Mike, come off the ledge
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- May
- 6
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I was listening to WFAN in the car on the way down. Based on what I heard from Mike Francesa and his callers, this is what they want:
• Everybody fired.
• Everybody traded, except Jeter and Mo. And maybe Andy.
There are 136 games left and half team is on the DL. Calm down.
They are right about one thing: The empty seats behind the plate are a disgrace. It takes away from the atmosphere at the Stadium. The Yankees have to figure out a way to fix that.
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on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 3:20 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
best link you’ll find all day:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/s.....ity-issues
I dont think those seats will be filled at all this season. Maybe if we make the playoffs
All WFAN callers are awful. Sad that they are the representation of Yankee fans in the mainstream.
Didn’t they lower the prices already?
If the seats are empty against the Sox, why would it be full for any other team?
And if we continue to play like this, the empty seats will only grow. Pretty soon, it will be like a Royals game
I stepped out my door today and my deductive reasoning told me it was still spring. I checked my calendar and confirmed my suspicions.
I checked a web site today and found that although the Yankees had lost, they still were no where near outside contention.
I checked the box score to find that two of their best offensive players were hurt, as were an important starter, pen contributor, and outfielder. Web MD told me all five would likely be back before June 15th.
I know it’s tough to hear, even tougher to stomach, but the baseball team you watch today will likely not be the team you watch a month from now. But patience is your reward. Baseball is an extremely long season so there will be ebbs and flows.
It’s easy and enjoyable to vent and this is the perfect forum. I am still very confident things will turn around. And I am not an “all is well fan.”
Too much talent in the rotation, once healed enough talent in the 1 through 9, and I think that there are a few valuable pieces in the pen. Ideally 2 more pen guys emerge either through improved performance, promotion, or trade.
Francesa might need to run(waddle?) to his physician and ask for a prescription of chill pills.
Yeah, things haven’t been going well and this team has issues, but get a grip.
They are right about one thing: The empty seats behind the plate are a disgrace. It takes away from the atmosphere at the Stadium. The Yankees have to figure out a way to fix that.
And much sooner rather than later. Tonight should be a good test to see how much the seats fill out (since two rainy games with the Sox could be misleading), but Pete’s right in that it completely takes away from the experience of the game.
Can someone who watched last night’s game answer this: How was the velocity on Joba’s fastball last night?
One guy who is a free agent left fielder for the next year is Jason Bay. The way he is playing, you have to think about making him an offer ahead of Nady or Holliday, I would think.
The new stadium will never be like the old. There are so many things to do other then sit in your seat it will never look packed like it used to. In the old stadium there was no where else to go except the bathroom, you had to be in your seat. There are always gonna be guys at the Food Court now, at the Hard Rock, at the museum, at the Sports Bar, standing at the rail behind home plate, at the Team Store, etc…. Things change, what can you do.
Hopefully they are talking about Girardi because he has had an aweful year and is partially to blame. Injuries are a big part but he has shown me nothing. Hopefully Donnie Baseball will take the job next year or Willie.
How about, after the 3rd inning, they allow fans from the sections behind to fill in the seats.
I’m sorry, but most of those seats are bought by rich snobs who don’t even entertain the idea of going to the games.
Yankees are a disgrace in terms of how they treat their fans. I would love to see ticket prices for other teams and percentage increases for the last 6 W.S. winners.
I can only imagine what ticket prices are going to look like the year after this team wins a World Series.
A few more losses and Mikey might just stroke out. Pretty crazy.
Did they really chant “We Want Torre” yesterday?
Wow. Kay ranting about it now lol
“Can someone who watched last night’s game answer this: How was the velocity on Joba’s fastball last night?”
At the game in person, glanced up at the board every now and again. Seemed like in the first inning he was throwing very low 90s, but his arm strength/velocity seemed to increase as the game went along. When he was in the midst of his strikeout binge he was definitely revving it up at 94-95 a few times. To me what was most impressive was his use of his change-up on a few occasions, as well as his confidence in his curveball as a get-over-for-a-strike pitch.
I told you all last night he would open the show with Chamberlain’s fist pump
Clint
May 6th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Did they really chant “We Want Torre” yesterday?
Wow. Kay ranting about it now lol
=========
If such a chant arose, it must have been a sparse group because it didn’t reach my ears.
I hope not Clint, I mean talk about desperation, ya know ?
Also, some of the reason it looks empty is people standing in the various concourses instead of sitting in their seats. I have been to every game except 2 this season, and the past few games (rain) there have been literally THOUSANDS upon thousands standing in the concourses. That is probably why they wanted to make the concourse on the field level only open to field level ticket holders
I cant listen to Francesa. He is way behind on everything.
If I told you in the winter we would be without
Arod,Wang,Posada,Marte,and Bruney every sane fan would take 13-13 in a heartbeat.
Francesa will do anything to promote talk especially if it agrees with his opinion. He wants Joba to fail so he can be right about putting him in the pen. I cant take him anymore.
I wouldn’t touch Matt Holliday or Jason Bay.
Both guys get overrated because of how they do against the Yankees.
Good players but, not 100 million dollar players or difference makers.
I would re-sign Damon for a year and wait on Carl Crawford after the 2010 season. Tampa is not going to re-sign him and he style of play would fit in with how the team should be reloaded.
Crawford and Austin Jackson in left and center? Now, we are getting somewhere.
“Did they really chant “We Want Torre” yesterday?”
To be fair, Girardi did an extremely poor job of managing the bullpen last night. Not that Torre would have done any better, considering it is a big weakness of his, but I can understand why some fans want to get rid of GI Joe.
I’m posing a question.
Other than the Yankees, who do diehard Yankee fans root for in the following game:
The Sox play at home against Cleveland with Pavano pitching.
Do you root for the Sox or for Pavano? I am guessing even as much as Pavano is despised you still root for him tonight.
I know there are a lot of wealthy people in New York, but even wealthy people are going to find it hard to pay in excess of $500 & $1200 for a single ticket to a game of baseball. Only Mets and Red Sox games should be around $500 a ticket. The front office needs to cut the higher priced tickets in half during an economic recession or expansion.
Give the Yankees until July 1st to see what we have. ARod will give us a huge lift and the GM needs to tinker w/ the bullpen by promoting a veteran in Tomko and maybe adding a piece via trade.
Nothing drastic needs to be done yet.
Jeter in LF for 2010!
You have to root for Pavano b/c you never can support the Red Sox.
If I went to the game I would gladly join the “We want Torre Chant”. How about “We Want Donnie Baseball and Willie as the Bench Coach”… Torre will never come back to the Yanks but Donnie and Willie would be possible.
Girardi and his staff have added nothing to this team. How about some bunts, hit and runs etc. Have Pena bunt last night against one of the most experienced pitchers in the game… kids a “A” hitter, let him lay one down, especially with Molina up next.
I think the Yankees, and their fans by extension, need to re-adjust their short term goals.
The goal should be to be within 5 games of a playoff spot by the 4th of July.
By that time, if all the rehabs go as planned, Arod, Posada, Nady, Wang, Bruney and Marte should be back and healthy.
A trade market will be better formed to fix the broken parts of the team.
If they get everybody back by the 4th of July, and they are within 5 games of a playoff spot, they will then have the horses to make a run.
Right now, its treading water time. Its all they can do.
Gotta just grind and find ways to win games right now and stay close until they get some of these wounded warriors back.
“Crawford and Austin Jackson in left and center? Now, we are getting somewhere.”
co-sign
Jason Bay is incredibly underrated. Offensively he is about as good as Mark Teixeira. Defensively … well that’s another story.
I don’t really want Jason Bay either to be honest.
I hate talking about 2010 and beyond because it’s still early in 2009 but I’d like to see Swisher and Jackson and maybe Damon in the OF. Holliday isn’t worth the money he will get.
I’m not too sure I agree with SJ with regards to Carl Craword. He is incredibly overrated. Good defense, stolen bases but not much of a hitter.
I’m not sure why anyone’s surprised.
Francesa knows nothing about baseball, which was thrown into relief when he and Russo split.
He’s had so much air time without interruption that he’s hung himself in the knowledge department.
He is so on an island that he talks over his guests, including Girardi and Cashman, both of whom, I’m sure, his listeners are interested in hearing.
His Joba fixation is an embarrassment at this point.
Anyone who can make Michael Kay look reasonable is hurting, but if you compare the two shows, he’s a frothy idiot and Kay is the voice of reason.
Fans are complaining Kay praising Joba in a losing effort. I guess they want Kay to be doom and gloom.
We know the RS have been the better run organization. The topic has been beaten to death. It’s Wednesday time for these host to have a new monologue.
SJ:
You don’t see the Rays trying to move Crawford in advance of him hitting free agency? I agree they won’t move to re-sign him, but I do envision them looking to move him, perhaps as soon as this summer if things go bad enough for the Rays in the next few months.
Crawford doesn’t walk enough, either.
One mantra the Yankees should follow: Don’t sign any more players to long-term deals that are already on the wrong side of 30.
Under any circumstances.
Bay is never going to be better than he has been so far this year. Past performance proves that.
Fans are fans. Some are smart, some are dumb.
If you give a forum to dumb fans, that’s all people will talk about.
These same folks have booed Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter in the past. Its a non-story.
The tickets? That’s something the higher ups in the front office have to get real about.
I watch and travel to a lot of baseball stadiums. There are empty seats all over the place this year.
Attendance is WAY down.
Don’t follow phony attendance figures in the paper. Look at the crowds at the ballpark. Its pretty vacant in a lot of parts.
The Yankees like to think they are creative on the business side.
Ok, stop acting like you are freaking exclusive country club and do something to fill the seats with FANS.
After all, that’s what its supposed to be about.
“I think the Yankees, and their fans by extension, need to re-adjust their short term goals.
The goal should be to be within 5 games of a playoff spot by the 4th of July.”
100% right. As I wrote above, the team in July will be MUCH better then this team on May 6th.
I just heard Colin Cowherd’s “promo” on the Michael Kay Show.
He does this takeoff on the Twilight Zone theme called, “The Yankee Zone”.
Here is one of his lines in the bit:
“The star pitchers mom is on meth”.
Is that supposed to be funny?
Really, somebody ought to go up to this creep and punch him in the face. Honestly, that’s a bunch of crap.
You know what? That’s not only not funny, it should be off limits.
Maybe Colin can do a bit about how he destroyed his marriage because he was screwing around all over CT.
How ’bout that Colin? That’s “funny”, isn’t it?
And you wonder why folks hate ESPN and the media? Unbelievable.
Dodgers games actually look about the same on TV. There’s people behind the plate, but it’s not ‘packed’ by any means. As SJ said, there’s holes in attendance everywhere.
bodhisattva:
Crawford’s career high in walks for a season is 37, which as you suggest is brutal. Oddly, he already has 12 walks this year. Too early to tell if that means anything, but I suppose we can’t entirely rule out the guy finally learning some command of the strike zone at age 27. I don’t think it’s the case, but we can’t rule it out.
Even if they trade Crawford, he will not sign with any team. He wants to test the market.
He’s a very, very good player and a guy who would be better with more talented offensive players around him.
He also won’t cost 100 million bucks.
He’s a guy who has had to do it the hard way. Learn how to play in the major leagues.
Just think its a better allocation of dollars, even though we are WAY away from 2010.
To be fair, yankee stadium has been pretty full outside of the Legends seats. However, it is pretty disgraceful how empty that area is.
What a disgraceful commercial 1050 ESPN just ran. Listening to 1050 on the internet. They ran a commercial promoting the Colin Coward show. They had a Twilight Zone music in the back ground while making fun of the Yankee struggles.
One of the lines was “they have a starting pitcher who’s mother is on meth”.
What the heck does Joba mother have to do with the Yankee struggles?
I have heard no one talk about Pedroia’s brother with his issues.
Crazy Mike and his crazy callers…
Can you BELIEVE some people think a rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, Pettitte, Chamberlain and Hughes to go with the best closer in the history of the game and a lineup that still features Jeter, Damon, Teixeira, Matsui, Cano and Swisher should be enough to be better than .500????
Crazy people.
Colin Cowherd as a moron.
He just spouts off to get listeners. I used to tune in but he was so bad.
He thought Kevin Love was black. I mean really, isn’t having at least seen a player a prerequisite.
SJ-
I have suggested that if the Yanks are not going to sell those tickets even day of game there are plenty why not donate them to something like the Boys and Girls Club or other community based youth organizations.Can you imagine how great it would be for those kids who would never in a million years get a chance to sit in great seats like that it would be great for them and great for the yankees
Making light of a players family members drug addiction isn’t just low, it’s kind of sickening.
Joba isn’t the first, last, or only current player that has a family member dealing with this kind of problem.
Just my opinion but Carl Crawford is really overrated.
He is a phenomenal outfielder and probably the best base-stealer in the league but he is very average at the plate.
If he were on this year’s Yankee team, replacing Damon I would probably want him batting 8th. With his OBP I would not want him anywhere near the top of the lineup.
Also when he hits free agency he will be 30 so signing him wouldn’t make much sense IMO.
They ran a commercial promoting the Colin Coward show. They had a Twilight Zone music in the back ground while making fun of the Yankee struggles.
One of the lines was “they have a starting pitcher who’s mother is on meth”.
=======================================
Are you for real? I’m sorry but what the heck? That makes me mad. Did 1050 think they were being “smart” when they came up with that? What does Joba’s mom have to do with the current situation the yankees are in?
Maybe I’ll e-mail Neil Best and get him on this
Anybody who listens to Francesca expecting anything other than a complete lack of intelligence is barking up the wrong tree.
If this was the 80’s, and the Yankees went 0-5 against Boston, Girardi would be cleaning out his desk. Just saying.
“To be fair, yankee stadium has been pretty full outside of the Legends seats. However, it is pretty disgraceful how empty that area is.”
I’ve been to two games so far and each time there were quite a few empty seats where I am, up in the Terrace section. Also, the Field seats behind the Legends seats haven’t seemed very full, either.
Funny you find that objectionable given all the remarks around here about Pedroia’s brother.
Nobody wants to save LF for Derek in 2011?
@ Fan Interference:
You’re right, Girardi would be gone…
But hey, that’s because Big Bad George was a “hot head.” That’s why he only won six World Series…
Just look how much better things have been with the “level headed” Hal in charge.
Gayle,
That would be a GREAT idea. You ought to e-mail Lonn Trost with the Yankees and suggest that.
80% of those seats are sold. 20% of the people show up.
When I don’t go to games, I have a rotation with a local charity that gives the seats to kids and a family member so someone can enjoy the game.
It can be done. The Yankees, as with their on field issues, just have to be proactive for a change.
Gee.. I listened to Francesa also..I heard him berate Sloba and the YES network and I also heard fans call Sloba celebrating when losing a “punk”. I didn’t hear anything about firing anyone or trading anyone…???? Are u making this up?????
Re: The stadium empty seats
Things are not going to change. This management team the Yanks have in place are absolutely clueless. Their treatment of the fans across the board is atrocious. They are so blinded by greed that they failed to account for all the logistical what-ifs of the new stadium which are now coming full-circle. They deserve this problem. I hope the stadium looks like a Marlins game in a month (and if it did, no doubt these idiots will still hold ticket prices as is). I’ve been a season ticket holder for 10 years and will not be renewing them next year, because I feel that by purchasing them I am supporting this type of treatment.
As far as the team goes – relax. It’s early and we look much better than the team that played in 07 and 08, despite all these damn injuries. No manager in the league would look good managing our bullpen if every guy comes in and walks the bases loaded or throws meatballs down the middle.
Regarding the empty seats behind home plate, there really is a simple solution at this point. For those tickets that aren’t sold, say by the day before the game, they should donate the tickets to a local Bronx non-profit organization and have them use them to raise money for themselves. A quick auction on eBay and they can make some good money to help themselves out. Or, those tickets could go to a Youth Organization and have kids sit there. Either way, the cost is sunk at that point and they may as well have people sitting in the seats and eating food/drinking beverages. It would also help them with the Public Relations in the burough, since people don’t seem to happy that they haven’t fulfilled many of their commitments when this new stadium plan was hatched.
SJ-
And in addition they already have an affiliation with charities when I cant go to the games as a season ticket holder I can automatically donate the tickets to the BBBSA and email it to them directly.
It is these types of things that make me thing the Yankees really do not have any clue. If I can think of this from a marketing PR point of view why cant they.
Are they too afraid of the backlash of giving those seats away. Well you know what the backlash they are getting now is a thousand times worse.
I got the answer to the seat problem. Very simple really.
Let people sit there and just check tickets when someone complains. Problem solved. No need to publicize it, just let it happen.
Yankees have the highest attendance in Major League Baseball — relax. People are worried ‘what it looks like’?? Brutal.
I thank the Lord everyday for helping me to find this blog Pete. You keep me (and I can probably speak for others) totally sane most of the time.
Guys like Mike F, and their callers, make me vomit in my mouth when I listen to them. Embarrassing fans.
@ Yanks N More
Even Torre lived under the threat of being fired. There doesn’t seem to be the same pressure on Girardi. After a loss to Boston like that, the Headlines should read “Joe’s on the firing line” in bold print! That’s when you let Hank out of his cage to take shots at the manager. This is NY for cryin’ out loud, not California!
If the stadium didn’t have the seat nazis patrolling every second it just might work
Ray (Sox Fan)
“Other than the Yankees, who do diehard Yankee fans root for in the following game:
The Sox play at home against Cleveland with Pavano pitching.
Do you root for the Sox or for Pavano?”
Well … lighting ain’t going to strike Pavano during a rain delay as he walks into a Red Sox dugout with 2″ of water on the floor, unless they go out and acquire him.
So … by default … I root for the midges.
(Hey, they signed Smoltz didn’t they? And they fell for Schilling’s last on-year deal too.)
SJ44
May 6th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I think the Yankees, and their fans by extension, need to re-adjust their short term goals.
The goal should be to be within 5 games of a playoff spot by the 4th of July.
By that time, if all the rehabs go as planned, Arod, Posada, Nady, Wang, Bruney and Marte should be back and healthy.
A trade market will be better formed to fix the broken parts of the team.
If they get everybody back by the 4th of July, and they are within 5 games of a playoff spot, they will then have the horses to make a run.
Right now, its treading water time. Its all they can do.
Gotta just grind and find ways to win games right now and stay close until they get some of these wounded warriors back.
————————————————————
SJ, I know there are some imposters out there but I am getting confused. This is not exactly what I am reading on some of your other posts.I don’t know maybe I am reading some of them wrong. Which is the real you?
And please dont take offense at my question
@ Fan Interference
Could not agree more, except that there has to be some bite behind the bark, and I don’t believe there is any with Hank.
The thing that really frosts me is this idea that Girardi is somehow fighting with a short stick.
Ya, there are injuries, but for GOD’S SAKE, look at what he still has to work with!
How many managers have a rotation that comes close to matching this one for quality AND depth??? There are still plenty of hitters in that lineup, and they still have the best closer of all time.
Ya, they have middle relief and setup issues… find me a team that doesn’t.
@ Fan Interference
Could not agree more, except that there has to be some bite behind the bark, and I don’t believe there is any with Hank.
The thing that really frosts me is this idea that Girardi is somehow fighting with a short stick.
Ya, there are injuries, but for GOD’S SAKE, look at what he still has to work with!
How many managers have a rotation that comes close to matching this one for quality AND depth??? There are still plenty of hitters in that lineup, and they still have the best closer of all time.
Ya, they have middle relief and setup issues… find me a team that doesn’t.
No matter what you should never listen to that gas bag, Francesa. Kay is a better listen in the afternoon.
Listened to the show for the first hour and didn’t hear anything that wasn’t true. And he never once called for Girardi to be fired, from what I heard.
sj 44, why is it when papelbon pumps his fist, it is showboating, but when joba does it, he is firing up his team. i just started following baseball and you seem to know alot about the game. thanks
Regarding the title of this post, I’d prefer Mike didn’t come off the ledge, unless you’re referring to him leaping off.
past few days i just have to turn it off I much rather listen to Kay, at least you’re going to get some reason there.
Dennis Eckersley is the best closer of all time.
Despite the Gibson home run.
I root for the Sox to lose and for Pavano to get struck by a line drive…
aardvark
May 6th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
“Dennis Eckersley is the best closer of all time.
Despite the Gibson home run.”
Can I have some of what your smoking?
Michael Kay is a fat bloated sack of protoplasm.
TOTALLY I don’t agree the ‘calm down’ thing.
year after year Yanks always got slow start, to them looks like Apr/May games don’t count.
The ‘Calm Down’ attitude is loser’s attitude.
LOL
The Yankees turned one of the great home field advantages in sports into a luxury hotel in a bad recession.
Serious, the players are treated like kings at the new place. I am not impressed by what I see on TV. You are supposed ot be sold out in a new stadium, I can go on stub hub and get tickets at a discount.
The solution is simple: If ticket-holders in those seats behind the plate don’t show up by the time the third out in the bottom of the second inning is registered, they become filled by an on-site ticker-holder with an obstructed view or bleacher seats.
I’m willing to let two full innings slide with those seats empty. But after that, give those seats to real fans.