That’s Manny being Manny (no, not him)
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jun 25, 2009 
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The Yankees had two players selected to the Futures Game on July 12 in St. Louis. Catcher Jesus Montero and left-hander Manny Banuelos were named to the World Team.
(Before you lose your mind, every team had to have one prospect selected and no more than two players could be selected from one organization. Austin Jackson is doing just fine.)
Montero you know. Banuelos you may not. His rights were purchased from a Mexican team in the same deal that landed Alfredo Aceves last year. Banuelos is a thin 18-year-old who is 5-3, 2.51 with Low Class A Charleston. Check out his stats on MinorLeagueBaseball.com.
Baseball America has the Futures Game rosters.
Montero went 1 for 2 for the World Team in last year’s game.
UPDATE: 3:21 p.m.: Trenton Thunder manager Tony Franklin was chosen as a coach for U.S. Team.
I don’t keep up with the youngins all that well…how does Montero stack up with Cervelli for those with the info?
Can’t wait to see this kid in the futures game
Hokie hitting Montero is beast. You can’t compare Cisco to Jesus, it’s like comparing Brett Gardner to Josh Hamilton.
Montero has the chance to be closer to being Mike Piazza as a hitter than Cervelli does to being Posada. He has light tower power, but, mainly, he’s a line drive hitter….high line drives and hits for average. He’s also not yet a great catcher, but, he’s no butcher, either.
I’d hate to see them rush Banuelos too fast. He’s got a great selection of pitches, but, mostly, at the age of 18, he has control of them.
I really hope francisco keeps hitting like this because the kid is awesome to watch
good defense as well?
thanks Brandon, GB7
“I don’t keep up with the youngins all that well…how does Montero stack up with Cervelli for those with the info?”
As a hitter? A lot better. Perhaps light years better.
As a catcher? Not as good.
nice to see the Yanks adding more lefty arms to the organization like Banuelos.
I hear Montero is projected to be an absolutely insane hitter. Mike Piazza good.
Montero is likedned to Miguel Cabrera with the bat.
Cisco reminds of Paul Lo Duca, IDK why but he does.
Hokie,
Best way to put it…..Montero will never have Cervelli’s glove and Cervelli will never have Montero’s bat.
Montero’s bat is so good, you live with his limitations behind the plate.
It creates an interesting dilemma for the Yankees.
Looking ahead to 2011, the last year of Posada’s contract, and the time I believe Montero will be ready for big league action, what do the Yankees do?
DH Posada (which brings the question, what do you do with Jeter and/or ARod if his hip isn’t right?), and play Cervelli and Montero behind the plate?
DH Montero (still bringing in the Jeter/Arod issues) and have Posada and Cervelli catch?
Move Montero is another position (LF?) for a year and have Posada and Cervelli catch?
Interesting questions the Yankees will have to answer in 2011.
Jesus has pretty much matched everything Miggy has done @ the same age.
Cervelli is a good backup. But he’s just not a good enough hitter to start.
I do hear that while Montero will not be a Cisco behind the plate, the Yanks are hoping he improves enough to be decent.
SJ don’t forget they recently signed Gary Sanchez & Austne Romine is starting to make noise in A ball.
SJ: I hear that the catcher of the future will probably be Romine. A well above avg. bat and a good glove.
Montero will most likely be moved.
Hokiehill
June 25th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
thanks Brandon, GB7
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Montero’s defense will improve greatly when he hooks up with Butch wynegar and Tony Pena. His issues on defense are mostly mechanical. Romine has defensive issues, too, but, I think that he gets moved to a corner outfield. He’s pretty quick, has a strong arm and a really good line drive bat with developing power. 10 home runs in the FSL at the half way point is pretty impressive for a 20 year old catcher.
Banuelos is a great arm. It is great to see that he is getting some recognition. It is a testament to his skills that he is in Charleston and not in SI or GCL with the other players his age. He is the youngest player on the RiverDogs at age 18. I am excited to see him progress through the system.
GB7-So I was wrong about Romine’s good glove?
good input from everyone, thanks again.
I don’t know much about Montero’s catching skills, aside from what I’ve read here, but I do know that Cervelli is the best defensive catcher the Yankees have ever had, taking into account his hypnotic game-calling skills and Picasso-esque pitch-framing talents. The more games his catches, the better for the Yankees because he is Francisco Cervelli!
(I like Cervelli. Don’t doubt me.)
I wouldn’t count on seeing Montero be the catcher of the future here.
I fully expect the Yankees to go head to head with Boston for Mauer in a few seasons provided the Twins don’t lock him up first.
I don’t necessarily agree with that approach, but when Mauer is supposed to his free agency guys like Jorge, Mo and Jeter will be riding off into the sunset shortly and the Yankees will need new matinee idols to fill the lineup card.
Hopefully, he re-signs with the Twins and this is all moot, but I don’t know how he can leave all that money on the table that Boston and NY will throw at him if he hits free agency.
If Montero isn’t a catcher here and he can’t play 1b due to Tex, do you make a young player a full time DH that early in his career?
Nick in SF-I heard he has the ability to intoxicate hitters w/his eyes.
G. Love-If Montero’s bat is as good as they say it is, they’ll find a place for him.
The bat is not loud
His glove and mind are sublime
and he has the Eyes
What with the haiku’s?
A limerick:
There once was a cathcer from Scranton…
Just kidding
cathcer is catcher.
Wait till they come to OUR house AGAIN
June 25th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
GB7-So I was wrong about Romine’s good glove?
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Not so much his glove, though 23 passed balls and 12 errors (at least 10 on catcher’s interference) in 118 pro games, doesn’t help him. He’s got a strong arm, just slow feet (shifting). He’ll steal a few bases, though.
So this Manny Banuelos kid is really 26 then?
18, plus or minus 10 years
GreenBeret7-I always heard him and Montero grouped together. But Montero was always the better prospect.
http://riveraveblues.com/
Check out the “vote of confidence” thread.
I don’t think Mauer ever leaves Minnesota.
They move into a new, publicly financed stadium, next year.
He’s the hometown kid and the biggest star in Minnesota. Sorry Brett Favre.
The Twins have the money and will have all the pressure in the world to keep Mauer.
I think one of the reasons they traded Santana was to use a lot of that money toward signing Mauer.
Don’t think he ever sees the open market.
You can’t get caught up in the Gary Sanchez signing Brandon.
A 16 year old kid is the kind of kid you sign, forget about for 3-4 years, and let him develop.
I don’t think any move they make in the next year or two will be done because they signed Sanchez.
Romine? I know a lot of people are high on him.
However, I’ve seen this kid play about 15 times in the last two years and honestly, I’m not impressed with his work behind the plate.
He can hit. No question about that.
His work behind the plate though isn’t impressive to me.
He doesn’t move around well back there, at least not well enough to be considered a good defensive catcher.
His arm is good but, not accurate.
I like Cervelli much better defensively than Romine. I also think Montero can be a decent enough catcher at the big league level.
He’s not Joe Mauer defensively.
However, if Victor Martinez can catch everyday in the big leagues, Montero can too.
Actually, if I could get a 25-28 year old toolsy, athletic OF, I’d put Romine in a deal to acquire that kind of player.
Long term, that may be his greatest value to the Yankees.
Wait till they come to OUR house AGAIN
June 25th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
GreenBeret7-I always heard him and Montero grouped together. But Montero was always the better prospect.
http://riveraveblues.com/
Check out the “vote of confidence” thread.
————————————————————
One thing the Yanks have is a lot of good young catchers and they’re all about the same age 19-21 years old. PAT M says that the best of the group could be Kyle Higashioka (combination bat and defense). He’s been watching both Higashioka and Romine since they were young high schoolers and that’s his assessment.
Montero won’t be a brilliant defensive catcher. But we’ve lived w/avg. defense from Posada so we could get his bat, so we can lve w/avg. or even just a bit below avg. defense from Montero for what projects to be a much better bat.
You have to be very impressed with the Yankee’s recent efforts in international scouting (Kei Igawa aside – he was a totally different case as he was a professional in japan).
Cano and Wang. Montero and Jairo Heredia (too bad he’s been hurt so much this year). Banuelos. Aceves and this year Jorge Vazquez. Jose Pirela is having a very good year at SS in the Sally league. And the GCL team for the yanks has a number of very talented players on it (Kevin DeLeon in particular). Though he was traded Tabata as well – anytime you get a guy into the organization who turns out to be a top 50 prospect at one time that’s successful talent evaluation.
They’ve done well in those markets. And what’s encouraging is that the more recent efforts have been particularly successful in bringing in talent to the organization. Sounds like they are very high on Gary Sanchez’s bat.
There’s so much uncertainty with kids who are often so young. Look at Ynoa – he was the best international pitching prospect since Felix. And one year and $4.25m later the talk is that he’s having significant arm problems already.
But it only takes a couple to make the entire effort work. The yankees seem to be getting better at acquiring talent internationally.
They’ll need to do that as their financial advantage in the draft has dwindled significantly.
It’s amazing to me how people think the Twins have no $$$
, they’d let Morneau go before Mauer. He’s King of Minnesota over there, no chance like Hanley w/ Florida no chance they don’t extend him.
Higashioka? Haven’t heard of him.
The Twins should give Mauer an ownership position in the team. Or in Minnesota itself.
How does Mauersota sound?
I really wish we never extended Posada for 4 years. A 3 year deal would have been perfect.
I’m glad we have Posada as long as he plays well and isn’t injured.
I think the last two words are the problem though.
Hanley Ramirez signed a 6 year contract to remain with the Marlins last year. He’s not going anywhere either. Especially with their 650 million dollar, publicly funded stadium getting ready for its groundbreaking ceremony.
CB,
That’s what they have to do. Use the “power in numbers” theory and sign as many of these kids as they deem possible.
The big key is doing as much due diligence as you can do to verify their ages. That’s the tricky thing with the Latin American signings.
“Brandon… “Farve 3, NFL FRUSTRATED RETIRE ALREADY FANS 0″ June 25th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
It’s amazing to me how people think the Twins have no $$$
, they’d let Morneau go before Mauer. He’s King of Minnesota over there, no chance like Hanley w/ Florida no chance they don’t extend him.”
I really enjoy watching Hanley Ramirez play, that kid is a stud….I doubt the Marlins are going to let him go w/ their new ballpark opening, they’re marketing their franchise around him
“I really wish we never extended Posada for 4 years. A 3 year deal would have been perfect.”
Would have been great, but if that were there final offer, he’d probably be playing for the Mets. This 4 year deal has not worked out well for the Yankees thus far, but at the time, they didn’t have a great deal of choice.
Problem is, the Mets were offering him 4 years and the Yankees had nobody to replace him at that time.
Its not like they didn’t want to sign him for 3 years. Just didn’t work out that way.
Either way, I’d rather have him on the team. He can DH if he can’t catch as much at the end of the deal.
He’s still a dangerous hitter and a better hitter than anybody they have that’s major league ready at the position at this time.
Nick in SF
June 25th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
The Twins should give Mauer an ownership position in the team. Or in Minnesota itself.
How does Mauersota sound?
***
That’s a good plan Nick. Except I am pretty sure player/owners are not allowed by current MLB rules. Other than that sticky little thing, you could be on to something
yeah, obviously 3 would have been better based on age and need, but it is what it is. I’m with SJ though, I’m still glad we have him here and am not ready to cut him because we have a good backup catcher…
Right now Posada is the second best hitting catcher in the majors.
“Right now Posada is the second best hitting catcher in the majors.”
Only if Mauer, Martinez and McCann count as one guy.
“That’s what they have to do. Use the “power in numbers” theory and sign as many of these kids as they deem possible.”
That’s getting tougher and tougher given how signing bonuses just became completely irrational as a whole. When teams like the A’s and the Reds are willing to spend big money on a 16 year old its a very different world.
And we’re starting to see some bad signs on this already. Yorman Rodriquez was considered by many the second best international player last year after Ynoa and the best position player available.
This year the Reds have already pushed him into GCL ball. No time over sees at all. What is the point of spending $2-3M on a guy and then rushing him at the age of 16? I think the pirates have also done similar things. Are you really signing a 16 year old for a short term ROI?
That’s why, more than ever, the Yankees will need to flex their financial muscle in the amateur market by having better and more extensive scouting networks. They need to create a talent evaluation infrastructure that no other team can compete with.
Steve B-Mauer.
“Banuelos is a thin 18-year-old who is 5-3″
i read this as 5’3″
time for more coffee, i guess
CB,
I think teams, at least the smart ones, are realizing that the key to Latin American success are the small signings and not the big signings.
There is plenty of talent you can sign for 50-300,000 bucks down there and you can find some diamonds in the rough.
That’s where employing the right scouts come in. Guys who understand how it works down there and have the contacts to find the right kids.
Sometimes, its not the guys who get the Baseball America love who are the real players down there.
Sano is a prime example. He is “the man” this year.
However, what if he’s 19 and not 16? Is he still “the man”?
Its an entirely different scouting evaluation of him if he’s not 16.
He doesn’t look 16, that’s for sure!
Birth Certificates are almost impossible to authenticate down there. Its a real dilemma.
Somebody is going to pay this kid over 3 million bucks and pray like crazy he is 16.
If he’s not, and he’s 18-19, it may well be a waste of money.
A big gamble.
“One thing the Yanks have is a lot of good young catchers and they’re all about the same age 19-21 years old.”
Hey GB….I would think that knowing your kind and generous spirit you would arrange for at least one of those good young catchers to go to the Red Sox!
GB…I am working at a new job where I won’t be by a computer very often but I will still try to come by and say hi once in a while.
Is anybody aware that the Twins ownership and the Nationals ownership are two of the wealthiest individuals in the United States? Each is worth in excess of $3.4 Billion and they’re deemed starved for finances and have miniscule payrolls. It’s absurdly frustrating to pay the luxury tax each year to teams who refuse to spend money.
“I think teams, at least the smart ones, are realizing that the key to Latin American success are the small signings and not the big signings.”
Agreed. It’s the scouting not the buscones or even now the agents that should drive signings.
Banuelos is a perfect example of that. It’s only the sally league but for a kid that young to perform at that level against considerably older kids is very impressive. Throw in the fact that he’s left handed and he’s a great asset for the organization.
I do think the yankee’s scouting has been good in this area. I remember back when they signed Montero. It wasn’t simply willy nilly throwing around a record signing bonus (a la willy mo pena… good grief those were the bad old days of talent acquisition…) They had a real sense that montero had the chance to be special with the bat. Again, who knows with Gary Sanchez but evidently part of the reason why they moved more aggressively on him than Sano is that they’ve been following him for a couple of years and at least have some sense of his bat.
DeLeon last year was similar. They seemed to focus in on him and target him. Now he was expensive but they signed a number of interesting guys for much less as well.
you’re right Ramey. There are owners who are unwilling to spend when they can. We are lucky to have the Steinbrenner family who is willing to spend their dough, always has been, as they know ya can’t take it when you go. I can’t imagine this conversation: “Cashman: This offseason, Tex, CC, AJ please. Steinbrenners: no, too much money Brian, We might anger some people out there. Maybe Teixera, but try to low ball him.”
Did anyone read ESPN’s Buster Olney’s latest article asking if A-Rod is struggling because he no longer is using PED’s?
I find that interesting, and I’m curious why a similar article was never written about David Ortiz when he was struggling earlier this season.
It’s annoying to see guys like Manny and Ortiz get a free pass in all of this. When the A-Rod news dropped, everyone seemed to be so angry and demanded transparency and wanted to know all of the details.
Why isn’t there the same outrage against Ramirez?
Tom-You kidding (yes you are of course0? I can imagine Cashman trying to convince the Steinbrenners that they’re too much money.
0 should be ).
“However, what if he’s 19 and not 16? Is he still “the man”?”
For what it’s worth – MLB has reportedly done very intricate testing to confirm Sano’s age.
No idea of this is true but the main guy at BP who covers international guys has reported that Sano has undergone DNA bone grafting to confirm that he is in fact 16 or 17.
Here’s a bit from an interview he did on Sano:
“Yeah, his talent is that good. A lot of times you can tell how good someone’s talent is by how often people without any kind of information say that he must be older than that. I wrote this, that one international scouting director told me, “look you’re going to hear a lot of saying, particularly with Sano, that they’re older than they are, but when it comes down to it they said that Lebron and Shaq in high school, and it’s because they’re really good.” It’s almost a proxy for the amount of talent they have is almost if they are saying there’s no way he’s 16 when you’re on the top end of the scale like that. And they’ve done the DNA bone grafting and all that stuff to prove that he’s 16 or 17 just using scientific means. And then there’s no questions on his documentation like with other players.”
http://tylersarticles.blogspot.....kiley.html
ray (sox fan)
June 25th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
“One thing the Yanks have is a lot of good young catchers and they’re all about the same age 19-21 years old.”
Hey GB….I would think that knowing your kind and generous spirit you would arrange for at least one of those good young catchers to go to the Red Sox!
GB…I am working at a new job where I won’t be by a computer very often but I will still try to come by and say hi once in a while.
————————————————————
Hey, Ray. I’m all for a deal that can help both teams. The Yanks have another stud catcher in the making as AA. Trying to see what Boston has that might be useful to the Yanks.
That undernourished, over rated center fielder….Elderberry or something like that for Kyle Anson. My reports says that he makes Mauer look like former Red Sox great Bob Tillman. Keep in mind, now, this is just because you’re a nice guy that I’d do this trade.
Ray….good luck on the new job. If they give you any trouble about your computer usage….just drop my name in conversation. That will shake them to the core. I wouldn’t be surprised if that didn’t get you promoted to CEO by next week.
Starighten out the cap Manuel, save it for the show.
“I don’t know much about Montero’s catching skills, aside from what I’ve read here, but I do know that Cervelli is the best defensive catcher the Yankees have ever had, taking into account his hypnotic game-calling skills and Picasso-esque pitch-framing talents.”
This is hilarious.
The penalties of a one year suspension for falsifying birth records to changes ages will make players and agents think twice. Take a year out of a 20-21 year old player’s career and that’s going to hurt.
Because Manny is Manny and Arod is Arod.
Here are two problems I have with the, “Arod isn’t the same after steroids” from the media.
According to Arod, he hasn’t used since Texas. If you choose not to believe him, its your right. However, he’s taken and passed 15 drug tests since 2004. So, unless you have evidence of PED use after 2003, (Selena Roberts burned $300,000 of her publishers money to try and get this proof and came up empty) the, “he’s not the same since roids” argument holds no water.
He had hip surgery. By all accounts, it was a “temporary surgery” because he won’t be completely 100% until he has the second surgery, which I heard recently is going to happen.
Doesn’t it make MORE sense that he isn’t healthy after this surgery? If you watch him hit, its pretty clear he doesn’t have his legs under him.
Why can’t it be that?
I get the fact people want to suspend all benefit of the doubt because of their overblown moral outrage over PED use in the game.
I had a clown all night in the game thread rip Arod to shreds. It was comical to read how much he hates the guy. So much, he had to make up stuff to make “points”.
Yet, he defended Mickey Mantle to the death.
Funny, considering Mickey was a drunk and drug addict (addicted to greenies) for most of his career.
Greenies are now banned because they are a performance enhancing drug. Most ballplayers from the 50′s-90′s LIVED on greenies to keep going. Yet, no outrage.
For all that are outraged about PED use, let me ask you a simple question. You can use Google if you need to find the answer to this question:
What killed more Americans last year, driving under the influence of alcohol or using steroids or HGH?
My point is, those in the media who don’t like Arod, or who live for standing on their moral soapboxes, why no outrage over drinking and driving? Why no outrage about alcohol abuse among athletes. Or, alcohol abuse among media members for that matter.
A guy like Charles Barkley drives drunk, no media outrage because they LIKE Charles Barkley. Arod? They treat him like a mass murderer.
I don’t like selective morality. If you are going to be outraged about PED use, apply the same measures to drinking and driving.
Members of the media fail to do so, especially in the area of PED use among athletes.
And don’t tell me, “but PED’s make the players better”. Really? Where’s the proof?
There were PLENTY of guys who used and still couldn’t play a lick.
PED use isn’t a magic elixir that made players better. Some players got better. A lot didn’t.
The proof has NEVER been fleshed out on this issue.
Instead of relying on urban legend, I’d just like to see more proof because we cast sweeping indictments on players.
Banuelo is only 5-3? Pretty short for a pitcher.
I wouldn’t want Mauer even if he hits the open market. I’m getting a little tired of the studs. It’s such a risk to have a guy live up to these contracts. The Yanks got a lot of talent in the catching department in the minors, we just need one to come through. Although, Montero / Cervelli sounds like a pretty good tandmen to me.
you go, SJ
So, is Bryce the next Ken Griffey Jr? Some of those stats he has are inconceivable. Could he hold out to sign with the Yanks like Lindros did with Quebec?
Sj, you’ve nailed it.
The only way the Yanks get their hands on a player like harper is if he’s declared a FA because he played in the indepenent leagues and is no longer an amateur. He could be a test case to end the FA draft.
I don’t know. I don’t have the faith in the Twins ownership some of you have.
They have historically never shown their own players the money. The players have to take the hometown discount to stay there like Joe Nathan did.
Mauer would be a fool to take the money Minny offers before he hits free agency.
You really think Minny is going to give him an 8 year deal avg. 20 million/year?
I don’t.
They’ll try to sign him for 17-18 million and he will go to free agency.
When that happens, Boston, the Yankees and even the Mets might go wild for him.
That said, I hope it doesn’t happen.
I’d rather see him stay in Minny, but I don’t have the confidence many of you have that Minny will pony up regardless of the new stadium.
I think a long term contract like that to a catcher is silly and as much as I like Mauer as a player, I don’t want to get into a bidding war with Boston for him and end up having Mauer, Arod and Tex cost over 75 million a season combined.
SJ, I think what set some players apart were their unparalleled work ethic and dedication to be the best. Their PED use just put them in a category beyond what any player could have ever done. Personally, I have no problem with it. Simply because I know any other player from any other era would have done the same if given the choice. Greenies are illegal drugs just as much as steroids, yet were was the public outcry? Could you imagine what Mantle would have done if he had today’s surgical techniques and HGH at his disposal?
Very well articulated argument, SJ. I couldn’t agree with you more.
Are we writing books here? Jeez
Rishi,
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a drug guy. I don’t even like taking aspirin if I have a headache.
If its on a pizza? That’s a different deal. lol
Seriously, I had “the talk” with my nephew 5 years ago about PED use. I used the “mirror theory” to get my point across to him.
That is, you have to look in the mirror and like the person you see and KNOW you did things the right way. If you do, you will have a great career. If not, it will haunt you forever.
Thankfully, he stayed away from PED’s.
My point about PED use, and the way its covered, is its selectivity in HOW its covered.
Manny Ramirez return to baseball is being CELEBRATED on ESPN.
They tore Barry Bonds and Arod to shreds. Even assigned reporters to follow them around 24/7 for months.
With Manny? Nothing but celebration.
Doesn’t anybody else find the hypocrisy and selective morality from ESPN on this issue pathetic?
Even Buster Olney, a good reporter who has gotten too emotional about this issue, plays the “whisper game” about Arod. Yet with Manny, you see none of that stuff.
Look, Arod made his own bed by doing some stupid, stupid stuff in his career and in his life.
That said, let’s have a little perspective here.
The guy has never been arrested in his life. Never hit a woman, never has done a lot of crap that others athletes do that ESPN turns the other cheek to and celebrate their existence.
He’s a diva. Not the only diva in that clubhouse but he is a diva. That’s his “crime”.
I’d just like to see people, especially some of the younger, inexperienced fans, not to grab the bait everytime its thrown out there by the media on everything ARod.
The guy was well within his rights to have the big surgery, shut it down for the year, and come back next year.
He chose the intermediate procedure to try and be around to help the team win this year.
You don’t have to erect a monument in his honor for it. However, remembering that and having a little respect for that is ok.
Amazing post SJ44, I agree 100%.
Great point about how much or how little steroids actually help a player. It’s never been proven if steroids help at all and if they do, to what extent.
SJ,
KLaw gets it:
Joe (New Jesey)
Keith, do people forget that Arod is probably playing at less than 100% right now due to the hip injury. Why all the talk in the media about how he may be done? Seems kind of foolish to me, no?
Keith Law
Incredibly foolish. At the time of the injury the reports said this was a partial solution, and that he wouldn’t be 100% until he had the more serious surgery.
I think it was after KLaw called Olney foolish that the headline on the link to Olney’s blog was softened (from something like the end of ARod to the Mystery of ARod).
SJ44!!! great posts!!
If A-Rod was healthy he’d be on a tear. C’mon, did this guy ever even really need steroids to be good?
Look, shame on ESPN and the media. God bless u SJ44, u nailed it. at least he came back as quick as possible, rather than sitting out a whole season. Giambi was basically gone for two years and nowadays, not many people remember that and criticize him for that. Unlike most players, at least A-Rod has been healthy and productive in his time in NY. Forget the playoff stuff that is hogwash. If it weren’t for A-Rod, the Yankees wouldn’t have made the playoffs in some of the years he’s been on the team, namely 2007 when he carried the team on his back with the magical season. I’m sorry but Bernie, Jeter and Pettite might be loved by you guys, but they have never matched A-Rod’s monstrous production on the field year by year. Which reminds me: why don’t you guys hate Pettite? he’s just as much a cheat as A-Rod, and whats more, he definitely cheated while on the Yankees. This is just despicable how the media hates the man just because he brings in more dough than any of them do.