Today in The Journal News
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Mar 10, 2009 
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Alex Rodriguez had his hip surgery yesterday and has already started his rehab.
Mariano Rivera is making big strides. This notebook also has updates on Andy Pettitte, some “golf” for the pitchers, Jorge Posada and a few roster moves.
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Interested in attending a Triple-A Scranton game with some fellow blog readers? Check out this post for details and how to sign up.
The rumours of Arod’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Hopefully all goes according to plan during the season.
I would assume this isn’t as serious a hip injury as Utley’s since his rehab during the offseason lasted much longer.
Good luck to Alex.
Here’s to hoping we get off to a fast start (I’m talkin’ to you Tex).
Pete – Thought you were sleeping in?
Pete, how come you have every social network in the “Share this” link below each post, but you do not have Twitter? I like to like you posts on Twitter and it would make it easier.
Never mind, I found it.
When you gonna auto-link each post to Twitter?
I still think it’s amazing that after hip surgery, Alex could be on a bike and starting his rehab. It’s extremely good news, but he’s got to be careful of doing too much, too soon (no matter how good he feels) – the same goes with Mo.
I was watching game 6 of the 1996 WS last night on YES and I can’t believe how young Jeter, Mo and Andy looked (didn’t see that much of Po). Andy was a baby….and now to think of him as the grizzled veteran and leader of this staff is just funny.
The golf idea is terrific – this is a particularly long ST and the guys are getting bored. Why not liven things up a bit? I wish we could do the same thing in my office, lol.
Betsy-
We do the same thing in my office. It’s a recession! Little business for financial advisors.
And, it may seem hard to realize, but 1996 was 13 years ago. CRAZY!
Maybe one of the best quotes about the steroids era I’ve read anywhere…..and it came from Bill Simmons. Here it is….
“With everyone fretting about the steroids era and how it frayed the carefully woven fabric of baseball history, ask yourself this: Does any of it matter? Bonds remains the best leftfielder I’ve ever seen in person. I’ll never forget watching Roger Clemens in his prime. I never turned the channel when Manny was batting for the Red Sox — never, ever, ever, not once. A-Rod fetched the highest price in each of my fantasy auctions this decade. I probably paid four grand to Fenway scalpers from 1999 to 2001 to watch Pedro pitch even though I was broke. Some of them cheated for an edge they didn’t need; others stayed clean. I will remember them all.
Maybe we overthink this stuff. The truth is, either you’re great or you’re not. ”
Especially love the last sentence.
does anyone know who the announcer was for the game between the netherlands and puerto rico?He spoke a little dutch so i wanne know if he actually is dutch..?
Roger:
Rich Waltz and Jim Kaat?
http://awfulannouncing.blogspo.....assic.html
Roger(from amsterdam)
March 10th, 2009 at 9:34 am
does anyone know who the announcer was for the game between the netherlands and puerto rico?He spoke a little dutch so i wanne know if he actually is dutch..?
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That was Jim Kaat, from Zeeland, Michigan….a large Dutch communitee in south western Michigan….a few miles from Holland, Michigan, home of the largest tulip festival in the USA. He is indeed Dutch.
Rodg 12 – I like Simmons a lot, and tend to agree with some of his sentiments on PEDs. But what do we do with the Brady Andersons of the world? or even the Miguel Tejadas? i.e. the “not so greats?”
And did Clemens deserve to be “great” from his mid-30s to his mid-40s?
After a while, is it any less of a fraud than the WWF?
P.S. Not so long ago, Simmons wrote a column about his initial reaction to Clemens’ second 20K game, and how he left work early to watch it ….. and how he felt as though the “accomplishment” was later ruined in his mind by the probability that he was already on PEDs.
Tough to come to grips with ….. didn’t mean to send the thread into another PED discourse
Kaat was a pitcher in the majors for 25 years (283 wins) and is worthy of Hall Of Fame induction. It would be great to see him and Bert Blyleven inducted together.
Good news on Alex. Isn’t it standard, after arthro surgery to start working out that day or the next day?
Brian -
The WWF is staged with a pre-determined outcome. Baseball is nothing like that. So, Brady Anderson had one big season….big deal. Like Simmons said, you’re either great or you’re not. Brady wasn’t great. Clemens was great. Bonds was great. ARod is great. The rest doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t. Especially when there’s no way to know who was using and who wasn’t; what effect, if any, it had on performance; and how many greats from the 60s, 70s and 80s were using a PED themselves in ‘Greenies.’
Also, that’s all I’m going to post on this matter because I also don’t want to turn this into another steroids discussion. I just thought the Simmons quote was an interesting one that I would share with the blog.
Betsy/Bodhisattva – Thanks for your comments near the end of the last thread regarding Cervelli. I’ve never seen him play so I’m grateful for the input.
GB, SJ – are you guys around? I wonder if you could give us a few comments on whether you think he might platoon with Molina next year and perhaps 2011 while the Yanks wait on Montero. See Piazza’s comments below. Thanks!
March 10th, 2009 at 6:26 am
Speaking of back up catchers for the Yanks, why is Cervelli forgotten? Piazza is managing the WBC Italy team and has nothing but praise. He believes Cervelli is an outstanding defensive catcher who is improving with the bat –
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/.....-cervelli/
GB,I believe that you’ve seen him play. Is it not reasonable to believe that he could be a legitimate backup for Posada/Molina this year and perhaps one part of a Molina/Cervelli platoon next year should Jorge be moved to DH?
GB7 – Good morning. I’m just getting going today, after getting in late from Tampa last night. I gather you get to Charleston quite a bit, and spring baseball – I was in Tampa and Lakeland – is great. I’m going to try to get to the Scranton game that Pete posted about; hope to see you and others there.
I agree, Jim Kaat and Bert Blyleven are greatly underappreciated. I know that longevity can build up numbers, but to stick around for as long as they did speaks to a certain level of performance.
max kellerman was fired from 1050, it’s a shame, he’s the only real yankees giants knicks fan on the air and was proud of the fact, now the only people on the radio at 10 are dopes like teirney (an idiot), joe beningo who is insane and has no sense of humor and his partner who just blows. well atleast they’re not that colin cowherd guy, he’s just terrible. what is management thinking?
thanks GB.didn’t know that.Zeeland is a state in the netherlands as well.
New York City’s original name was actually New Amsterdam.We owned you guys!haha lol
Wait. What? Max was fired?
“I just thought the Simmons quote was an interesting one that I would share with the blog.”
Seems a little oversimplified to me. But that’s Simmons. Without getting into this too much, I’m probably more understanding about the guy whose use of PED’s may have been the difference between the bus leagues and the bigs than I am guys who are legitimately great, like Arod, Bonds and Clemens, but cheated anyway. But I wish it would all go away.
Rodg 12 – agreed …. let’s just drop it.
I don’t see a catching platoon of Cervelli and Molina in the offering for next season.
Major league teams don’t “wait” on prospects. You do that, and the prospect stalls at a level, and you are in deep doo doo.
You just let the prospect develop at his pace and deal with the issues presenting the parent club.
I’ve always liked Cervelli. He is a take charge kid, good defensively, and the pitchers (like Joba for example) that have thrown to him like the way he handles a game.
His bat is his weakness. How far he advances will depend on his bat. If he can hit enough, he will be an everyday catcher in the majors. If not? He’s probably limited to backup duties.
Personally, I think Posada is going to be good enough in the next couple of years to catch at least 100-110 games. If that’s the case, then they could work in a guy like Cervelli and let Molina go after this season if Cervelli advances enough to make the Yankees confident he can handle backup duties.
yanks61
Molina is no longer under contract after this season. I would say there is no chance he is resigned. While he’s good with pitchers and on D, he doesn’t hit at all. The Yankees no longer have the kind of offense that can make up for way below replacement level from a backup catcher. If Cervelli can hit, he will be next years backup.
Oh darn. Max was even growing on me.
http://stations.espn.go.com/st.....310_Max_PR
Just think, on days when Posada is rested, 7-8-9 will be Ransom, Molina, Gardner. That’s awful.
I wonder what Kellerman did/said. I always liked him when he hosted Around the Horn back in the day. I haven’t listened to his radio show, but assume it was good from most of the comments about it I’ve seen here.
Is it any worse than Lugo, Bard and whomever has to replace Drew when he sits out with his bad back?
The bottom three in the Tampa order during the World Series was Zobrist, Gross and Bartlett. That’s also nothing special.
For a month, you can live with it. Nobody is saying that bottom three of the Yankee order is going to be together for 162 games. You make when a guy like Arod is out. Its all you can do.
It’s tough to talk about next year’s catching situation until we know how Posada will hold up this year. If Posada is able to catch say 110-120 games, I think you could see us let Molina leave and give the back-up job to Cervelli. If Posada is unable to hold up….who knows. My guess would be that a trade will go down during the season THIS year which would net us an everyday catcher for this year and next.
well a few weeks ago management silenced his producer and call screener, and you knew it was wasn’t going to end well. I mean it was amusing repartee. so why restrict that? They had a sense of humor about sports and didn’t take it all too seriously had things in perspective. the mike francesas and joe beningos and brandon tierneys are just blowhards who talk down to their audience.
As for arod, i wouldn’t be suprised if he makes it by opening day in the new yankee stadium.
And when Arod is back, and Posada plays, 7 8 9 is:
Nady/Swisher
Cano
Gardner
Not too bad, particularly if Gardner is able to get on base at a decent clip and use his speed. In fact that is a very dangerous bottom of the order.
Any team that loses two of its 4 best offensive players is going to throw out a weak bottom of the lineup as the better hitters are moved up.
This was published on SI.com before the news of Alex’s “hybrid” treatment. It’s written by David Epstein-the Friedrich Engels of Roberts’ SI piece on Al’s ‘roid use. It seems to be one of the most optimistic tellings of what the surgery does and how it should help Alex:
“The good news is that the operation seems to be a permanent fix. Philippon will repair the tears in Rodriguez’s labrum, and shave the head of his femur into a sphere. In an interview before Rodriguez’s impingement was reported, Philippon said that the goal of surgery to fix impingement is “to improve the movement, but by improving the movement, by shaving the bone, you’re basically resolving the conflict between the ball and the socket. You’re making it fit better.” For some athletes, there seems to be a performance benefit to the newly crafted joint with its increased range of motion. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the Anaheim Ducks goalie, had the surgery in 2005, and says that it was like having a ball bearing in his right hip oiled for the first time. “It feels pretty good,” Giguere says. “It actually feels better than the other hip.”
A better rotating A-Rod? Could be a scary thought for pitchers when he returns to the field in a few months.”
http://tinyurl.com/atlxly
yanks61
March 10th, 2009 at 10:26 am
GB,I believe that you’ve seen him play. Is it not reasonable to believe that he could be a legitimate backup for Posada/Molina this year and perhaps one part of a Molina/Cervelli platoon next year should Jorge be moved to DH?
————————————————————
I can’t make much of a choice on what very little I’ve seen on Cervelli. I’ve only seen him play in 3 ML games and a couple of games in Tampa back in ’07. I don’t recall him getting any hits, or even hitting the ball hard. He didn’t have much to do on defense other than call the game. His swings weren’t really impressive and hardly hit the ball that hard. He might be a decent backup for a bad team, but, barring emergencies, I can’t see him backing up in NY.
It remains to be seen what players will shake out when teams start making roster cuts the last few days of March or for payroll slashing. Let’s hope full time playing doesn’t wear Cody Ransom down by late April.
This should be a wakeup call that when A-Rod reaches 37-38 he’ll DH more often than not.
I want to add a reminder about the “steroid era”. The substances that were being taken are appropriately called performance ENHANCING drugs, not performance creating drugs. Just as guys who popped pills every day to get artificial energy for years and years.
I don’t advocate taking stuff, but PEDs don’t turn bad players into great ones. As Alex’s post-testing performances show, he might have gotten an extra 10 HR a year in Texas. I once wrote on this blog hoow he really only got an increase of 5 per year but wont go into that again.
Those clowns who think taking PED negates everything players of that era accomplished are simply demonstrating their own ignorance.
If any station was going to get rid of anyone wfan should can Boomer and carton. They are awful. It is like listening to a 12 year old boy talking in the locker room.
If Cody Ransom is worn down by late April, he needs to find a different line of work.
“well atleast they’re not that colin cowherd guy, he’s just terrible. what is management thinking?”
Colin Cowherd will be hosting a show on ESPN starting Monday from noon-2 PM leading into Michael Kay’s show. That still leaves an opening from 10AM – noon.
Tom:
It’s not clear which surgery they are talking about. Is it the one he had yesterday, or the one he’s having after the season? It reads like it’s the 2nd sugery.
“Colin Cowherd will be hosting a show on ESPN starting Monday from noon-2 PM leading into Michael Kay’s show. That still leaves an opening from 10AM – noon.”
ESPN is bring that jerk face back into the NY market? Well, I guess it’s time to buy an XM. Is their baseball content worth it?
The actual bone shaving won’t be until after the season. It must be very painful from time to time, if not all the time. Like having a rock permanently stuck in your shoe.
Joe from Long Island
March 10th, 2009 at 10:27 am
GB7 – Good morning. I’m just getting going today, after getting in late from Tampa last night. I gather you get to Charleston quite a bit, and spring baseball – I was in Tampa and Lakeland – is great. I’m going to try to get to the Scranton game that Pete posted about; hope to see you and others there.
I agree, Jim Kaat and Bert Blyleven are greatly underappreciated. I know that longevity can build up numbers, but to stick around for as long as they did speaks to a certain level of performance.
————————————————————
Morning, Joe. I don’t think it would be wise for me to show up in Scranton. PA would have a stroke. I don’t think he’d be comforable, sitting and waiting for me to mention newspapers and writers.
Seriously, that’s a long way to drive for one or two games. Yeah, I go to all the Charleston games here in Savannah, and a few in Columbus, Ga, and a lot of the games in Charleston. I drive there some times, but, that’s a 2 and a half – 3 hour drive, but, by boat up the coast, it’s only about 30-40 miles. He dock in about 3 blocks from Joe Riley Park. Try to get there early to watch the warm-ups. Great place to watch games, as is Paulson Stadium. It’s an old park, but, well kept, and remodeled….historic old park. NYY used to make an annual stop here on the way north. The old guy (yes, he’s actually older than me) talks about a bomb that Mantle hit over the pine trees in dead center, over 500 feet away. He made a point to say “over” and not “through” the pines. Old Georgia pines that stand about 75 feet high. Even back then, he said they were at least 50 feet.
Tom- I wouldn’t spend any money on XM right now. THey aren’t doing well at all. Rumor is they will be out of business soon.
Steve B: yeah, I got that from the article too. It’s the second surgery, I think. It was published over the weekend, but I didn’t see/read it ’til today.
You’d think that they would take it off the front page…
Thanks, Jennifer.
I’m rooting for cody Ransom after reading that article peter posted yesterday. The top of the Yankees lineup is still stacked, so what if we don’t have that embarrassment of riches we did before arod was hurt.
—
Cowherd won’t make it in new york, he’ll fail again, the ny audience doesn’t that fake shtick he does it’s irritating. I guess i’m forced to listen to leonard lopate on wnyc.
Craig Carton is wfan’s sports version of a shock jock. He offers nothing and just gets people angry. Don’t they know this isn’t the 80′s? There are so many options out there we just change the station.
Roger(from amsterdam)
March 10th, 2009 at 10:32 am
thanks GB.didn’t know that.Zeeland is a state in the netherlands as well.
New York City’s original name was actually New Amsterdam.We owned you guys!haha lol
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My pleasure, Roger. The town of Holland is on Lake Michigan and Zeeland is about 10 miles North east. Pretty little towns, but, too touristy now. Homes and businesses are remodeled or built like old world homes. I grew up about 75 miles south of there. Jeter is from Kalamazoo, about 50 miles from Holland/Zeeland.
You might have “owned” us then but, you guys like our Hershey bars better than your own choclate. I’ve only had a chance one time to be in the Netherlands, but, only got as far as the airport terminal.
Tom
XM has great baseball coverage. Most games are broadcast as well as a baseball channel, ESPN 1 and 2 as well as Mad Dog Radio
“If any station was going to get rid of anyone wfan should can Boomer and carton. They are awful. It is like listening to a 12 year old boy talking in the locker room”
agreed. As far as human beings go, Carton is disgusting. Will not listen to the show.
Max Kellerman was talented and very knowlegable. Definitely a breath of fresh air on stale NYC radio waves.
Francessa is still looking for a new partner- Mike and Max has a good ring to it.
mike is looking for a caddie not someone who will beat him down with fact based arguments.
“Francessa is still looking for a new partner- Mike and Max has a good ring to it”
you have to be kidding.
do you think for 1 minute, Mike Francessa’s ego could handle that??
I think Mike and Christina sounds better. You need to add a female to the mix of things
standing back from the details of day to day stuff, my overview is this isn’t the spring training the yankees were looking for considering going all in with free agent signings this past winter.
this should have been a really exciting optimistic spring training. instead the yankees have lost their most productive player and there has been a focus on the arod steroid circus. when matsuzaka, drew ,and lugo came to the red sox after they didn’t make the playoffsin 2006. the red sox spring training season was crazy with enthusiasm.
last year the rays were wiping out catchers with regularity as they set a tone for the season. for some reason , i am very underwhelmed with this yankee spring training so far. the WBC doesn’t help( though i love watching it) because everyone isn’t in camp.
what i’m looking for is something that tells me that this team isn’t going to take any crap from anyone this season. that’s what i saw with the red sox in spring 2007 and tampa bay rays 2008.
when you watch someone like youkillis and his annoying nonstop intensity that borders on mental illness( if he couldn’t hit with that stance he’d be committed), do you see any one on the yankees that counters this intensity?
i love jeter as a player, but the yankees need the intensity of an o’neill, pinella, or billy martin too. who’s going to provide that. it’s not enough to be just be good. teams need an attitude to step it up. i just don’t see the attitude yet with this team that it will take no prisoners.
i mean, would it kill jeter throw a high slow toss to pedroia on a double play ball with a runner barreling in ?
Does anyone know when single game tickets will go on sale on Yankees.com? Thanks.
My preference for next year’s backup catcger if they replace Molina is PJ Pilittere. He’s a good defensive catcher and he can hit a little. He’s just always been stuck at each level longer than normal, always just behind the next Jorge Posada. He’s still only 27.
http://minors.baseball-referen.....?pid=11449
yankeefan718
What options do we have in NY in the morning. Jock and stupid on WFAN. and jock and stupid on espn. There are only two sports stations in NY. As for music, there is only one station I listen to 104.3, although I heard 92.3 changed their format again, maybe actually going back to what worked?
Francessa is too arrogant to appreciate Max’s intelligent discussion using stats, sabremetrics, etc.
“i love jeter as a player, but the yankees need the intensity of an o’neill, pinella, or billy martin too. who’s going to provide that. it’s not enough to be just be good. teams need an attitude to step it up. i just don’t see the attitude yet with this team that it will take no prisoners”
Girardi attempted to carry this ‘fire’ last year. The result: ostracized by the media and belittled by many on this board.
Yes, I was kidding. Although…2 strong personalities fighting it out could be fun radio.
Francessa needs a guy he can push around who won’t threaten him like Carlin or someone.
Kellerman is so much more knowledgeable and deals in facts and provides out-of-box ideas/analysis… Mike would never be able to handle that.
Correction: My preference for next year’s backup ***catcger***
I’d even like to see Pilittere be the backup ***catcher***
Unlike you, Randy, I do have an incredible optimism and enthusiasm for the season …and if you read the actual baseball articles about the Yankees (as opposed to the sterids/other stuff), I think you will find that the media senses that this team is extremely optimistic and confident. That’s all the attitude I need. I don’t care about the players being overly intense and cocky and I certainly don’t think it means that if they are, they care more. Derek Jeter is intense enough for me – actually, I prefer his brand of intensity over that of Paul O’Neill’s (I adore Paulie, but I’m not a fan in general of players who act out like that. I’m not a fan of Lou’s temperment either – it makes me uncomfortable). Overall, I much prefer a team that is quietly confident, that just goes about their business. I believe the Yankees are an excellent team and I believe the Yankeees believe they are an excellent team – that’s all I need to know.
That said, I don’t think there is a right or wrong here – it’s just a matter of opinion.
And whats worse— we have to listen to Tierney and Cowherd leading up to Kay. Could you have chosen 2 worse hosts?
Who cares what Mike Francessa does? He is done as a broadcaster as far as I’m concerned. He brings nothing new to the table. His knowledge of baseball is sorely lacking, he never talks hockey, knows very little about basketball or college sports. He is okay when it comes to football but the only sport he really knows about is horse racing. Francessa is dated and irrelevant at this point in his career.
randy, I would contend that Posada brings that fire and we sorely missed him last year. Joba can also bring it from the mound, he is scary.
@GB
chocolate is not a Dutch thing.It’s belgium chocolate and dutch beer(heineken)I bet you like that!lol
btw,I know my english isn’t that good but I try my best.It isn’t my best language but please correct me if i messed up because this is good practise for my internship next august in London
jennifer,
i mean with internet and satellite.
when kellerman had brian kenny the show was perfect.
“Who cares what Mike Francessa does?”
well, we kinda care. Considering he clogs up the #1 NYC sports radio station, 5 hours each day
Hmm, for some reason my post isn’t taking – I’ll try to break it up:
Unlike you, Randy, I do have an incredible optimism and enthusiasm for the season …and if you read the actual baseball articles about the Yankees (as opposed to the sterids/other stuff), I think you will find that the media senses that this team is extremely optimistic and confident. That’s all the attitude I need. I don’t care about the players being overly intense and cocky and I certainly don’t think it means that if they are, they care more. Derek Jeter is intense enough for me – actually, I prefer his brand of intensity over that of Paul O’Neill’s (I adore Paulie, but I’m not a fan in general of players who act out like that. I’m not a fan of Lou’s temperment either – it makes me uncomfortable). Overall, I much prefer a team that is quietly confident, that just goes about their business. I believe the Yankees are an excellent team and I believe the Yankeees believe they are an excellent team – that’s all I need to know.
max was fired???????? OOOHHHH NOOOOOO!!!!!! what am I going to listen to in the morning???
AM radio is the format of the reactionary. Even more so when the show is built around a singular personality.
I think that Mike should pick Kim Jones as his co-host. I think she is really good on radio, especially when they discuss football.
“i mean, would it kill jeter throw a high slow toss to pedroia on a double play ball with a runner barreling in ?”
Thankfully Jeter isn’t the Yankees, only the face of the Yankees! We still have players like Jorge and Joba who feel the, well let’s say “itensity” of the rivalry.
If you remember when Alex was playing for Seattle and he and Jeter were thick as thieves, there was a bench-clearing brawl on the field during one game and Chad Curtis really called Jeter out because he and Arod were standing on the field together chatting while the whole thing was going on.
While Jeter may play the game “right”, I still prefer the Posada method of dealing with the Red Sox, and that is to totally hate them.
JMO
And whats worse—- we have to listen to Tierney and Cowherd leading up to Kay. Could you have chosen 2 worse hosts?
=====================================================
BT and Cowherd. UGH.
This sucks.
Assuming no trades, what does our opening day lineup look like?
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Nady RF
Teixiera 1B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Ransom 3B
Gardner CF
???
Or :
Damon CF
Jeter SS
Nady RF
Teixiera 1B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Swisher LF
Cano 2B
Ransom 3B
You know the Yankees are desperate to sell seats when they have ex ball players (Yankees legends) calling former season tickets holders in order to get them to buy seats. Just happened to my co worker who had a full season plan last year and didnt renew because the seats he had last year they wanted 400 a seat for this year.
more like:
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Teixeira 1B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Gardner CF
Ransom 3B, batting 9th***
GAYLE- WHO CALLED THEM?
Kellerman was horrible, glad he is gone.
The best voice I have heard suprisingly is Kim Jones. I rather have her than Fat Mike and the rest
Ugh, my post still didn’t go through…..I’ll try again. Sorry if this posts several times.
Unlike you, Randy, I do have an incredible optimism and enthusiasm for the season …and if you read the actual baseball articles about the Yankees (as opposed to the sterids/other stuff), I think you will find that the media senses that this team is extremely optimistic and confident. That’s all the attitude I need. I don’t care about the players being overly intense and cocky and I certainly don’t think it means that if they are, they care more.
” I would contend that Posada brings that fire and we sorely missed him last year. Joba can also bring it from the mound, he is scary.”
posada has some edge to him, and joba definitely is an adversary to youkillis, but overall i don’t see the attitude that you would think would be there considering the additions the yankees have made.
cc sabathia, burnett and teixeira are a big deal, but there doesn’t seem to be the focus on their addition that you’d think. i realize that the arod fiasco stole the thunder from these players, but it the job of management to get the focus back on track.
i personally don’t think flying under the radar and being dispassionate is the way to go. i’d iike to see the yankees develop a cockiness that reflects an attitude that they are the best team in baseball.
are the red sox ,angels, and tampa bay quiet laid back teams that beat you just by being good ? i’m not saying this yankee team doesn’t have some fight in it, but i haven’t seen it yet . as i said . i am very underwhelmed by what i’ve seen so far.
Unlike you, Randy, I do have an incredible optimism and enthusiasm for the season …and if you read the actual baseball articles about the Yankees (as opposed to the sterids/other stuff), I think you will find that the media senses that this team is extremely optimistic and confident. That’s all the attitude I need. I don’t care about the players being overly intense and cocky and I certainly don’t think it means that if they are, they care more.
As long as they roll out Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Pettitte and Chamberlain and they pitch well, that’s more “well placed” than any ball to the head of an opponent.
This team has failed for the last 8 years because their starting pitching has been lacking. When you roll out five starters the calibur the Yankees have, you are in every game.
That’s going to be the key to the season. Starting pitching.
Length and quality. If they get that, their bullpen is going to be even better this year because they will work fewer innings.
The strength of the team has to be pitching. They have had 900+ run offenses that got them no where. Its time now to go back to what made them successful in the 90′s. Deep and effective starting pitching.
John-I think I read somewhere single-game tickets are on sale March 15 or 17. Probably doesn’t help, but it is usually mid-March.
Kellerman is on a different level than the Mike Francescas of the radio spectrum.
It always amazed me Francesca has maintained a huge audience
while displaying so little knowledge about sports in general.
Kellerman, while he can be obnoxious, embraces statistical analysis – one of the few sports radio talking heads who do – and is just a much more reasoned voice.
“I think that Mike should pick Kim Jones as his co-host. I think she is really good on radio”
I expressed these same sentiments, in an email to WFAN, several times. I expect others did, as well. All in vain.
it is clear, WFAN needs a new programming manager.
Roger(from amsterdam)
March 10th, 2009 at 11:45 am
@GB
chocolate is not a Dutch thing.It’s belgium chocolate and dutch beer(heineken)I bet you like that!lol
btw,I know my english isn’t that good but I try my best.It isn’t my best language but please correct me if i messed up because this is good practise for my internship next august in London
————————————————————
Roger, your English is flawless. I figured that you were an American just living there to take advantage of the “creature comforts” that they offer. I was going to ask you for English lessons. Actually, I’m not overly fond od Heineken’s or any foreign beer. I guess that’s not foreign for you, though.
How about Francesa and Curt “Table for one” Schilling in the same studio side by side ? They deserve one another.
LOL the guy (sounds like a girl, though) who was speaking to Evan and Joe (Sam) just said he predicts the Yankees to have about 90 wins because of all the ? with Posada, Matsui, Gardner/Melky and the pen……..So in essence, all the ? will be answered negatively and the pen will get worse. I can’t make any predictions as to wins because the division is just too tough, but 90 wins would be terrible for this team. Their starting pitching alone is so improved that it should account for several more wins than they had last year….
I do like contrarian points of view Randy brings here. And I do think he has a point-the Yankees have lacked a certain “es spirit de corps” you see in teams like the Sox in recent years. Maybe they are missing an intense competitive player or two…
“As long as they roll out Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Pettitte and Chamberlain and they pitch well, that’s more “well placed” than any ball to the head of an opponent.
This team has failed for the last 8 years because their starting pitching has been lacking. When you roll out five starters the calibur the Yankees have, you are in every game.
That’s going to be the key to the season. Starting pitching.
Length and quality. If they get that, their bullpen is going to be even better this year because they will work fewer innings.
The strength of the team has to be pitching. They have had 900+ run offenses that got them no where. Its time now to go back to what made them successful in the 90’s. Deep and effective starting pitching”
if this is not cause for optimism, then don’t know what is.
and another reason, Brett Gardner should play CF for the Yankees. When you have superior pitching, you can play small ball. ie 1998 yankees
Performance brings cockiness, not management.
This team didn’t make the playoffs last year. What do they have to be cocky about? If anything, they should be the opposite. Humbled by missing the playoffs.
This is not Tampa of last year. A 10 year last place team desperate to show they can be successful. Teams like that have to pick up their level of play to take the next step.
Even with that, they were the only team in baseball last year that had 5 starters each make 25 or more starts. Pitching still rules the day in the game.
The Yankees are a team that, if anything, needs to be less cocky. This group hasn’t achieved anything that should make them cocky. Play hungry from Opening Day on this year.
If they do that, they will be successful.
All we have read is how well the new guys have fit in. From a chemistry standpoint, teaching standpoint, and everything else.
Isn’t that what we want from them…..a smooth transition?
Tom
March 10th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
I do like contrarian points of view Randy brings here. And I do think he has a point-the Yankees have lacked a certain “es spirit de corps” you see in teams like the Sox in recent years. Maybe they are missing an intense competitive player or two…
————————————————————
I don’t like Randy. He’s too opinionated and isn’t nice to people. He should be more like me. He’s just a $^&#@(* lousy old man.
vinny-b -
The 98 Yankees didn’t play small ball. The 98 Yankees mashed. 10 guys with 10+ HRs.
Scenario.
Joba ends up at a 6 e.r.a. to end the spring.
Hughes below 3.
Who gets the 5 slot nod?
Fans and some of the more uneducated members of the media get all caught up in “fiery” players. That has a limited value unless you pitch well.
There are a lot of “fiery” players in the game whose teams go no where because their pitching stinks.
Its all about arms, folks. The team that has the healthiest and most effective arms tend to make the playoffs and win World Series.
The rest of the stuff, while entertaining, is all window dressing.
As “fiery” as Paul O’Neill was, who had more with winning World Series for the Yankees? O’Neill’s “fire” or Mariano’s “cool”?
The Yankees have guys like Swisher and Posada to shake things up.
Even the Dynasty teams weren’t loaded with nutjobs like O’Neill.
Its all about the pitching. Wells, Clemens, Cone, Pettitte, Key, Mariano, Stanton, Nelson, El Duque, all of those guys had a lot more to do with winning 4 WS than “fiery” players did.
You look at this group right now and you have two guys, AJ and Joba, that will keep opposing pitchers honest in terms of throwing at Yankee hitters.
You have a bonafide, not afraid to take the ball ace, in CC Sabathia.
You have a healthy Wang back in the rotation.
You have Posada back, who was SORELY missed last year.
Tex is a huge addition to the middle of the order and he will also save runs defensively at first.
Nady/Swisher combined should be enough offense in RF.
Obviously, they need Arod back healthy and effective. It would also help enormously if Matsui can return to be as productive as he was last year prior to his knee injury.
Johnny Damon is in a contract year. That sometimes leads to max production from a player. Let’s hope that’s the case with Johnny.
Overall, while not a perfect team (no team is this year, IMO), its a better team right now (if they stay healthy the rest of the spring) than the one that started the year last year.
Scenario.
Joba ends up above six earned run average to end the spring.
Hughes below three.
Who gets the 5th slot nod?
If Gardner can sustain this success, its not so much he brings “small ball” to the Yankees. This can’t be a small ball team because its not a lineup of small ball players.
What he brings is another dimension to rattle opponents…..speed.
Its like having two leadoff hitters in the lineup with Gardner and Damon. That gives the other guys better pitches to hit and more RBI opportunities.
Obviously, that’s contingent on Gardner being able to hit and get on base once the real games begin. If he can, this will be a more effective offense than last year’s group.
If he can’t? CF will be a hole that will have to be addressed via the trade market for the team to be successful this year.
rodg12-Maybe it’s the perception that recent yankee teams have become to dependant on the long-ball. The Yankees of the late 90s could, and did, mash with the best of them. However, they were also a very versatile-they could hit and run, take the extra base, make productive outs, ect..
‘Joba ends up above six earned run average to end the spring.
Hughes below three.’
Simple answer Joba unless his stuff isn’t good it’s still Joba.
SJ, WB, Rodg and GB – My thanks to you all for your comments on Cervelli. I was perhaps getting a little too excited at Piazza’a remarks!
SJ,WB,if,as you say, he can backup Posada next year and hold the fort until the other more highly rated catching prospects arrive, that would probably be the ideal situation. Otherwise, as you mentioned Rodg, it would seem that a trade will be necessary.
SOS,
Joba. Its not about ST stats and it will never be.
Joba is not pitching for his job. He’s pitching to get ready for the season.
Hughes can have a 0.00 ERA and he isn’t in the rotation when camp breaks unless there is an injury.
There is no competition for the 5th starters spot. Its Joba’s job.
S.o.S.
I think Joba has a spot in the rotation until he gets hurt.
I think Hughes gets a spot in the rotation when someone gets hurt.
“The 98 Yankees didn’t play small ball. The 98 Yankees mashed. 10 guys with 10+ HRs”
10 guys with more then 10 HR? Big deal.
maybe my label of ‘small ball’ for the 98 team, was overstated. Point is, that team was adept at manufacturing runs. And this is what the 09 team needs to get back to doing.
“Its all about arms, folks. The team that has the healthiest and most effective arms tend to make the playoffs and win World Series. ”
I agree completely. Look at the Rays from last year. They had 4 starters that made 30 starts or more (Kazmir made 27 starts). They also had a great bullpen that got even better at the end of the season with David Price.
The Red Sox had a great starting rotation but were bounced by the Rays when Beckett gets injured. Do you think they lose that series with a healthy Beckett?
The Phillies had a crappy bullpen in 2007 but they turned that weakness into a strength in 2008. When they hit the postseason they had great pitching as well. Cole Hamels was unstoppable.
If the Yankees have the same consistency in starting pitching that the Rays had last year, they will win the division.
“Who gets the 5th slot nod?”
Joba.
Have free agency and endorsement deals made baseball and players too PC?
After the “Ha” play in Toronto it was interesting to hear the differing reactions. Current players were more apt to call it bush league while some old time players asked about it said that kind of stuff and worse happened all the time when they played.
SJ,
What pitcher do you think will help the Yankees first thats below AAA at this time to start the season? Maybe the next pitcher to climb the ladder as fast as Joba did.
I’m not gonna be near a TV set tonight so I’ll have the DVR running. Joba needs to start tossing like Joba or else there will be a million articles about his inability to start.
IMO, ESPN Radio should bring back Stephen A. Smith to replace Kellerman
I agree with Tom.
The Yanks don’t necessarily need to play “small ball” to win. They are not the angels or Twins. The Yanks need to make productive outs and be able to score without the long ball. THAT has been the problem in my opinion. If nobody was hitting bombs the team struggled to score.
If the offense is going to be successful the Yanks have to be able to move runners over, hit with RISP, get the sac fly when needed, etc.
haha thanks.I’m just one of the three people in Holland that loves baseball.There yankees fans all over the world
“IMO, ESPN Radio should bring back Stephen A. Smith to replace Kellerman ”
God no…
’1050 ESPN Radio and on-air host Max Kellerman have mutually agreed to end their relationship. Kellerman’s final broadcast for the station was yesterday (March 9), 10AM – 1PM.
Tim McCarthy, the station’s President and General Manager said: “Max is a highly articulate and passionate sports talk host and he brought a unique voice to our talent lineup. We wish him nothing but the best in all of his future endeavors.”
Kellerman added: “I had some great times at 1050. I appreciate everything Tim McCarthy, Aaron Spielberg, and everyone there have done for me over the years.”
Until a full-time replacement is selected, 1050′s evening host, Brandon Tierney, will host the weekday 10AM – 1PM slot.’
The Max Kellerman show is done. WOW
Dwayne Wade = MVP
“IMO, ESPN Radio should bring back Stephen A. Smith to replace Kellerman”
You must have never listened to him scream nonsense on the radio. It was Clemens everyday. Doesnt know enough sports and thinks if he yells it out it will make sense. Id rather listen to the Mike guy everyone complains about here.
‘IMO, ESPN Radio should bring back Stephen A. Smith to replace Kellerman’
I’m sorry but he sucked, I mean majorly sucked ! there wasn’t a day where I could stand his loud mouth and nonsense of a mind about sports. He never made sense, was a freaking pain to listen to at 12 noon, HE MAJORLY SUCKED
Last year ALL the questions were answered negatively and even some that were supposed to be answered positive (the offense, Wang, Pettitte) were answered negatively.
It happened last year, why can’t it happen again? It’s not like its unprecedented. You can say bad luck or whatever, but it did happen. You can’t quantify luck so how do we know it won’t happen again? Not saying it will, but people shouldn’t think we’re a lock for anything.
SOS,
I don’t think anybody is in the organization right now who can be as fast a mover as Joba was. That’s more the exception than the rule. The kid I think will emerge as the next “untouchable” pitching prospect in the mold of Melancon, Betances and Hughes, is Zach McAllister.
I really like what that kid brings to the table. He is the son of a scout and had guys like Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling mentoring him when he was a kid. He really knows how to pitch and his stuff is quality.
A lot of scouts I know think as highly of McAllister as they do any other pitcher in the system.
If he puts together a good year, he’s going to be knocking on the door to the big leagues by mid-season next year.
I’m excited about seeing if he can take it to the next level. At this point, its all on him in terms of how fast he comes through the system.
Maybe Mike Missilini (Stephen A. Smith’s former parneter) should get his own show!!!
‘Maybe Mike Missilini (Stephen A. Smith’s former parneter) should get his own show!!!’
He sucked even worse, the day he was kicked off people celebrated, that loud mouth wannabe Philly radio reject.
speaking of Clemens –
ESPN has a new article “Drug items link Clemens to McNamee”
I had to check it out, assuming they had some sort of proof based on a title like that.
All they found out was that indeed the syringes McNamee has kept in his basement for years have traces of PED’s.
That’s it! How can they give the article that title?
Dave,
If that’s the case, why watch the games? Its Spring, even the Royals are optimistic! lol
You can also argue the opposite. So much went wrong for the Yankees last year, they are due for some good luck.
The Arod injury? In a way, you can say its a good thing.
He’s out of the limelight for awhile and camp can get back to normal.
He’s not going to be around for the book release. Another positive.
Yesterday’s surgery went so well, the next surgery (at least the doctor believes it to be the case) will be easier for him than originally thought.
He’s also back by Mid-May. Another positive.
I guess one can view everything in the negative but, it doesn’t seem to be an enjoyable way to watch sports to me.
I watch DWade last night be Jordan-like again.
If he was in NY, guys like Francesa would be saying today, “if he didn’t blow 4 free throws and a layup the game would have been over sooner”.
Folks in South Florida just look at him and say, “We have our own Jordan and he is fun to watch”.
Its all in how you view players and teams.
“haha thanks.I’m just one of the three people in Holland that loves baseball.There yankees fans all over the world”
Welcome aboard friend. If you are a Yankee fan you’re fine with me. BTW how are you able to keep tabs on the Yankees I’m certain you could never get YES out there.
If your a Yankee hater Mike Missinelli fits right in, a jacka.. that hates on every Yankee, and makes blanket threads about if I were to see Arod I’d punch his lights out, Al would whoop his a.. for the comments he makes of his personal life alone. He turned sports radio last yr. into freaking gossip column, and Screamin’ A was a his witch sidekick.
Not sure if you got this yesterday Boston Dave.
Boston Dave,
Im 30 minutes from San Diego. The weather was much better a couple weeks ago. We complain when its UNDER 70 degrees. I cant help you as far as bars go (married with children and on a leash. If Miggs is reading, he just moved from San Diego and was loose to do what he wanted. He would head you in the right direction. Enjoy the stay.
“He’s also back by Mid-May. Another positive.”
He’ll be back far before that Cash was just trying to temper expectations. Expect A-Rod back in late April hes a guy who can’t stay off the field.
Mets release Duaner Sanchez. A late night cab ride really changed his life!
I watch DWade last night be Jordan-like again.
‘If he was in NY, guys like Francesa would be saying today, “if he didn’t blow 4 free throws and a layup the game would have been over sooner”.
Folks in South Florida just look at him and say, “We have our own Jordan and he is fun to watch”.
Its all in how you view players and teams.’
SJ there was a player called Raja Bell of the BobCats and spoke w/ Wade and LeBron and etc. you know the stars of the NBA, the feedback to him was every superstar athlete that doesn’t play in NYC right now is 2nd and 3rd guessing coming here because of what Arod is going through.
If this is true NY sports in the future is going to have major issues.
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....tyle-8897/
You might want to think twice about letting Molina go.
“Its not about ST stats and it will never be.
Joba is not pitching for his job. He’s pitching to get ready for the season.”
I agree to a point. It isn’t about stats, BUT if Joba’s velocity is down, or his mechanics are off where he is walking four out of five batters it is a point of concern.
Joba is on a shorter leash than the rest of the rotation.
He doesn’t have a big contract, and he has options.
Stephen A. is not sports knowledgeable at all. I’m confident that if I went on the air I would have more intelligent commentary. Hes also a dude who likes to work fans into a tizzy like the “sign Manny” article he wrote or the “Knicks are getting Lebron, Bosh and Wade” article. He just doesn’t have a tight grip on reality he lives in a PS3 sports world.
IMO, ESPN Radio should bring back Stephen A. Smith to replace Kellerman
=============================
Oh HELL no
““Its not about ST stats and it will never be.
Joba is not pitching for his job. He’s pitching to get ready for the season.””
However if Joba is topping out at 90 MPH 3 starts into ST the Yankees have a problem on there hands. I’m not concerned about the box score I’m concerned about Joba’s health if he was really topping out at 89-90 last time out then hes not himself.
So some expert projects only one more win over last year with a better starting staff this year? Wow! Last year we had Darrel Rasner start the second most games on the team. No offense to Darrel but come on!
Molina’s line last year .216/.263/.313. That’s really bad. I’m a much bigger fan of run prevention, but that’s leaving a lot on the table any game he plays.
I agree with someone’s point earlier, the Ray and Sox back three is no great shake either. However, with Posada aging/coming off injury, I think the Yankees need better production offensively then Molina.
Steven A Smith is a blow hard who pretends to be a Yankee fan. Thank God he is off radio in NY.
I agree about Molina. He is one of the 2 or 3 best defensive catchers in the game. I know he doesn’t hit, but you can’t just let a guy like him go because there is a younger catcher in the minors. As good as Cervelli and Pillettiere (sp?) may be, I doubt they are as good as Molina defensively and nothing I have ever read about them indicates they’ll hit ML pitching any better than Molina. As long as he can still play behind the plate, I’d sign Jose one year at a time until Romine, Montero or some better option comes along.
re: spring training #s
good piece by one of my new favorite analysts – Jim Kaat
“Even when I coached and was an announcer, I didn’t care to look at a pitcher until after March 15th. That’s really when you can tell if I pitcher is starting to get ready for the season. A pitcher is not going to break off a July 4th curveball in the middle of Spring Training. It’s a glorified batting practice right now.”
http://kaatskorner.mlblogs.com/
DT,
read that article I just posted. March 15th… March 15th.
Well, good luck finding a good backup catcher. Half the starting catchers can’t hit a lick. We are spoiled by Posada.
“A couple of different fans have asked, why is Joba Chamberlain’s stuff only coming in at 85-87 MPH on the radar gun, and my answer is that they shouldn’t even have a radar gun during games, but particularly at Spring Training. These pitchers are just trying to build up their arm strength, stamina and form. In the first few games, if a pitcher doesn’t look like he’s throwing his best stuff, it’s because he isn’t.”
Molina seems to like it in New York and the pitchers love him.
He just might do year to year.
Brandon,
I know Raja real well. His dad used to work at the University of Miami. He’s a good kid.
DWade was never coming to NY. That was one of those classic talk radio rumors that never had legs.
He’s very tight with Riley and Spolestra and he LOVES playing in Miami now that Shaq is gone.
Also, Miami can pay him 30 million more than any other team when he is a FA. Florida is also a no income tax state.
30 million more in this economy, less taxes, and he is GOD in South Florida. He’s staying, IMO.
The most popular athlete in the last 30 years in South Florida has been Dan Marino. DWade is approaching Marino-like popularity down here. That’s how big he is and that’s why Shaq wanted out. He couldn’t handle DWade’s popularity.
LeBron? I hear different things about him. I think if he leads Cleveland to a title, he has a better chance of leaving to NY than if he doesn’t. I get the feeling though he is really intrigued about coming to NY and winning with the Knicks.
The Arod stuff? Its definitely the talk of players down here. I can only imagine what’s its like around other parts of the country.
Regardless of where one falls on the Arod stuff, players look at this from an entirely different perspective.
A lot of guys don’t like the media following them around in their personal lives. That’s a turnoff to players, even if the money is great in NYC.
In the NBA, the money is great everywhere. Its a matter of handling the city you are in and how many other parts to the team a GM can put around you.
If I had to place early odds on where LeBron, Wade and Bosh go, I think LeBron is going to come to NY. Wade is going to stay in Miami and Bosh is going to join Wade in Miami.
I don’t think the Knicks are going to get two of the megastar FA’s, even though they will have the cap room for it.
I do think Donnie Walsh is smart enough to surround LeBron with enough talent to convince him to come to NY.
SJ44,
Have you seen McAllister pitch? I’ve heard he throws with a lot of sink, maybe like a Derek Lowe.
I’m intrigued by what I’ve heard. One scouting report I saw called him a workhorse type, a number 2 or 3.
“A couple of different fans have asked, why is Joba Chamberlain’s stuff only coming in at 85-87 MPH on the radar gun, and my answer is that they shouldn’t even have a radar gun during games, but particularly at Spring Training. These pitchers are just trying to build up their arm strength, stamina and form. In the first few games, if a pitcher doesn’t look like he’s throwing his best stuff, it’s because he isn’t.”
Okay fair enough but 88 MPH for a guy who typically sits in the mid 90′s is very odd unless hes taking it easy based on orders from the Yankees?
Bosh is going to Detroit IMO
they have freed up a ton of $$
Molina makes up for his bat with his glove. I know he can’t hit but the staff loves him and he throws out 45% of runners thats enough for me.
When your mechanics are off, your velocity will be off.
As long as Joba is healthy, he’s in the rotation.
Options or not, he’s not on a “short leash” and isn’t starting the year in AAA.
I know fans are begging for competition somewhere on the staff. However, you guys are still making the mistake of being consumed by ST stats, even though its only March 10.
Joba isn’t going anywhere but NY (unless he is hurt) when ST breaks.
“Bosh is going to Detroit IMO
they have freed up a ton of $$”
Then who do the Knicks get
Al from BK,
I can’t answer that either but if the “experts” aren’t worried, the Yankees aren’t worried, and Joba isn’t worried…
then we probably shouldn’t either.
Knicks get the grand prize
LB
I mean Lebron
Lebron is already a Yankee fan. He is friends with CC.
He knows and appreciates the history of the game.
It makes sense for Lebron to be in NY.
SJ the LeBron/Jay-Z relationship also will play a big part in where he ends up, those two are like brothers. I hear all of that too, personally I think LeBron ends up in one of the big 4 cities Chicago, NY, Tor or would it surprise anyone if he goes to LA ? Bank is bank.
I do believe players are starting to notice that NYC is a very gossip column media and that’s going to turn off players. BTW I didn’t know you knew Raja that well but thanks for letting me know.
I’ve seen McAllister pitch a lot.
The Lowe comparisons are accurate because his fastball is in the 91-93 range with lots of sink.
He has a lot of movement on his pitches and does a good job of keeping the ball down in the zone.
He’s also a big kid (6-5) and his delivery is such that his ball kind of sneaks up on hitters.
He’s a very polished pitcher for such a young guy. That’s the product of coming from a scouts family. You can tell he’s been taught the art of pitching and the fundamentals very well.
rodg12 wrote:
Maybe we overthink this stuff. The truth is, either you’re great or you’re not. ”
Especially love the last sentence.
_______
Well, unless you are Chipper Jones who probably would have been the greatest player of his generation if it weren’t for all the roid-heads juicing up their numbers and making him seem average by comparison. Does steroids cheat the fans? Not at all, we get to see good athletes become great and great athletes become all time greats. But it’s the great players that never took the stuff are the ones who truly get robbed of their true standing in history.
Joba is throwing 88, but AJ Burnett was throwing 98 while trying to take it easy. I know it is only ST, but what are you working on when you are throwing a fastball nearly 10 MPH slower than you normally would? Wouldn’t you build arm strength better by throwing a little closer to what you are capable of? Maybe the radar guns were inaccurate and all this is unnecessary speculation, but it seems to me that Joba is taking it a little too easy thus far, and stands the risk at not being fully ready to go at the start of the season.
when i mean showing intensity, i don’t mean non stop. baseball isn’t like that. as a matter of fact being relaxed is a key to being focused and performing well in baseball.
that said, no one can say that the rays didn’t develop an edge in spring training last year. no one can say when varitek got in arod’s face that the balance of power shifted.
i also believe that rolling out five excellent starters who give you a chance to win every day will develop a winning spirit in no time. winning does create it’s own momentum. but until this rotation is actually doing that it’s just speculation at this point.
almost every yankee starter has a down side if one wants to look at things realistically . i will be very surprised if the five starters make it through the first 6 weeks without some one missing starts. if they are all healthy and pitching great, then that would be just what this team needs with arod out.
i agree they’d be a force if this happens, but where attitude comes in is when things don’t go right. i am not talking about being bush league and throwing at people just for effect. i’m talking about setting high standards and meeting them every day. what youkillis does that is so annoying to yankee fans is grind at every at bat, every pitch. he simply tries too hard for yankee fans taste. this is a characteristic of players who aren’t that talented to start with. they have to grind or they wouldn’t make their high school team.
the yankees in recent years are made up of players who have always been stars.i doubt that players like kennedy or hughes have ever had to grind to be good. their first failures take place when they hit the big time. jeter, arod, and teixeira did not have to prove themselves the way youkillis and pedroia did at every level.
i don’t think that having all gritty players or having only star players is the way to go. a balance of the two is always a better way to go. i’m just saying a weakness of the yankees is that most players have always been good. they are not gritty in nature because they didn’t have to be.
this is why a lot of people like gardner because he is an over achiever. i’d like him better if his swing didn’t make my skin crawl, but he does have speed and he does have some fight in him. it’s one of the good things of this spring training that he’s battling for a job.
i just think until this team proves itself by winning, that we don’t know what we have. i’m remaining skeptical until i see it.
SJ –
I said –
“Joba is on a shorter leash *than the rest of the rotation*.”
You disagree with that?
CC, AJ, CMG, and AP have big contracts and a performance history of prior seasons.
If you think that CC starting out at 0-4 with a high era is not different than Joba starting out at 0-4 with a high era – then we’ll just have to disagree.
I understand it is too early to judge Joba. Another 10 days will let us know more.
I just hope if Joba was hurting he would tell someone. I’m not so sure he would. He has a big upside and future – pitching hurt would be dumb.
Jay-Z are Lebron are definitely tight and have quite a few business projects together. However, I don’t think playing for the Nets, especially if they aren’t in Brooklyn, is in Lebron’s grand plan.
His plans go far beyond basketball. He wants to be the second billionaire athlete in sports. Tiger will be the first. Playing for the Knicks, especially if they win, gets him closer to that goal because of the off court business opportunities that would follow.
He’s also got a great love of history for the game. He’s like Arod in that sense. Both guys can talk for hours on the history of their respective sports.
I don’t see Lebron, if he decides to come to NY, choosing the Continental Airlines Arena over MSG and D’Antoni because of his friendship with Jay-Z.
Nothing against Cleveland but, I hope Lebron does come to NY. The Knicks, and the NBA for that matter, would be better for it if he made that move.
“Lebron is already a Yankee fan. He is friends with CC.
He knows and appreciates the history of the game.
It makes sense for Lebron to be in NY.”
I hope so the ultimate travesty would be Bron going to the Nets. Especially if Devin Harris is gone by then(which he will be). If we do get Lebron I would love to see the Knicks get a Robin to his Batman in maybe Stoudemire/Nowitzki?
WFAN should bring in Max Kellerman and get rid of Boomer and Cart. But that probably won’t happen since WFAN only seems to hire Met fans.
This is why 1050 will never be as good as FAN they think Colin Cowherd will do well in New York. 1050 is too national. WFAN a New York sports station every day.
You and many Knicks fans like me pray for it.
Although I got to be honest I love LeBron but if I had a choice between him and Wade I’d take Wade in less than a second. One thing I keep on wondering is why doesn’t Dwayne Wade want to come to NY, I know all the talk but seriously he’d be a mega star here. I know he is GOD in Miami but dammit on the Knicks in MSG his games would be iconic.
If AROD had such love of the history of the game he wouldn’t have abused steroids for three (or more) years.
The only way the Nets are getting a new arena is if they move into the Prudential Center where the Devils play. But I heard they already turned that down.
I would do that if I where them. That Brooklyn thing isn’t happening, much like I predicted some time ago it wouldn’t.
“I don’t like Randy. He’s too opinionated and isn’t nice to people. He should be more like me. He’s just a $^&#@(* lousy old man.”
gb7-
yeah, well at least orville moody wouldn’t have sent me to the other side of the world like he did with you. you can tell a lot about someone by the way they swing a club.
i know. why club then when you can just shoot them?
“club them” that is.
Wade loves living in Miami, Brandon. He’s also very tight with Riley and Spolestra. Eric is the coach of the team because of the work he did with Wade since he was drafted. That got Riley’s attention and he basically groomed Eric to be his replacement.
Wade also trusts Riley can put together another championship calibur team around him.
They won 15 games last year and Shaq quit on the team.
This year, they may win three times as many games, with two rookies in the rotation, a hurting Udonis Haslem, a 21 year old kid in Cook, and Jermaine O’Neal, who looks about 55 years old on the court.
It kind of reminds me of the Bulls prior to them getting Pippen.
I LOVE Lebron as a player. He’s great. However, what Wade is doing this year is the closest thing to Jordan than anybody has done since Jordan was Jordan. He’s been incredible for the past 3 months.
Beasley is also getting better every day. I think Chalmers will be a solid NBA point guard. Daquan Cook is the perfect compliment for Wade because he can shoot the three.
If O’Neal has anything left in the tank, they are a dangerous team in the post-season.
If not, its going to be interesting to see what Riley does this summer. I can’t see him blowing up all his cap room for 2010. However, he’s too competitive to go into next season with the team “as is”.
Its definitely looking up for the Heat right now and I think Wade is really intrigued about trying to win another ring in Miami. Moreso than starting over in NY.
Wait they are replacing Max with Cowherd? HA! Do they think this is Indiana?
Carton is an abomination to radio!
He needs to go.
Boomer is ok.
Kim Jones should have her own show.
Oh and Steven A. Smith is a windbag!
“If AROD had such love of the history of the game he wouldn’t have abused steroids for three (or more) years.”
Instead, he would have eaten greenies like candy, sharpened his spikes, and avoided all contact with minority players.
SJ I’ve been saying it for awhile how LeBron is a superstar but Dwayne Wade is definitely w/o a doubt the closest thing I’ve seen to Micheal Jordan, I didn’t know Spolstra developed him, that changes my mind about him as a coach, but yeh that Heat team is starting to resemble the Chicago Bulls before the Dynasty began. Moon is a perfect Pippen like player, Cook and Chalmers have a bit of Kerr and the other 3 pt shooter escapes me right now. Damn what a steal they got in him, Miami is going to win a title again and they are if Jermaine O’neal finds a fountain of youth a dangerous team this year.
As usual just got to skim the posts. I always consider it a great sign when there is talk other than baseball (basketball, whatever) because it tells me that at least some portion of the forum is chill.
As for me – I ain’t afraid of no damn team!
Yankees all the way baby.
They got the goods to carry it all the way.
AND THEY WILL.
As you were!
“Its definitely looking up for the Heat right now and I think Wade is really intrigued about trying to win another ring in Miami. Moreso than starting over in NY.”
Not sure what edge the Knicks would have. They can’t pay more than Miami. Miami will likely have more title contending pieces in place and Wade is already a big hit marketing-wise. Plus, Miami in December-March > NYC December-March.
I even wonder about Lebron and the Knicks. If I’m him, I’m liking the idea of playing with Harris and Lopez moreso than playing with what the Knicks have in place now. Walsh has done a good job, but the owner is still a tool, the current coach’s style will never win a title, and undoing Isiah’s damage may take longer than the summer of 2010. Lot remains to be seen though.