Chatting about the Yankees with Kim Jones
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jun 15, 2009 
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In the interest of shaking things up a little on our respective blogs, Kim Jones and I decided to trade e-mails over the course of a few days and publish what came out of it. She and I talk baseball all the time while we’re standing around the clubhouse. It makes sense to turn it into content.
The first half of the discussion will be here. The second half will be on her blog, Keeping Up With The Jones later on today.
Kim, as you know, is in her fifth season as the pre-game and post-game reporter for YES and really knows her stuff when it comes to the Yankees. What you may not know is that she covered the NFL for The Star-Ledger for four seasons. She also used to cover Penn State football.
Here is our chat:
Pete: OK, Kimberly, let’s get this started right. Do you think the Yankees are getting back in the playoffs this season? I think they’ll win the division myself, edging Boston out in September.
Kim: Pete, I agree that it will be Yankees and Red Sox running 1-2 in the division and both making the playoffs. (I loved the Rays a year ago but it’s hard to fathom how their pitching will hold up this season.) After the way they’ve played since Alex’s return, I would think the Yankees win the division and the Red Sox the wild card. But it could finish the other way around. Like it really matters.
Making the playoffs has become the expectation for the Yankees. But, after last season, how much credit would you give Girardi for changing his approach, loosening up a bit and establishing better communication with his players?
Pete: I think Girardi deserves a lot of credit. We’ve come a long way from the guy who was pounding his fist on the desk in Toronto last September insisting he had not lied about Mariano Rivera’s condition when clearly he had. In his dealings with the players and the media Girardi has been much more forthright. Beyond that, I think he has tried to get to know people as individuals better than he did last season. It was a rough transition last season but starting in spring training, Girardi worked to improve the lines of communications. I think it has helped how they have played on the field.
In that same vein, how do you think CC, A.J. and Nick Swisher have changed the clubhouse? You seem to like interviewing all of them.
Kim: I think winning changes any clubhouse or locker room. Players would do handstands while conducting postgame interviews if it contributed to a winning environment. So, as long as the Yankees win, every player on the roster will probably embrace the whipped cream pies, the passing along of the championship belt, the Swish-hawk and everything it brings.
That said, CC seems to be the consummate teammate; the other players and coaches love him. AJ and Swisher appear to enjoy interacting with the media and their enthusiasm can be contagious in the clubhouse and on the field. (And, yes, I understand that fans don’t care how players treat the media.) But, in the end, it all goes back to performing and results not Ready Whip and haircuts.
All right, Pete, let’s get to it: We have disagreed on whether Joba would be better as a starter or reliever for the 2009 team. But, given that Wang continues to struggle — and mightily — there is no option to move him to the bullpen. There’s just not enough depth right now among the Yankees young pitchers to go deeper than Hughes in options for the rotation.
So, I’m not necessarily conceding the point, but right now the Yankees need Joba as a starter. And preferably the starter that pitched in Cleveland.
Pete: Where is Mike Francesa when we need him? JOBA CHAMBERLAIN IS A STARTING PITCHER! I respect your view on this, Kim, because you’ve spoken to so many people about it and formed an intelligent assessment. I respectfully disagree, mainly because I think a top-notch starter is more value to building a championship team than a top-notch reliever. It is sort of a moot point because they need Joba in the rotation given there is no reasonable choice to replace him as Phil Hughes could be needed to sub for Chien-Ming Wang. I think the toughest thing any team has to do is weigh what is needed now as to what is needed down the road. If I was Andy Pettitte, I would want Joba following me in games. But if I’m Brian Cashman, I want to develop him into a front-line starter I can build a team around.
Now let’s deal with this issue: Do you think they’ll get anything out of Brian Bruney this season?
See the rest of our chat on Kim’s blog later on today.
Don’t tell his wife
Good read Kim & Pete, thanks!
Oops, sorry Pete. Didn’t know you were already taken.
Great read, can’t wait to see the conclusion on Kim’s blog
Her and I?
Was it a fireside chat?
Chat by candlelight?
Um, Pete isn’t married.
I realize this will be hard for some of you. But please keep it clean and show some class.
Pete, I love your work, but “her and I” is really painful to read.
Just a joke, you know like the A-Rod dog thing….hmmm someone can dish it out..
Ok, I’m done.. Couldn’t help myself…sorry if I offended you, Pete. You’re a great guy and a man of integrity. This I know from first hand experience.
Oh my goodness. Boys of all ages are so silly! I’m a little embarrassed for a few of you.
Enjoyable post. Thanks, Pete and Kim.
Thanks, Pete! But arrgh, the Joba Debate. I thought we put that one out of its misery with the excellent Marchman takedown (Short version? There’s a reason Johann Santana makes a lot more money than Mariano Rivera. QED.)
darn it the Pirates are going after Carlos Gonzalez…they are rumored to be ready to deal Ian Snell for a package to Colorado.
That was fun to read…
Wish there was a bit more “inside stuff” instead of a rehash.
Best decision: Using Kim’s picture instead of yours.
pete, kim said he should be in the rotation
“darn it the Pirates are going after Carlos Gonzalez…they are rumored to be ready to deal Ian Snell for a package to Colorado.”
Looks salary dumpish to me. Can’t immagine the Pirates are getting Gonzalez back in that scenario.
Pete and Kim (my two favorite Yankees reporters), this joint effort is great idea. Thanks! Keep it up, and maybe even consider a regular thing too.
Maybe even joint video chats too? (logistically hard I’m sure, it not like either of you have much free time) But the Kim and Pete show would be really worth watching I’m sure. Would be good to see how you both tackle different questions.
Jones thinks Joba should be in the pen? I lost a looooot of respect for her today.
*thought
Interesting.
After checking Kim’s blog, it seems the Posada Truthers have invaded her space too. Posada’s catching looks like the next Joba debate.
Pete, you think you can weigh in on the whole Posada thing? I’m very interested to here your opinion.
She said the Yankees need Joba to be a starter, due to Wang’s heinous performance thus far this year. Apparently she felt differently about that when it looked like the Yankees were stacked with starting pitching. That’s certainly a respectable position, even if you and I disagree with it.
Haha Carlos Gonzalez… who cares?
Girll, please give it a rest. Humor isn’t meant to be lame and predictable.
“Haha Carlos Gonzalez… who cares?”
23 yr. old OF who has 4 – 5 tool potential, yeh who cares, a young OF who can field, throw, hit and SB possibly better than McClouth. Very versatile OF, you look at our OF corners w/ Damon and Swish, I’d say Gonzalez is a big time upgrade if you could land him.
Well at least she’s on the intelligent side of the Joba debate.
Damon and Swish are far superior at the plate
Nice chat. Thanks Pete and Kim.
I wonder when Kim is putting up the second part of the chat?
“Damon and Swish are far superior at the plate”
I hate that arguement b/c it’s rating a player now when you know Damon and Swish aren’t longterm players vs a kid w/ potential. Damon is in his late 30′s, Gonzalez is in his early 20′s if people think he’s going to hit .240 or .190 for the rest of his career than you are sadly mistaken. He has service yrs. too which becomes useful.
I am a Joba the starter guy, but I hate when people insultingly say, “It’s not even a debate”. It most certainly IS a debate. major league pitcher David Coone and major league catcher John Flaherty both think he should be in the bullpen. I don’t-but that doesn’t mean discussion isn’t valid. Unless Mike Fancessa starts the discussion. That dude is a little crazy.
Damon and Swish are better than any 240 hitters right now. Who knows how it’ll go career wise.
People forget that Damon is a borderline HOF’er who may in fact reach 3,000 hits.
Mark it down..Wanger throws 6 great innings on Wednesday vs. the Nationals
Swish should be coming off the bench, especially the way he plays D out there. I want defense in the OF too, that’s going to hurt us soon.
Might be worth giving her blog another try. I went there a few times when she first started and maybe it was just coincidence but her stuff seemed to run mostly to chummy in-jokes about who was buying what food for lunch, so I didn’t waste any more time.
Best I’ve seen out of her is when she discusses baseball live, not on camera in the company of the likes of Swisher, but on radio. Obviously she has a brain, it just doesn’t always get its exercise doing what she does for YES.
“People forget that Damon is a borderline HOF’er who may in fact reach 3,000 hits.”
Who’s forgetting that, no one is forgetting that, I just want to rob young talented cheap players. We had a shot also for Nelson Cruz last yr. & did nothing, is it so bad to want to improve D in LF/RF from time to time while getting younger and future power/speed potential ?
probably not the right post to bring this up – and i know its beating a dead horse – but notice how the redsox miss their opponents best pitcher (the marlins – josh johnson) once again in their series starting tomorrow….and guess who faces johnson this weekend – thats right the yankees….
if the redsox miss zach grienke when they play the royals in a 4 games series July 9-12 then it may be a sign that we may have to set our sights on the wildcard –
disclaimer: the redsox DID face the yankees top 3 pitchers (at least at the beginning of the season)last week when they faced burnett, wang and sabathia – winning all 3…
“Mark it down..Wanger throws 6 great innings on Wednesday vs. the Nationals”
why wouldn’t he?
i mean he’s in mid spring training shape and his wife is due to have their first child any day and he’s been given an ultimatum by cashman and the yankees to do well or else.
i don’t see why he wouldn’t do well
“Mark it down..Wanger throws 6 great innings on Wednesday vs. the Nationals”
I wish I could believe this but..no chance in this happening, Adam Dunn, Ryan Zimmerman, Johnson and Christian Guzman are going to kill him tomorrow.
If Wang lasts 6 innings, I’d take that as an improvement. Its his location + stamina now that’s an issue, not his velocity. Velocity was there in the Boston start. Only way to improve is to pitch, and pitch a lot. Hopefully more than 69 pitches. Gotta stay away from the walks.
Its funny to me that now Cashman wants to lay all the blame on Wang when he’s screwed up his rehab. TWICE. Once in the offseason, and when he pulled him from AAA in a kneejerk move after joba got hit with a liner in Baltimore.
Brandon, why do you keep insisting that NYY could have gotten Cruz for nothing? The reason that Texas let Bradley go was because they had Cruz.
NYY won’t be getting talent without giving up talent, and they don’t have enough expendable talent to give up for future projects like Gonzalez. As far as NYY “screwing other teams out of their best talent”, you’re living in a fantasy world. They generally have to overpay to get top talent. Gonzales isn’t worth that sort of package….and, no, they can’t just ship Wang off for Gonzalez (whom at this time has limited value) until he shows that he’s healthy and productive. For such a great prospect, why is Gonzalez the #5 outfielder for Colorado?
Wang needs to have his control, his stuff is there, but he can’t throw 40 pitches in an inning and walk 3 people. Throwing the ball ‘down’ doesn’t do you much good if no one things it’ll be for a strike.
“For such a great prospect, why is Gonzalez the #5 outfielder for Colorado?”
He isn’t. That title belongs to Ryan Spilborghs. Rocks are using Fowler and Gonzalez most of the time, at center and left with Seth Smith getting a few days a week spelling them.
Gonzalez has 28 at bats with Colorado. Spilborghs has amost 200, as does Fowler and Smith has over 100.
Speaking of YES, I absolutely cring every time David Cone breaks out the word “irregardless”, although it is not really a “word”.
Mr Cone, please use “regardless” or “irrespective”.
I certainly apologize for bringing this up but it drives me crazy every time I hear it. LOL
Kevin from Edmonton, “I absolutely cring every time David Cone breaks out the word “irregardless”, although it is not really a “word”
The beauty of the English language is its flexibility. Shakespeare made up words all the time. No-one would criticize him for that nowadays, and it’s unlikely anyone did at the time, because there weren’t dictionaries until the 19th Century.
I blame Dr Johnson. Were it not for him and his language-fascism, people would be free to communicate freely without interference.
The goal is communication. Embrace the fact that deviation from the norm is art, in the manner of Shakespeare, Joyce or Carroll.
Making up words is fun. And I like “irregardless”, it makes sense.
Sadly, Irregardless is a valid word. Why? Because people use it. When it comes to language, usage trumps all, irregardless of my preferences or yours.
Reiterate is another bone of contention.