Today in The Journal News
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Feb 18, 2010 
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It was business as usual on Wednesday when the Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to the team’s spring training complex in Tampa.
The team went through the standard routine, with a few pitchers tossing in the bullpen, then talking to reporters about the upcoming season. The 2009 World Series was behind them, but so was the controversy that opened this camp a year ago. For better and for worse, the Yankees were just like every other team in baseball.
time to get to work, have you seen rivera yet. good job on the blog so far
Back to normalcy!!!
More pictures please. Camera phone camera or otherwise. Thanks!
Some on NYYFans.com are wondering if Phil is using a higher arm slot than before:
Before:
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/.....1BF5649DAD
after:
http://cache.daylife.com/image.....e/x610.jpg
Here’s Phil looking all ticked off:
http://uspresswire.com/image/t.....446193.jpg
CC, AJ, and now DJ…I see a pattern here.
Ledger_Yankees movie projector in clubhouse. instructional video time. about as popular among players as the old turn your head and cough test. 3 minutes ago reply
Sweet pix Betsy, thanks for posting them.
This blog is so nice in the am
upstate kate
February 18th, 2010 at 9:07 am
This blog is so nice in the am
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I agree
From SI.com
American League East
AP
Best players, by position:
No. 1 starter: CC Sabathia, Yankees
No. 2 starter: Josh Beckett, Boston
No. 3 starter: John Lackey, Boston
Closer: Mariano Rivera, Yankees
Catcher: Victor Martinez, Boston
First base: Mark Teixeira, Yankees
Second base: Dustin Pedroia, Boston
Shortstop: Derek Jeter, Yankees
Third base: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
Right field: Nick Markakis, Baltimore
Center field: Adam Jones, Baltimore
Left field: Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay
Best pitcher in the division: Sabathia. Edges Boston’s Jon Lester and Josh Beckett.
Best player in the division: I have Alex Rodriguez just a notch ahead of Teixeira, but they’re really pretty close. There are great players everywhere in this division: New York’s Jeter, Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria and Crawford, Boston’s Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, Baltimore’s Adam Jones, Toronto’s, um, well, Jesse Barfield? Actually, even in rebuilding Toronto, Adam Lind looks like an offensive star in the making.
And the predictions:
1. New York: 103-59
Comment: Loaded. And loaded. And on top of that: Loaded. Take last year’s team — maybe the best team of the decade — and add Curtis Granderson and Javier Vazquez. Did I say loaded?
2. Boston: 98-64
Comment: Also loaded… I think the Red Sox have slightly better pitching than the Yankees and their defense should be awfully good. But the Yankees offense seems a notch better….
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....ons/1.html
This probably makes Baltimore, Toronto and Tampa Bay fans less than thrilled.
#Yankees pitch coach D.Eiland told me, owing to age and workload, he’s asked A.Pettitte to temper heavy workout regimen but at 8 am only person on otherwise empty Steinbrenner Field is Pettitte doing long-distance running
about 1 hours ago from web
Pat-
“#Yankees pitch coach D.Eiland told me, owing to age and workload, he’s asked A.Pettitte to temper heavy workout regimen but at 8 am only person on otherwise empty Steinbrenner Field is Pettitte doing long-distance running
about 1 hours ago from web”
Not surprised. Pettite and Clemens used to have a very rigorous w/o routine they did together.
Last year there were rumors that Andy was “mentoring” Joba.
It would be great to hear that Joba was out there working out w. Andy and following what has been described as a really tough regimen.
Did you hear that Joba ??????
Don’t be foolish to assume players aren’t working out or putting in time just because somebody didn’t write a tweet about the player.
I saw Joba a week ago and he looked fine. He’s putting in the work. He looks better than he did last year at this time.
That’s a pretty good list by SI. As of this moment it is probably correct however by the end of the season I don’t think Lackey will he the best #3 in the division. I also think Victor will struggle with a full season behind the plate. It may not affect his bat all that much but he will cost Boston defensively over the course of the season.
Hoch: Mo ok with situation: “I have a contract this year. That’s all I need to know.”
2 minutes ago from txt
We have a Mariano Rivera sighting. The closer just walked through the clubhouse shaking hands with everyone.
7 minutes ago from txt
“Cashman, Yankees Boldly Unsentimental”
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/0.....or00000002
SJ-
Glad to hear it! Thanks for the personal observation.
I know you and I don’t agree on this but IMO this is Chamberlain’s last chance to prove he can be a starting pitcher, and he should be as serious as a heart attack about
answering the call.
I’m pulling for him.
Tom in NJ
love your new handle
MTU,
I also feel like that if Joba ends up in the pen this year that there is a good chance the Yankees have made the decision that that’s where he belongs and he stays there.
I don’t see it as life or death for Joba.
I’m more concerned with team performance. Whatever is best for the team is what I’m for.
“I still believe I am a starting pitcher and will be a good starting pitcher”. That quote is from August 1996. You know who made it? Mariano Rivera.
My point is, anything can happen with players. Where they end up from a role perspective usually works itself out.
Blake-
There’s a lot of money at stake for Joba.
If he winds up as a reliever he will never come near the money he could have made as an effective starter, and his value to the Yankees going forward will have diminshed as well.
I meant to ask you this yesterday.
Are you a hiker ? You seemed to show more than a passing interest in yesterday’s digression into it.
Kate, you’re welcome – and I agree.
Per Joel Sherman, CC came into camp slimmer and AJ bulked up his upper body a bit. Hmmm…….more room for tattoos, of which I read he added a new one.
Tom in NJ -
That tag just made be crack up! Love it.
I wonder what bulking up (even a bit) does for a pitcher. AJ said he was disappointed in his year last year, so I assume that belief was behind this. I hope he’s not too bulky…….
The Yankees actually asked CC, Andy and AJ to delay their throwing program this winter due to their heavy workload last year………
Joba’s beard is like Phil’s mustache – it really has to go, lol
SJ-
Understood. A player can only be what they can be. And the TEAM comes first but I hope that each and every young Yankee
player can fullfill their maximum potential.
It’s great for them and great for the team.
Joba’s maximum potential IMO is as a great starting pitcher.
If he turns out to be a “star” reliever that’s fine too but I
hope he reaches his “cieling”. Same for PH.
Phil’s arm slot is higher based on those two photos, but we don’t know if that is an artifact or an enduring fact.
Pat M.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:19 am
Chad The Lad and his bouys might want to initiate a drug testing policy for the LoHuders who wprk the swing shift…..Pitchers wins mean nothing ???? Let’s go Yanks, you’d be the first in line for cup samples……Honesty, that is beyond belief……
———————————
I am far from the first person or only person to believe this. However, just saying it is beyond belief does not tell me why pitcher’s wins are important. Just because people have said they are for a long time does not mean anything.
I gave a few of my reasons why I believe wins as a way of evaluating a pitcher are worthless. If you or anyone else can tell me why wins are a valuable way to evaluate a pitcher that would be great, because then we can actually have a discussion about it. Because, so far I have seen no evidence just statements like I must be crazy…
MT, I agree….I also don’t think there is anything wrong with a pitcher wanting to be a starter and getting the chance to be so, especially when we are talking about the caliber of young talent of Joba/Phil.
That SI list is wrong. Pedroia isn’t even the #2 2nd baseman in the AL East. Aaron Hill is #1 and Cano is #2.
Ledger_Yankees Doesn’t appear that the Yankees are watching an instructional video… unless MLB hired Ben Stiller to host it. about 1 minute ago
Rich – I’m sorry; what do you mean by artifact or enduring fact?
Erin
February 18th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Ledger_Yankees Doesn’t appear that the Yankees are watching an instructional video… unless MLB hired Ben Stiller to host it. about 1 minute ago
*********
I bet its Zoolander!
Betsy-
Right now I tend to favor Joba over Phil in the starting rotation for a couple reasons.
IMHO, I think Phil has more time to show what he’s got than Joba, and could use an effective changeup.
I am not as concerned as you about PH being relegated to the pen this year (if that’s the way it plays out) because I believe he will get his shot sooner or later. He’s younger than Joba.
“may the best man win”.
Betsy
IOW, the pictures may reflect an actual adjustment that was made with Phil’s mechanics, or the difference in arm slot could merely be a consequence of Phil trying different things for a few pitches, but not reflective of anything he plans to do going forward.
Erica – always OPPC
February 18th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Erin
February 18th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Ledger_Yankees Doesn’t appear that the Yankees are watching an instructional video… unless MLB hired Ben Stiller to host it. about 1 minute ago
*********
I bet its Zoolander!
******************
That was my first thought too! lol
MTU, I agree with you on Joba.
I am a hiker and enjoy most anything outdoors..skiing, hiking, fishing, etc.. high altitude climbing isn’t something I’ve ever done or probably ever will do but I’m fascinated by it and have read several books on the subject.
KenDavidoff #Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland insists, ardently, that Aceves, Gaudin & Mitre have real chance of winning 5th starter’s job. 4 minutes ago
Blake-
Same here. What’s your personal definition of “high altitude”
climbing ? Just curious.
Saying wins and RBI are “worthless” is an overstatement and an incorrect one regardless of who says it.
Without bogging down the blog with another civil war on determining player efficiency, most openminded people on the numbers debate laugh at such an oversimplification.
Are wins and RBI the sole or even primary reason to evaluate players? Of course not.
But, to say they are “worthless” doesn’t boost a sabermetric argument.
Wins and RBI matter. A lot. One can argue the degree they matter. One can’t logically argue they are “worthless”.
New post. Also, the Yankees are actually doing things on the field today, so I should have pictures. I know people are waiting for them, I just need a chance to actually take some.
New Post: Rivera has arrived