Spring Training Game 26: Yankees vs. Blue Jays
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Gameday Thread on Mar 30, 2010 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Johnson 1B
Marcus Thames LF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Randy Winn RF
Ramiro Pena 2B
Jon Weber DH
Francisco Cervelli C
Greg Golson CF
RHP Sergio Mitre
BLUE JAYS
Jose Bautista RF
Aaron Hill 2B
Adam Lind DH
Vernon Wells CF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Travis Snider LF
Alex Gonzalez SS
Raul Chavez C
LHP Marc Rzepczynski
TIME/TV: 7:05 p.m./YES Network
WEATHER: Not much different than it was for the afternoon game. Not a cloud in the sky with temperatures in the high 60s, dropping into the low 60s in the later innings. Wind is blowing out to right field.
UMPIRES: HP Mark Wegner, 1B Andy Fletcher, 2B Damien Beal, 3B Vic Carapazza
ON THE LINE: You could argue that Sergio Mitre is pitching for a spot on the team, trying to prove it’s better to keep him instead of a second lefty. That might be true, but I tend to think he’s made it… Marcus Thames is facing another lefty, with a chance to make another solid impression.
UPDATE, 6:21 p.m.: Joe Girardi said Mark Teixeira actually showed up today with no swelling. Sounds pretty encouraging.
By the way, Jose Molina is on the travel roster for the Blue Jays. So is Sean Henn, who’s up for the day from their minor league complex.
UPDATE, 7:52 p.m.: I know what his number were last year, but Sergio Mitre really does look like a different pitcher this spring. He’s locating that fastball down in the zone, and he keeps getting ground balls. He’s works his way through three hitless innings so far today.
UPDATE, 8:06 p.m.: Looks like I spoke too soon. A two-run homer in the fourth has put the Blue Jays in the lead, 2-1, but Ramiro Pena made a nice play at second to end the inning.
UPDATE, 8:30 p.m.: Nick Johnson. Aggressive on the bases as always.
UPDATE, 8:37 p.m.: Not exactly textbook baseball taking place right now.
UPDATE, 8:39 p.m.: Blue Jays pitcher lets a comebacker hit his pitching hand… not exactly textbook baseball taking place right now.
UPDATE, 8:59 p.m.: Damaso Marte is in for the Yankees. Nice night for Mitre: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K.
UPDATE, 9:15 p.m.: Mariano Rivera is now pitching for the Yankees. Colin Curtis is in left, Jorge Vazquez is at first, Austin Romine is catching, Eduardo Nunez is at short, Reegie Corona is at second and Ramiro Pena has moved to third.
go sergio
Thames has been picking it up, he hasn’t looked as lost in the outfield (still a liability) and his approach at the plate has been better. The yankees have to be wary with Thames, he is a REAL streak hitter. They have to ride him hard when he gets on a streak, and let him rot on the bench when he is cold.
In June and July last year he went through 2 2-3 week stretches where he banged out 5 HRs per hot streak and basically hit .300 while slugging over .800.
The rest of the time he was more or less an easy out.
Yikes. I see I got ripped again for going to the clubhouse when it opened. Thank you to everyone who tried to explain the situation.
UPDATE, 6:21 p.m.: Joe Girardi said Mark Teixeira actually showed up today with no swelling. Sounds pretty encouraging.
***************************
That’s good news
Good news about Tex……..
Felix Doubront is the next Felix Hernandez
Chad, these idiots are just drive by trolls – pay no attention to them. We all appreciate what you do….
chad, can’t have 2 dh
Chad, you unironically own at yankees beat reporting. Chad + Sam + Jeff + that other guy (sorry other guy!) is much better than the previous regime.
I have never seen Nick Johnson play. Does he wear a lot of padding?
jay w.
March 30th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Felix Doubront is the next Felix Hernandez
————————————————————
He’ll be lucky to be better than Felix Heredia,
You’re the man Chad. Thanks for everything you do.
You mean Josh, Jerkface?
You mean Josh, Jerkface?
–
Do I?
“Yikes. I see I got ripped again for going to the clubhouse when it opened. Thank you to everyone who tried to explain the situation.”
If you didn’t go to the clubhouse you would get ripped for not providing that information. So unless you plan on cloning yourself so you can be in both places, I wouldn’t worry about such comments.
“chad, can’t have 2 dh”
Making up for not using one this afternoon.
Will the same yankees.lhblogs.com open up the new site?
I think the “other guy” is Josh.
Please send the LoHud Yankee fans condolences to the family of the late Marty Foster.
pat
valid point
I think so…..actually his name and picture are no longer on the side of the blog, so maybe Josh has left us.
GreenBeret7
March 30th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Please send the LoHud Yankee fans condolences to the family of the late Marty Foster.
****************************
LMAO
LOL GB
Betsy – Hughes rules (but not those rules, the other rule)
March 30th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
*****************************
Betsy, I just noticed your handle-very nice
Thanks, Erin! What do you think of this one?
Trouble in Dodgerland:
“As Hollywood would have it, the Dodgers are a family that is being wrecked by a divorce. Frank and Jamie McCourt, who bought the team six years ago and quickly made themselves the celebrity faces of the organization, appeared in their own municipal McCourtroom together for the first time in a farce that could destroy the credibility they built and undermine ownership’s capacity to maintain a competitive major-market operation. After successive National League West titles, the mission should be how to win a World Series championship. Instead, the payroll has been sliced drastically to $83 million, the front office didn’t seek a No. 1 pitcher in the offseason, Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre has suspended talks about a contract extension and, worse yet, all the hope and positive buzz that should accompany the start of any season has been replaced by gossip-page smut.”
http://tinyurl.com/yz6qbtc
I’m fiddling around now.
I will never, ever, get used to the name “Jerkface.”
Wasn’t there a game already today? (j/k)
Talk about a soap opera…
Atlanta switch hitter Brooks Conrad on facing Venditte:
“I was pacing around the dugout trying to figure out what I was supposed to do,” Conrad said. “I went up there left-handed and then if he would have asked to pitch left-handed, I would have turned around and gone right-handed. So I took both helmets and both bats up there.”
From MLB.com
Betsy – Hughes rules (but not those rules; I mean like the Queen rules)
March 30th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Thanks, Erin! What do you think of this one?
***************************
Love it
LOL Bronx – poor confused kid (or I assume Conrad is a kid)
Betsy-you’re giving me a headache! lol My vote goes to “Pleading the fifth”
Erin, lol – sorry! I’ll stick with this one for tonight and see how it goes….
“Felix Doubront is the next Felix Hernandez”
Are you serious?
Because every start wil include a plea: just make it through the fifth?
Chad
Your professionalism is astonishing.
With PA our last beat writer (who possessed no professionalism whatsoever), you are a breath of fresh, non Mickey D hamburger clogged air!!!!!!!
ryan garko realease, would he be a better fit than marcus thames
Is it raining?
REPOST:
Not even gonna talk about how wrong those predictions are…..
I don’t feel bad for Pat at all. He goes out there and plays baseball for a living everyday…and does it a little different from everyone else. Sure it is unlikely that he will make the Yanks ever…but who knows. I expect he will end up stalled at AA or AAA for years.
I read that he hit low 90s today? Is that true? If he can do that with good control he has a shot somewhere…..
I am excited to see what they have whipped up for the site. Hope those stupid giant flash ads at the top go away.
I expect the Yankees to do alright in April/May…500 type ball…an pick it up like they always do.
Chad don’t listen to those clowns….thanks for the awesome site Lohud Yankees team.
Baseball!
Plutonium
March 30th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Is it raining?
****************************
It shouldn’t be-Andy isn’t pitching tonight.
Nice placement of the FB.
That was a pretty darn nice 2 seamer there by Mitre.
You can never tell about baseball. If Aceves starts the season on the DL, Mitre takes his spot in long relief. He looked sharp against 3 quality hitters in the first and completely locked up Lind.
Derek needs a new walk up song. Empire State of Mind was so 2009.
Mitre has looked solid all spring. Throws strikes, he’s keeping the ball down again etc.
Mitre = Cy Spring
BryanHoch Little-known Yankee fact: Jorge Posada shoots basketball free-throws left-handed due to a broken right arm he suffered in the mid-1980s.
6 minutes ago
With Mitre, it’s all about keeping the BB down.
Nick!
Hope we see that a lot this year.
wow, is it that easy? Walk, SB, single.
Iphone/MLB app people:
There is free video of the YES feed for tonight’s game. No blackout.
Which has never happened before.
Jeers happy.
The pitcher put that on a tee.
Nobody would be happier to be wrong about Mitre’s abilities to pitch in the ML than me, if he continues pitching close to this. An Aceves type 2009 season would be fine with me.
Nobody really knows what Mitre will do this year but I do know one thing, he’s throwing the ball this spring better than any time last year so thats bound to be a good thing.
That was a very impressive at bat by Nick Johnson and a good example for how he fits into this line up and why he’s a good replacment for Damon’s bat if healthy.
Rzepczynski is really a gangly left hander who is a lot of elbows and knees. He throws almost 3/4.
He’s the kind of pitcher who will give many left handed hitters trouble. He had a nice rookie season last year. ERA of 3.67. K/9 8.80. Lefties hit .220 against him with a .650 OPS(righties only hit .226).
What was so impressive about Johnson’s at bat was the way he stayed closed and didn’t bail out. Many left handed hitters would have had trouble not bailing and staying closed against a guy who throws like Rzepczynski.
Nick hung in and took the ball straight back up the middle which is exactly what you want in a 2 hole hitter, especially with a RISP.
One of the big relative advantages the yanks had last year in playing at home was that their left handed hitters were very good against left handed pitching. Damon was very good in that regard.
Johnson too has been very good against left handed pitching. That at bat demonstrated why that is and why he can be very effective as long as he stays healthy.
I believe I still have a bottle of Coors Light in my fridge just waiting for the moment Mitre brings his Yankee ERA under 6.00.
This could happen!
I’m rooting for Mitre.
Don’t bye Mitre’s ST stats… remember Tomko last year? Dan Giese the year before?
Guys who were never good to begin with should not be expected to be good based on a good ST. Gaudin was a much better option and it will prove itself over the coarse of the season.
Every pitch Mitre is throwing is moving down.
The major difference between Mitre this year and last year is command.
Mitre is a strange pitcher. He really is two different pitchers. When he keeps the ball down it has a lot of nice movement on it.
When the ball is up it really flattens out – more so than with most other two seam guys. It’s not just the ball is elevated – it just stops moving.
Last year he showed that nice movement down in the zone but he couldn’t do that consistently. He got the ball up in the zone way too often and he was basically batting practice.
Hopefully further out from TJ his command is in fact truly better and he can keep the ball down.
From there his movement will take care of a lot.
I sure hope Mitre is not wasting all this good pitching in ST!
Mitre’s stuff looks nasty.
wow. Mitre looks like garbage
Nobody is “bying” anything. It was just a statement on how well he’s done this spring.
“bye” = buy
If NJ stays healthy and Cano steps up into that #5 spot then this lineup has a very good chance to be as good or better than last years with a better rotation and better defense.
I am one of the few people who felt Mitre did a fair job last season, coming off TJ surgery. I felt he got hurt by his fielding. And then he literally got hurt just as he seemed to be getting into a rhythm.
I know is overall career record isn’t impressive, but Girardi likes him. Girardi doesn’t seem to be a slouch in evaluating pitchers.
I’d love for Mitre to succeed.
Michael kay must be one of the worse play by play persons. What an annoying gravely voice and hey mike, you have one of the finest in singleton with you show some respect. How kay got the job is a mystery
Webber baled, not that I wouldn’t.
LOL Nick…….
Rich in NJ
March 30th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
Mitre’s stuff looks nasty.
vinny-b (Granderson is my fave NYY position player – no rite of passage necessary)
March 30th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
wow. Mitre looks like garbage
—————————————-
I’m not watching the game!
How does Marte look? Nasty or Garbage?
Tom
I’ll guess that vinny-b was being sarcastic.
That weak swing by Weber is a good example of what a lot of left handers react to a guy like Rzepczynski. He just couldn’t stay intact on the pitch. And Weber has been swinging a hot bot.
Compare that to the way Johnson took his cuts.
CB
March 30th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
The major difference between Mitre this year and last year is command.
Mitre is a strange pitcher. He really is two different pitchers. When he keeps the ball down it has a lot of nice movement on it.
When the ball is up it really flattens out – more so than with most other two seam guys. It’s not just the ball is elevated – it just stops moving.
Last year he showed that nice movement down in the zone but he couldn’t do that consistently. He got the ball up in the zone way too often and he was basically batting practice.
Hopefully further out from TJ his command is in fact truly better and he can keep the ball down.
From there his movement will take care of a lot.
————————————————————
he hasn’t showm much since 2004 in his minor league days, but, maybe he’s like Jim Turner and Gene Bearden and is a late bloomer.
he hasn’t ***shown***
I’ve been harsh on Mitre and I don’t necessarily think that his performance will carry over into the season, but if it does in any way, then he can help us. I would dearly love to be wrong.
“How does Marte look? Nasty or Garbage?”
——————————————–
he looks excellent
GB, are you a late bloomer?
Got it, guys.
Thanks
Doreen – 2010 GTLU
March 30th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
I’m rooting for Mitre.
*************************
I am too!
GB7,
I’m with you. I didn’t think he should have stayed in the rotation as long as he did last year. He was awful.
But he was at least awful in an interesting way. On the pitches where he was able to keep the ball down his pitches had some nice late movement and life.
He just couldn’t keep the ball down in the zone and once he starts getting close to the belt he really had no weapons.
Nick, I had several variations on the theme, but I was giving Erin a headache. I figure GB would like it since he’s an afficionado of bad puns.
mitre is throwing tic tacs.
That was a great change up from Mitre to get the young, left handed hitter completely off balance.
Singelton is a very good announcer. And the point he made before on Mitre’s breaking pitch is a really good one. Mitre’s curve ball has been sharper and right there he threw a nice change.
It’s not easy to distinguish his sinker, curve and change when he keeps the ball down in the zone.
bob
March 30th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Michael kay must be one of the worse play by play persons. What an annoying gravely voice and hey mike, you have one of the finest in singleton with you show some respect. How kay got the job is a mystery
————————————————————
you have gravely typing.
Turn the volumn down if you don’t like the sound. They eveb sell these remote control thingys and all you do is point and click. You don’t even have to get up or anything.
Actually Mitre’s first half of the 2007 season was pretty good:
http://www.baseball-reference......8;t=p#half
.269 .311 .357 .668
So it’s possible that he was putting it together and then got hurt.
Golson moves like an elite athlete.
Not to bring up this topic again, but I could have sworn I heard Cashman say in an interview with kay last year that one of the problems with joba relieving was his ability to warm up quickly.
Am I the only one that heard that before
CB
March 30th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
GB7,
I’m with you. I didn’t think he should have stayed in the rotation as long as he did last year. He was awful.
But he was at least awful in an interesting way. On the pitches where he was able to keep the ball down his pitches had some nice late movement and life.
He just couldn’t keep the ball down in the zone and once he starts getting close to the belt he really had no weapons.
————————————————————
He always seemed to have one inning that he made two mistakes and let a good outting get away. Usually around the 4th or 5th inning. Other than a couple of walks and his indecisive fielding, he wasn’t all that bad. I liked Gaudin better, but, they’re pretty much the same pitcher, really. Mitre just outpitched most of the competition, though.
Benny, no, I think I remember him saying that…but that may have just applied to last year.
That’s the problem with NJ… everything on the ground is an automatic DP. At least Damon could beat out a good portion of them.
Greg Nettles-like
Betsy,
Thanks! I thought I was losing my mind.
Edit: Graig
Nick has an over .400 OBP and he’s a darn good hitter; I’ll take his lack of speed. I don’t get why Nick comes under so much fire because he’s slow; there are a lot of slow players in this game.
“but I could have sworn I heard Cashman say in an interview with kay last year that one of the problems with joba relieving was his ability to warm up quickly. ”
Benny,
I believe he did say that and used that reason for part of why he would be in the rotation. Outside of a direct statement by Cashman there were multiple reports of this last year and those reports were all sourced to the team as I remember.
Not sure what happened to change this issue. Perhaps he’s farther away from the tendinitis?
You’re welcome, Benny!
Nick replaced Matsui, not Damon. The lose no speed in that comparison.
Last year Damon hit into 9 double plays.
The same number as David Ortiz.
Speed helps prevent double plays but it’s not nearly as big a factor as how often the player hits the ball on the ground.
The rub is of course that balls hit on the ground have a better chance of turning into hits.
Not so good from Mitre….
OK – Is this 2nd time through the lineup stuff or is he throwing differently?
Mitre is losing it pretty badly….
Tom, you need to step back and slow down!
We haven’t even figured out whether Melky looks thinner or fatter; Mitre will just have to wait.
For the time being, can we just say that Mitre looks like garbage AND he looks nasty?
http://tinyurl.com/ycuytyo
Mitre is all over the corners and all down.. always a good sign. Will be interesting to see where the pitches are as the game gets further along. If they’re up, I’d think you could assume that he’s a 5-6 inning type pitcher. It would be the repeat pattern of last year.
As I type this…his first mistake and to the wrong guy. and Lind hammered a high change-up.
The last two pitches were up from Mitre and they did nothing. Just hung there and got tattooed.
That’s where he just can’t live and be effective.
Leaving balls up.
The HR still had some sink on it, but it was a 2-0 pitch and a good hitter went down and got it. The double was a awful changeup.
I don’t get the idea that Damon is some crazy speedster. Probably because the last mental image we have of him is the double steal, which was more due to his intelligence and observation on the basepaths than his speed.
Doreen – 2010 GTLU
March 30th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
OK – Is this 2nd time through the lineup stuff or is he throwing differently?
————————————————————
everything is from the thighs to the waist. He doesn’t have the stuff to challenge up high.
“Is this 2nd time through the lineup stuff or is he throwing differently?”
Doreen,
He’s not executing his pitches. They are up in the zone this inning.
2nd time through is probably part of it but the main reason is command in the zone.
He really can’t pitch above mid thighs.
And it’s hard to be that consistent all the time.
Was Joba just given the rotation spot in 2009 or was there a competition? Phil had finished 2008 in very nice fashion, including that duel against AJ, and had a very good AFL. Was he ticketed for AAA no matter what that year?
I hope Jason Hirsch has a good year in AAA, lol.
Saved by his defense.
Nice play by Pena
If Mitre has issues 2nd time through a lineup, then he certainly can’t be a long-man/6th man. The Yankees are putting an awful lot of faith in a guy who they think will be good simply because he was recovering from TJ surgery last year.
Rich,
Mitre was actually one of the best pitchers in baseball the first half of 2007.
His 2.85 ERA first half is also slightly inflated if that is even possible with such a low ERA. He made a couple of starts with a bad hamstring when he should not have been pitching and got hammered.
“Leaving balls up.”
That reminds me, tonight’s episode of L
ST, ‘The Package’, begins in an hour for you East Coasters. Enjoy!
CB
March 30th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
The last two pitches were up from Mitre and they did nothing. Just hung there and got tattooed.
That’s where he just can’t live and be effective.
————————————————————
Even that DP liner was rocked.
Much like Aceves, maybe his real innings limit is around 3 per game. After that, you are taking chances.
Arod is gonna hit a car right here…
Betsy I get the impression you don’t like Mitre much.
“The HR still had some sink on it, but it was a 2-0 pitch ”
blake,
I think that was a curve that hung. Had no bite to it. Don’t think that was a sinker but maybe it was just a truly bad two seamer.
Makes sense that he’d go sinker down 2-0 but it looked like a bad curve ball.
If that was a two seamer it really had minimal action on it.
Either way it was up and sunk to the belt or just below the belt. That’s a pitch that his going to get hammered, especially if that guy is up to bat.
Thanks for refreshing my memory, LGY
Or walk….
Blake, why is it I can’t criticize a pitcher without people thinking I have something personal against him? I don’t think you’re saying that we all have to be pollyannas and think every pitcher is good…
CB,
Honestly, I’m not sure what happend to joba’s velocity.
One thing I do keep in mind is that when we all saw joba in late august, he already pitched an entire season in the minors so i’m sure his mechanics were intact which allowed him to put heat on his FB.
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....tp_350.wmv
Does joba look slimmer in this video.
“Either way it was up and sunk to the belt or just below the belt. That’s a pitch that his going to get hammered, especially if that guy is up to bat.”
Looked like a 2 seamer to me, moved down and in just enough to make flush contact with his bat. He’s effective if he starts pitches at the belt. He’s BP (like most 2 seamer/sinker guys) when he starts higher than that.
“Does joba look slimmer in this video”
Yeah he does. That’s his MLB debut.
Beckett should hold out for a 5th year.
“Blake, why is it I can’t criticize a pitcher without people thinking I have something personal against him? I don’t think you’re saying that we all have to be pollyannas and think every pitcher is good…”
not at all Betsy, I was just messin with ya. You have made it abundantly clear that you don’t agree with the decision to keep him over Gaudin.
From the time Pena was called up, I was pleasantly surprised by his bat.
“Mitre was actually one of the best pitchers in baseball the first half of 2007.”
No he wasn’t. That ball park in Miami is a very low scoring run environment and can really depress runs allowed, particularly over small samples.
Besides his ERA none of his other peripherals were very impressive.
Sorry, Blake! I’ll try not to repeat myself so often, lol – I do tend to do that occasionally. I promised myself that I would give him a chance, so I will try and be more tolerant. For all we know, he could have just had a bad inning.
I really have no clue what happened to Mitre at the tail end of 07. He really was fantastic through 3 weeks of July.
From July 24th on he was just absolutely brutal. He had a something like a 9 or 10 era from July 24th on.
Why is it that the Sox always get their players to re-sign on terms favorable to the Sox, but the Yankees never get a home town discount? That’s in a way why I’m glad the Yanks stayed firm on Damon.
Trevor,
I know thats his major league debut. It just makes me think about what people have been saying regarding his weight.
You could see the difference.
Putting up these first half stats:
.269 .311 .357 .668
being a GB pitcher playing half your games on turf is not unimpressive;
blake,
You could be entirely on the mark with the pitch. If that was a two seamer it was a pretty bad hump back two seamer.
His two seamer usually has much more arm side run on it.
But it could have been a lousy pitch. When his two seamer is up in the zone it doesn’t do very much at all.
It’s just an entirely different pitch.
Betsy – Hughes rules (pleading the Fifth)
March 30th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Was Joba just given the rotation spot in 2009 or was there a competition? Phil had finished 2008 in very nice fashion, including that duel against AJ, and had a very good AFL. Was he ticketed for AAA no matter what that year?
==========================================
Betsy, I watched Phil versus AJ and phil went 8ip that game. People are so quick to write him off as a starter pitcher. It boggles my mind.
YankeesWFAN “It freaked me out a little bit.” Sabathia on Venditte. CC thought he was LH, then saw him pitch RH…thought it was a different guy.
Thanks, guys.
He was so in control of his pitches for the first 3 innings; what happens in the 4th inning? Is it tiring? is it trying some new stuff? I understand his pitches were up, but is it just difficult to be consistent?
He wasn’t in great shape in college either. He made it a priority when he turned pro to be in good shape. Since then he looks to have slacked off.
“YankeesWFAN “It freaked me out a little bit.” Sabathia on Venditte. CC thought he was LH, then saw him pitch RH…thought it was a different guy.”
When I read that, I thought: These guys don’t follow the mL system all that much.
Doreen,
It’s just difficult to be consistent. That’s why guys who don’t strike people out have trouble and to some degree become dependent on their defense to bail them out.
He lost his mechanics some in that inning and his pitches just stopped moving. When that happens he’s tossing batting practice.
Benny, did you see the clip I posted earlier from Phil’s near no-hitter? He was unbelievable – and he wasn’t throwing 96 MPH, by the way; I think he was throwing 92-94, but he had some unbelieveable curves and that FB was really something. The game in Toronto in 2008 was on my birthday, so I had a good night that night, lol. I don’t expect Phil to have this plus plus change right away or even a plus change right away. It’s ok if he still has to work on it. What I want to see is that sick FB with ridiculous command. If he’s got that, he’s well on his way to being a terrific pitcher.
CB,
You may be right also, it was either a cement mixer curve ball or as you said a hump back sinker. Not good either way mainly because it was up.
What did you think of Joba yesterday if you saw him throw? It was only the 2nd time I’ve been able to see him this spring. The results were good but it just seems like he is generating virtually nothing with his lower half and not getting near the momentum towards the plate he used to. Maybe he wasn’t going all out but thats what I saw.
Well, if there was an arm slot issue, Mitre rediscovered it.
Well, Mitre had a nice bounce-back inning there…
Benny, remember also Phil’s game in Texas last year? I was so nervous that day because I had such bad memories of the last time he pitched there..
Not sure if he was tiring, Doreen. He was way off, though. everything just seemed to be about a foot to 18 inches higher, and he doesn’t have the stuff to pitch that high. In the 5th, he looked just as he did in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd innings. Down, moving and efficient.
Jeter is locked in.
No he wasn’t. That ball park in Miami is a very low scoring run environment and can really depress runs allowed, particularly over small samples.
Besides his ERA none of his other peripherals were very impressive.
——————————–
I was simply talking about the results and value to the team. I was not using it as a predictive measure which would then matter about digging into his other peripherals.
Also, in the first half 9 of his 15 starts were on the road so it cannot be entirely attributed to his home ballpark.
Taking out a start in which he was pulled after facing one batter he averaged over 6 innings per start with a 2.85 ERA. That also includes 1 start where he was pulled after 4 with a sore hamstring and another start when he was hammered with the same sore hamstring.
#2 is starting to heat up.
Rich,
He’ll probably take a discount to stay in BOS, like most of their players do.
I’m hoping Olney’s report that they are “nearing an agreement” is false. Beckett can easily get 5 years on the market if he wants to, easy. He’s only going to be 30.
He is better, younger, and healthier than Lackey, yet he is going to take a lesser contract than him? Only the Sox can get that deal…
just turned on the tv to see jeter’s triple, good timing!
get that ice wagon off of your back, Nicky J.
Johnson with the barrel roll into second.
My man, Thame!
ok hes gonna hit a car this time.
If anybody’s locked in, it’s Rodriguez and Cano.
Betsy,
I’m hoping Phil has a jon lester’esque type of season. jon lester had 4.5 plus era his first rookie season. The year after he exploded. I’m cofident phil hughes will win at least 11-12 games.
Thames has been on fire.
Judging by this spring, he is going to mash soft tossing lefties.
Against Price, Lester, Derek Holland, Brett Anderson, etc. not so sure.
Scott
“He’ll probably take a discount to stay in BOS, like most of their players do.”
Sadly.
#13 is startting to heat up. Arod is going to be a monster this year. If I was a betting man I would say he hits 310 BA 39HR 410 OBP 128RBI.
Also, in 2007 according to MLB Park Factors Sun Life Stadium in Miami was the 10th most hitter friendly ballpark in the majors with a 1.068.
Wasn’t Beckett supposed to have this huge ego? He’s going to take less money than Burnett and Lackey now? Ouch. He must love Boston.
If Winn gets his swing in sync, he could be a fine option as the #2 hitter if Johnson gets hurt or isn’t playing. he can do just about anything he needs to do with a bat including bunting…and he can still run.
That should fire up Brandon’s hackles.
LGY – Don’t bother… people have been trying to discredit Mitre all spring.
blake,
I was not encouraged by Joba’s outing yesterday. He did not look good.
His fastball just had no life on it. It’s a completely different pitch than it used to be.
I agree that he’s just not building momentum the way he was towards the plate. It’s so strange. He looks like a completely different pitcher.
One of the biggest difference with him is that he no longer generates a strong downwards plane with his fastball anymore. It’s such a huge difference with the way he used to throw.
His fastball just doesn’t have much life on it.
The best he’s looked this spring ironically was that 4 inning stint against the Phils. He looked good in that outing. His fastball still didn’t have that downward plane on it but it did have much more late movement on it.
I don’t know. The thing that’s very difficult to tell is whether this is an issue of him simply not throwing with the same intention or just being unable to throw the way he once did.
He doesn’t use his lower half well at all and he throws off that stiff front leg. He was never a big drop and drive guy but he doesn’t even use his lower half as effectively as he once did.
And part of what’s really concerning about this situation is that at least some of the people in the organization seem to believe it’s more an issue of his role rather than the way he’s throwing.
It’s not his role.
The Yankees should do with Joba what the Jays did what Halladay early in his career. Send him down and reset his mechanics, assuming health is not an issue.
“He always seemed to have one inning that he made two mistakes and let a good outting get away. Usually around the 4th or 5th inning. Other than a couple of walks and his indecisive fielding, he wasn’t all that bad.”
I agree GB. I wonder if Mitre has a problem pitching out of the stretch? I am not watching tonight, so I am not sure when he ran into trouble, but I do remember thinking about that last year.
I really hope that Girardi is serious about saying Joba has to earn the 8th inning.
I was really surprised last year when he just handed Joba that job after Hughes faltered in the playoffs. It seemed very unlike Girardi to be preferential with the use of his guys in the BP.
CB,
what would cause that to happen? Is joba not using his legs to generate power? Is it a arm slot?
Chad-
As a West Coaster with no access to YES, would you mind being a little more specific when you update?
When I read comments like “Nick Johnson. Aggressive on the bases as always.” and “Not exactly textbook baseball taking place right now,” I”d love to know what’s going on.
Any details you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Rich in NJ
March 30th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
The Yankees should do with Joba what the Jays did what Halladay early in his career. Send him down and reset his mechanics, assuming health is not an issue.
======================================
I would be open to that. everyone needs to get humbled.
I suggest everyone take a screen shot of the blog tonight before they change. think to yourselves how many times since 2006 you have seen this page… pretty staggering amount of times, i’d bet
It has to be an injury. If it was just a matter of mechanics with Joba, then I’m sure it would have been noticed and corrected. I agree that there is just no zip or explosiveness on his fastball anymore.
Joba is now just a shell of his former self.
Why is the question.
Tarheelyank
March 30th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
“He always seemed to have one inning that he made two mistakes and let a good outting get away. Usually around the 4th or 5th inning. Other than a couple of walks and his indecisive fielding, he wasn’t all that bad.”
I agree GB. I wonder if Mitre has a problem pitching out of the stretch? I am not watching tonight, so I am not sure when he ran into trouble, but I do remember thinking about that last year.
————————————————————
Never really paid much attention to see if his troubles are when pitching from the stretch, but, he didn’t get much practice pitching from the stretch tonight. As i said, though…it always seems to be the 4th or 5th inning. Pettitte seems to have that same issue, too. always the 4th or 5th. Before that and after that inning, they’re almost untouchable. Are they in between 1st and 2nd breaths?
Cash told Kay yesterday that he didn’t think Joba’s velo was coming back from where it was in 2008 prior to the injury, although he did hit 97 at times in the playoffs, and I would think he doesn’t have his full arm strength yet.
It’s either an injury or mechanics.
CB,
I know this can’t possibily be the case but it almost looks like he’s going 3/4 speed when he pitches. I’m not trying to say that he isn’t trying or doing his best, its just that everything looks slower and a lot less energy is being generated.
I agree, its not his role.
I’ll give Mitre credit, though. This Toronto team can hit, so he’s not facing a lineup of slugs.
“It’s either an injury or mechanics.”
Or both, or he is afraid to throw with max effort since the injury.
I have no clue.
Don’t throw there to Jeter, dude.
Man, Golson can really move. It would be great to see him finally realoze his potential.
Not even close to the bag. Sheesh, do your job.
Cashman’s admission that the pre-Texas Joba is probably gone was a big one.
Most fans assume that he is going to be that guy again, but Cashman said he can’t realistically see that because he hasn’t seen it in 2 years and some guys settle into a velocity after a while and don’t throw as hard as they do initially.
The Yankees have until August to option Joba down to the minors. After that, while it is revocable the first time, he would have to clear waivers.
Basically the Yankees have to be very confident they can fix whatever problem he is having on the major league level, because soon breaking him down and fixing him in the minors will get tricky.
I’m a little late on this, but the play on which the Jays SP that got hurt (hope he’s ok) reminded me of what happened to AJ last year, except AJ was lucky to get hit on the forearm
Mitre looks like a different pitcher….Golson is fast.
Marty Foster finally showed up, huh? That wasn’t a neighborhood play. It was barely in the same zip code.
Benny,
I really don’t know. Pitching is just so complicated, especially with a guy like Joba due to his lack of experience.
To throw a mid 90′s fastball requires a great deal of power to be generated. It’s much more power than the muscles of any human’s arm can generate.
The only way to generate that much power is to do so using the large muscles of the legs, hips and torso.
The problem then is how does one transfer the power generated centrally in the body all the way through the arm to the hand where the ball is?
The arm has to act like a very efficient whip with the body acting as the power generating handle. But how does that happen?
That’s the mystery of pitching. Athletes who has this ability – the skill set to transfer power as efficiently as possible are the ones who turn into elite power pitchers.
For whatever reason, this “kinetic chain” with Joba has been disrupted and he seems to be unable to put that back together.
Even small changes in the power generation or power transfer through the arm can lead to big differences in velocity.
Joba hasn’t been a pitcher for very long. He did not throw in the upper 90′s in college. He only became that pitcher after he joined the yanks and they altered his mechanics.
I think that’s part of the problem. He might be struggling to maintain optimal mechanics. He had them in 2007-2008 but perhaps his kinetic chain was disrupted with that tendinitis and he’s been unable to put it back together with the same precision?
Joba hit 97 out of the pen last year?
I must have missed it… hardest I saw was 96– and it was flat as a board and Feliz crushed it.
Ump must think the air is part of the bag.
I would love to know what Girardi, Eiland, and Cash really think that Joba’s issue is. Just because they’re not disclosing anything doesn’t mean they haven’t spent who-knows-how-long dissecting this. The stakes are just too high.
If it were an injury issue, it would have been dealt with. Why force it, after all. That leaves mechanics, and attitude. Everyone says, for public consumption at least, that Joba’s attitude is fine. So, that leaves mechanical issues, and his not being able to reproduce an effective delivery. Just like a ton of other guys.
I would really love to know what is discussed in private.
Benny, in the end, Phil had wonderful #s in 2007 for a 21 year old in the AL East. If he pitches to those, I’d be happy……..
Sweet catch.
Hey A-Rod… let Jeter get the ball. Stop trying to always be the hero!
Golson covers center like Torii Hunter. Outstanding job of tracking the ball while it was slicing ang going back.
“I know this can’t possibily be the case but it almost looks like he’s going 3/4 speed when he pitches. I’m not trying to say that he isn’t trying or doing his best, its just that everything looks slower and a lot less energy is being generated.”
The intention to throw hard – to really throw hard – is a big part of generating the huge power needed to throw in the mid to upper 90′s.
Doing that requires a significant amount of concentration and/ or muscle memory.
I agree – just by observation it doesn’t look like Joba is throwing with the same intention. That could be completely off but that’s the way it looks to me.
Why that would be I have no idea other than perhaps he’s concerned about injuring himself.
“Joba hit 97 out of the pen last year?”
That’s my recollection from the playoffs as a reliever. Here’s his velo chart for the regular season. It looks like he was very close to 97 about a third of the way into last season:
http://www.fangraphs.com/pitch.....8;pitch=FA
Bingo
March 30th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Hey A-Rod… let Jeter get the ball. Stop trying to always be the hero!
————————————————————
I had a dog named Bingo once. Just a mutt, but, he was hit by an 18 wheeler.
I don’t believe in reincarnation, but….
despite the requisite ball-washing by the ESPN announcers, I was not overly impressed w/Casey Kelly.
a mid-to-high 80′s fastball is not going to get the job done in the AL east.
Is Cash one of those people? Is Eiland? If so, that’s a real problem; CB, don’t you then have to question if the Yankees know what they are doing ? I’ve said before that the folks on NYYFans have a problem with the Yankees because they messed with Joba’s mechanics. Didn’t they change them last year because Joba doesn’t use his legs enough? They can’t make him pitch, they can only instruct Joba; is Joba just not, for some reason, able translate words into action?
I guess this is why Girardi says he sees Marte as a situational lefty…
Without going through every game, this has Joba’s max velo at 96.8 on Nov. 4th v. the Philles:
http://brooksbaseball.net/pfx/.....evDate=114
Golson is such a freaky defender. Fast too.
Please learn how to hit… not even that great, just better than Gardner…
GreenBeret7 March 30th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Bingo
March 30th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Hey A-Rod… let Jeter get the ball. Stop trying to always be the hero!
————————————————————
I had a dog named Bingo once. Just a mutt, but, he was hit by an 18 wheeler.
I don’t believe in reincarnation, but….
A-Rod is moving really good.
Marte will be fine……..I can’t watch the game now, so I don’t know what’s going on, but it would be nice to see him a little sharper.
Golson might have been a nice find…
Other than those two 4th inning pitches, Mitre was extremely impressive tonight.
Gotta give him credit, GB – he was. I like how he bounced back in the 5th inning…
“don’t you then have to question if the Yankees know what they are doing ?”
Not really. The yankees didn’t change Joba’s mechanics for the worse. That’s very clear given how abrupt the change in Joba was.
He’s just never been the same since he walked off the mound in Texas with the tendinitis.
Success if very ephemeral sometimes. Joba just might not have had the muscle memory built up to throw at an optimal level the way he was from 2007-2008.
He never threw that way in college or high school.
It’s a situation where there are so many potential variables it’s very difficult to know what the cause is.
It’s concerning that whatever it is, it seems like the yankees aren’t confident that it’s readily fixable. But it could be one of those things where they are telling Joba what to do and he’s just unable to do it physically because performing at the level he was at is just very difficult to do.
He had top 5 stuff in baseball at one point in time. Franchises wait decades to find that kind of ability.
The last time the yankees had it before Joba was Brien Taylor.
Carl
March 30th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
GreenBeret7 March 30th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Bingo
March 30th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Hey A-Rod… let Jeter get the ball. Stop trying to always be the hero!
————————————————————
I had a dog named Bingo once. Just a mutt, but, he was hit by an 18 wheeler.
I don’t believe in reincarnation, but….
A-Rod is moving really good.
————————————————————
He’s certainly been faster than Bingo was that night.
Joba’s was throwing pretty hard during the WS, but he still wasn’t very good.
“Joba’s was throwing pretty hard during the WS, but he still wasn’t very good.”
His velocity was better but the quality of the pitches wasn’t great.
His fastball was harder but in throwing harder his stuff really flattened out and became straight.
Watching his fastball in the post season it reminded me of Farnsworth some.
Hard and straight without great command.
It’s not just velocity with him. It’s velocity, life and command.
All three have changed. It’s a global difference.
Oh, I have no problem with the Yankees changing Joba’s mechanics to have him use his legs more – I think that was the right thing to do. The reason I asked that question is because you suggested that some in the organization think it’s just a matter of role. I don’t think it is either – that makes no sense to me.
Was Joba a good pitcher in college? Was he the kind of kid that was projected to be a good pitcher in MLB? Maybe that’s who he should go back to being; maybe the changes the Yankees made to get him to throw high 90′s is just not something that comes naturally to him. I think Joba (or any pitcher) would be better off doing what comes naturally IF the fixes are not comfortable for him.
It’s not a bad idea to send Joba down and start over with him; he’s worth the effort
Just enough wingspan.
Rivera has been extremely lucky over his 15 year career. He always seems to be pitching against guys that aren’t hitting on that night.
GreenBeret7
lol
It can’t have been just the tendonitis, it can’t. I mean, I’m no doctor and I understand there are varying degrees of seriousness. I assume Joba really just messed himself up in reaction to the injury; maybe he’s afraid of being injured. If that’s the case, perhaps subconsciously he’s holding back.
Phil suffered far worse injuries in 2007 and I was worried that he would change his mechanics to compensate and suffer an arm injury. He didn’t – yet I know that he didn’t trust his legs for a long time. If Joba IS worried, then that’s something that can’t be easily fixed.
I’d love to see Rivera drop a change-up on this guy.
Mo’s biggest weakness has been those little bloops to the OF, which basically means that he has been too good.
Romine, yay!
now we’re getting hit by catchers.
“Was Joba a good pitcher in college?”
Yeah but there was some concern about his weight and mechanics even then.
Joba’s real peers are collegians. The longer he spends with this uneducated crowd, the more out-of-place he looks.
“Mo’s biggest weakness has been those little bloops to the OF, which basically means that he has been too good.”
That’s why I’d like to see Gardner in CF. He plays shallow and is so good at coming in to catch those little bloops.
As Chris Russo said… if Joba was that high a draft prospect, he would not have gone in the 2nd round. He also got lit up by Manhattan in the college world series…
“As Chris Russo said… if Joba was that high a draft prospect, he would not have gone in the 2nd round. ”
Russo is a moron. He was a supplemental pick and he fell because of injury concerns.
That’s really stooping low when you start citing Chris Russo on anything to do with baseball…especially Yankee baseball. That’s about as low as whale dung when digging for intelligent talk.
Yankees just played a sub- 2 and a half hour game. Bud is proud!
I know nobody wants to hear it or just refuses to view this as a possibility, but I still point to Joba’s conditioning as a key reason for his struggles……What I do know and I know this from expierence, tendonitis / inflamtion is not the issue……I still have flare ups in my knee as I did when I
At this point, I don’t rule out anything, Pat M.
Let’s say it is conditioning. Joel Sherman had an article today that reported that Montero showed up at camp out of shape (it included a quote that acknowledged such by Montero). It also reported that Montero quickly worked hard to get in shape.
Why aren’t there stories about Joba’s conditioning and what he is going about it?
Not that that would be dispositive, but it’s curious.
“He also got lit up by Manhattan in the college world series…”
http://farm4.static.flickr.com.....ca0fc5.jpg
Impressive start by Mitre. Joe needs to go with his conviction and let Mitre be the 5th starter and let a Hughes/Joba/Mo 7th/8th/9th bullpen dominate. Come on Joe, we all know that’s what you want. Just do it. We want it too.
Pat M.
March 30th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
I know nobody wants to hear it or just refuses to view this as a possibility, but I still point to Joba’s conditioning as a key reason for his struggles……What I do know and I know this from expierence, tendonitis / inflamtion is not the issue……I still have flare ups in my knee as I did when I
————————————————————
Conditioning would certainly explain why he seems to get winded around the middle of the games.
How are things going out your way, Pat? Hope the golf course was nicer to you than it is to Randy.
“but I still point to Joba’s conditioning as a key reason for his struggles……”
Girardi ordered Montero in for 6 am workouts this ST with the strength and conditioning coach because they thought he was out condition so why wouldn’t they do it with Joba if they thought it was an issue?
Like our AAA guys. Golson, Weber, Winfree, Russo, Miranda. All look like they could help in a pinch.
Pat M.
Conditioning was clearly an issue with him last year and is likely an important factor. We’ve discussed this at length before.
Joba is just not as kinetic going to the mound. Conditioning is very much a possibility.
The question is how much of it is conditioning and why hasn’t joba gotten into better condition?
This winter I was hoping that he’d spend the off season at something like the Athelete’s Performance Institute to maximize his fitness.
That’s what hughes did the off season before.
But I don’t believe he did.
Rich in NJ…One thing is for certain, tendontis and the inlamation that comes with it is not an overnight flare-up…It’s a gradual condition, and when traeted with a coctail shot ( cortizone / steroid ) within a few days you feel great because it’s been a while since the joint was free and easy……CB, pionts to the lower half of Joba’s windup and delivery as lacking torque and power…..Core muscle strength is vital…I really thought he was going to come to camp in an improved physical condition after last season…Especialy after watching how Hughes looked after spending the off-season in an Arizona performance institute
CB, I was typing as you posted pretty much what I was saying…But I do agree with you….
Did the Yankees ask Phil to go to that institute or did Phil go on his own?
Maybe Joba is doing just enough to get into shape, but not more than is necessary….I really hope this is not a function of Joba’s lacking the will to become as good as he possibly can; I don’t want to believe that of him, of any player.
Everybody can plan their Friday as a free day away from baseball and TV. The game has been cancelled due to rain. Pettitte was scheduled to pitch.
Joba seems kind of lazy. I don’t know. I’m not around him 24 7 but from afar that’s what it seems. He’s lacking something. Something appears to missing with him.
PLEASE anyone tell me a good reason Randy Winn is on this team!!!???? What a disaster!
Trevor
March 30th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Joba seems kind of lazy. I don’t know. I’m not around him 24 7 but from afar that’s what it seems. He’s lacking something. Something appears to missing with him.
————————————————————
Do you think that he’s been hanging around Cano too much? You know how those lazy people always hang together trying to outlazy each other.
Nice discussion of an unhappy topic – what’s with Joba.
Betsy, I think Phil went to API on his own. I seem to remember that Cash, when asked about Joba maybe going there, answered that all the team could do was ask/recommend, that something like this, in the offseason, was up to the player. I’m with you, that if this is the case with Joba, I, as a fan hoping for great things from him, would be very disappointed.
But we’ll never know from anything Joe or the coaches say. They are, rightfully so, very non-critical in public.
Jim
March 30th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
PLEASE anyone tell me a good reason Randy Winn is on this team!!!???? What a disaster!
————————————————————
There was a report of a meeting between Cashman and Girardi. Girardi said that there was this whiner named Jim on one of the message boards that was always crying about winn and everything else, and as a favor to him, they decided to give him something to really whine about.
Joe-
You are absolutely correct. I asked SJ that question and he confirmed that the Yankees could not force a player to got to API, etc. He did say that if the Yankees suggested it that would carry a lot of weight (no pun intended).
Can we please stop the psycho analysis of Joba Chamberlain. Just let the kid go pitch, and stop analyzing every step he takes, and every fart he rips.
Joe, I remember that, too. I rememeber that people couldn’t believe how much bigger, more solid Phil looked than the year before. It certainly helped, that’s for sure.
I guess he didn’t need to go back there as I assume he just had to maintain his fitness level….
Chris must have missed Happy Hour
Isn’t Joba arb. eligible next winter?
Man he’s gonna lose out on a nice chunk of change not being in the rotation.
He strikes me as the type of guy that just “lets the chips fall where they may” Doesn’t he realize they’re falling right through his fingers?
I think he needs to watch Raging Bull a few times.
What is it with people, seriously? If you don’t want to participate in a discussion, DON’T. Now, enough of that.
“Conditioning was clearly an issue with him last year and is likely an important factor. We’ve discussed this at length before.
Joba is just not as kinetic going to the mound. Conditioning is very much a possibility.”
If thats indeed the case or even a factor in his struggles then I just don’t understand him not taking initiative to fix it.
He knew his conditioning was questioned last year, he knew he ran out of gas earlier than he should, he knew his velocity was down. I thought he would show up in the best shape of his life, and he may very well be, but if he’s not theres really no excuse for it IMO.
Its old. The kid is so unbelievably over-analyzed its awful. Just let him go pitch.
An uptick in Joba’s velocity can be expected as the season progresses.
If the velocity doesn’t return then other options may be considered at the appropriate time.
Right now Joba is a man who has fallen from grace with the sea.
I hope things turn around for him.
I hate to think of Joba as the Yankees version of Dontrelle Willis.
A guy who had it and then lost it due to funky mechanics, etc.
We have like the yin and yang of young pitchers. Phil is mature for his age and very laid-back, totally low maintenance. There has never been an question about his work ethic (except by Joel Sherman) or his motivation. He also has the perfect pitcher’s build. Joba is somewhat immature, very gregarious and high maintenance. No one seems to know what is going on with him.
Hughes lives in LA in the off-season… right down the road from him. If you look at the players who have gone to API (Ricky Romero, Longoria, etc.), all of them are So. Cal guys.
Joba lives in Nebraska. If you only have a couple of months off in the winter, I’d imagine you would want to spend it at home with your family and friends rather than stay alone in LA just to work out.
We have like the yin and yang of young pitchers. Phil is mature for his age and very laid-back, totally low maintenance. There has never been an question about his work ethic (except by Joel Sherman) or his motivation. He also has the perfect pitcher’s build. Joba is somewhat immature, very gregarious and high maintenance. No one seems to know what is going on with him. Is he working just hard enough to keep his job? Is he motivated?
“PLEASE anyone tell me a good reason Randy Winn is on this team!!!???? What a disaster!”
Winn has a track record of success and he’s here in case Brett Gardner can’t cut it.
The Insititue is in Arizona……and I don’t get the impression that Phil only went there because it’s a few states away. He’s always had the rep of being a hard worker.
API is great but you don’t have to go to an institute to get in shape.
Whoa. Why cost yourself the opportunity to better provide for your family and friends?
Joba was told to be ready to compete for the last rotation slot.
“Joba was told to be ready to compete for the last rotation slot.”
exactly.
Oops, ok – Phil did go to the one in California, but the point stands
Anybody else shocked that Beckett is considering an extension for a lesser value that the contract the Sox just gave Lackey?
Blake-
SJ said he talked with Joba this spring and to him at least he appeared to be in good shape.
Blake, no. I don’t know what it is, but Yankee players NEVER give home town discounts to the Yankees…..but Sox players give them to the Sox. Aggravating.
MTU,
I know that and he may very well be. He looks the same as last year to me, maybe slightly heavier. I didn’t say he was out of shape because I don’t know if he is or not, I just said if conditioning in reality was a contributor to his struggles then there is no excuse for it.
Look at this picture.
It has to be from 2007 because you can see the black armband and the “1″ which is actually a “10″ which they wore to commemorate Phil Rizzuto who died in August, 2007.
Is this the same guy we see today? I think he’s at least 20 pounds heavier now.
http://www.archivehive.com/wp-.....rlain1.jpg
[b] test[b/]