my back up with Kennedy’s attitude and it didn’t ever get any better. I think if he was just a struggling pitcher who hadn’t been so cavalier about the times he stunk the joint out I probably could have remained in his corner.
“Their friendship is fine and has been for years. Folks will NEVER believe it so, it doesn’t even make sense to talk about it. However, saying they aren’t friends, which many members of the media still insist, is not even remotely accurate.”
I will take your word for it, SJ44. But you are right, the media portrays their relationship as one that is strained. And since I’m not one of the insiders, I have nothing else to go on other than what is reported.
Also, when you talk about Derek supporting Alex behind the scenes, that’s all well and good and probably works for most situations and most players. However, we are seeing that Alex is a whole other animal. He is the rare case that I think Derek needs to make his support of him public. I don’t know if you’ve ever read my take on why Derek lost the MVP in 2006. I think that some of the writers held it against him that he didn’t publicly support Alex when he was getting crucified by the fans at the stadium. I read a few articles at the time where the writers were saying that Derek wasn’t doing enough to stand by Alex. It’s not a stretch to think that they would use that as an excuse not to give a Yankee an MVP award. Of course, I have no proof of this – it’s just a theory.
I am on record as agreeing with them. I don’t think that Derek was publicly vocal enough in support of Alex, particularly when he had no problem speaking up for Giambi. At the time, Alex wasn’t a user. His only crime was that he “supposedly” didn’t hit in the clutch. You would think that Derek would have stood up for him quicker than Giambi. At the time, I wrote it off to being old bitterness from the Esquire article (a rift that you claim was already healed). Now, I don’t know what he didn’t do it. It is one of the few things that has disappointed me about Jeter during his time in pinstripes.
Laura, I agree. It doesn’t look good on the surface… he doesn’t treat A-Rod like he is a friend in public. Derek knows the media runs with the ‘they hate eachother’ angle, yet he says nothing to dispel it.
It is kind of depressing that IPK isn’t pitching too well, because he was such a great prospect. We know he has the potential to succeed, even at the ML level – he didn’t show it last year, but he did well down the stretch in 07 (I realize it was a small sample, but having actually watched the games I thought he pitched soundly). I really like IPK, and would like to see him become a contributer. I don’t care if he spends some more time at AAA working on fine control; our rotation is good enough (barring injuries) that there isn’t much place for him this year anyway. He also is still pretty young. I could, unfortunately, see him becoming trade bait, but I’m still pulling for him to succeed in NY.
trisha:
So far this Spring he has a new attitude. Maybe he has learned from his mistakes of a year ago. It was his rookie year and I’m sure he learned alot, especially about the right attitude. I think he deserves another chance before we give up on him.
My Gameday says that Giese has given up 2 runs but has thrown 0 pitches so far.
JohnC if he succeeds I will root for him but I really can’t bring myself to get to the point of caring whether or not he succeeds. His hurting the Yankees chances of going anywhere last year was not his fault because he didn’t ask to be fast-tracked up. But his refusal to take responsibility for stinking up the joint is his fault because if he had once decided he needed to pitch better instead of standing there like a dodo and saying he was happy with his outings, well maybe it could have made a difference in his preparation, etc.
His last outing at the Stadium was the final straw for me.
If it turns out that truly has a new attitude then maybe that will show. His real estate went down so far for me that mere words certainly are hardly enough.
I guess the rest remains to be seen.
You might be seeing the 2 runs IPK gave up – I have Geise at 0 runs so far
y26
all i can say is that the guy that puts up the runs is a little quicker than the guy who puts up the hits.
trisha:
OK fair enough.
Same here. I have bottom of the 4th, 2-0. Angel Berroa has the only Yankee hit.
an Hawkins gives up a run…Bruney’s better
No hits through 4? Geez I’m glad half these guys wont make the team.
“Angel Berroa has the only Yankee hit.”
Pete’s update:
“Well, how about that? Down 2-0 and getting one-hit, Dan Giese ignites the Yankees with a two-out single. Then he scores on a triple to the right field gap by Johnny Damon.”
2-1 middle of the 5th.
The still jobless Pedro Martinez ain’t winning over any suitors today. 5-0 O’s over the Dominicans.
Weird, my comment won’t post.
Peter– how does kawakami look?
Looks like NYY has a new DH in Geise. Single scores on Damon’s triple.
The Yankees fielded a lousy team today – this doesn’t tell us anything about the season. Cox, Geise and Igawa all suck, so the Braves will probably put 15 runs on the board before it’s through. Too bad about Kennedy, but it’s only ST -and it’s only his 2nd start.
Kay is already saying that Alex’s cyst means he’s starting to break down. I guess we’d better call him doctor? Sheesh. Jack Curry will be on at 2:40pm, by the way. Oddly, Kay was sort of defending Alex by saying that he didn’t mean to diss Damon/Jeter……yet it’s not really a defense because he thinks those words by themselves could easily be interpreted as such. He also said that he can’t blame the NY Post for their headline…oh brother.
I don’t know about anyone else, but the silence is deafening. I’m not used to having absolutely no sound and no picture during a game.
Well it appears Giese gave up a run.
If I cared about that stuff, I would say it’s bad that Team USA is getting one-hit by Toronto
I just hope Dan Giese
is not injured
from running
the bases.
Nady tripled and scored on a ground out. 3-2
Yankee inning over.
‘If I cared about that stuff, I would say it’s bad that Team USA is getting one-hit by Toronto’
I agree there Ryu.
I think Geise could be the yankee DH this year!
Maybe Giese is like Babe Ruth!
Austin Jackson in for Gardner, Todd Linden in for Nady, Justin Leone in for Berroa. Russo goes from 3rd to 2nd, Leone to 3rd. Giese sets them down 1-2-3.
Braves set Yankees down 1-2-3 in the 7th
Braves set Yankees down 1-2-3 in the 7th
trisha I have a cyst on my wrist I guess I am broken down.
Kay is such a moron.
Brackman now pitching for the Yankees
jen – Kay IS such a moron. I haven’t come across a bigger drama queen male announcer in my life!
Pete:
I know it’s at least part tongue-and-cheek, but please stop with the cute A-Rod asides. It’s hard enough to read the regular sports pages these days with all the A-Rod articles and analysis. If someone followed anyone around all day, they would hear lots of silly comments that, if analyzed, would lead you to think he or she was a total jerk. I’m not crazy about ARod either, but the baseball press needs to discuss something else. For instance, baseball.
Has Melancon pitched yet? And did Kennedy end up throwing 2 innings or 3?
Romine in for Bernier; other substitutions. Braves go 1-2-3
Kennedy – 3 innings. No Melancon yet
Great to see Brett Gardner starting in centerfield again. they should do good.
Nice 1-2-3 inning for Andrew Brackman. 3 ground ball outs. 3-2 braves going to the 8th.
Austin Jackson is not ready for the major leagues
Thats not a bad outing for Kennedy. He got smacked around in the first but came back and threw two good innings after that.
“Austin Jackson is not ready for the major leagues”
No really?
That’s why he’s starting the season in AAA.
Rob,
Did you read Damon’s quote about what A-rod said? It puts Pete’s comment in context.
Either it is pouring rain in Lake Buena Vista or there is something dramatically wrong with Game Day. My guess is that it’s the latter.
Yankees go down in the 8th. 1 BB, 1 HBP
Melancon in now
UPDATE, 3:09 p.m.: Yankees trail 3-2, bottom of the eighth. Just spoke to Ian Kennedy, who said he could not command his curve today. “It’s tough when you feel like you’re going well and then you take a step back,” he said.
Dan Giese, meanwhile, was told not to swing. But he didn’t hear the voices from the dugout and took his hacks. He singled and then scored on Damon’s triple. “It was like the dizzy bat race,” he said.
Giese said it was his first at-bat in spring training. He’s never had an AB on the majors.
Melancon gets through the inning on 4 pitches (according to Gameday)
Double, lineout, two groundouts. Game now goes into the 9th
i like the efficient work from melancon…good thing giese didn’t get hurt…he’d be kicking himself if they told him not to swing, he did anyway and hurt something. the braves are idiots for not allowing the DH. just a thought, what would happen if the yankees used the DH anyway? would the game not count? oh wait…it’s a ST game and doesn’t matter anyway!
Game Day stinks. It looks like another loss. Big deal. These kids won’t even sniff the majors this year. But at least the pitchers are getting work in.
(I don’t have the energy to tease out the 9th inning from Game Day. I am assuming a loss)
Oops. It’s possible we just tied the game. 2 outs, a Nunez double. Then another “in play, no out”
Sorry, the losers posted it wrong. It is now changed to “in play, outs”
Game over.
Montero flied out to end the game.
Not that it means anything, but we have lost 6 games ina row (well 5 losses and 1 tie).
Usually, it needs to say “in play, run(s)” on a scoring play. But, it will be 20 minutes until we find out for sure.
Overall, not a bad day for the pitchers. Ian Kennedy gave up a walk and a pair of doubles for 2 runs in the first, but righted himself and pitched 2 shutout innings after that. Geise gave up 1 run over 3 innings. Brackman and Melancon each pitched a scoreless inning.
Regardless of how he pitches, Kennedy goes to AAA to start his season and work on breaking pitches and command of the strike zone.
“Not that it means anything, but we have lost 6 games ina row (well 5 losses and 1 tie).”
Not that it matters with 3/5 of the infield missing. However these kids have not been impressive at all.
The next televised game is Saturday against the Braves with Wang starting.
So Putz coughed up the lead for Team USA in the bottom of the 9th
Did Melancon really get through the inning on four pitches?
Wow. He really is a machine. Can’t wait to see him in the majors.
2-6 so far in spring?
OK when does it start to actually mean something?
When the team is together, starters go longer than 3-4 innings and the AA team doesn’t come out for the 9th inning
Bronx… not for over a month unfortunately lol
st means nothing especially when we don’t have cano,arod,jeter,mo & 4 out of 5 of our starters havn’t pitched.
st is for filling out the roster.we need 4 pitchers to go with the 5 starters,mo,bruney,marte.
hughes won’t make it because he is a starter & needs to start.my guess would be coke,giese,veras,ramirez with melancon,alby having an outside shot.
the closer it gets to opening day the better idea we will have.i would love to see melancon make it meaning he has to pitch well.
“2-6 so far in spring?
OK when does it start to actually mean something?”
The minute the Sox have a better record.
Damon complimenting Ransom on his athleticism – the nerve of that guy, dissing A-rod like that –