Up in the air
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Aug 10, 2010 
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I really wish I’d been patient this morning because the breakfast options in Cincinnati are much better than they were an LaGuardia. As it is, I’m just sitting at the gate, killing 40 minutes before finishing my trip to Dallas.
Mark Teixeira might not be there when I arrive.
The Yankees first baseman was given permission to stay behind in New York because his wife is due to give birth at some point today. As Teixeira told Marc Carig, “This is not an exact science.” It’s hard to say when he might rejoin the team. Obviously the sooner the better for everyone involved.
Without Teixeira, I have to wonder whether Jorge Posada might return to the designated hitter role for at least one game. Joe Girardi has been hesitant to use Posada in that spot lately, but he plans to catch Francisco Cervelli for each of the games in Texas, and losing both Posada’s bat and Teixeira’s bat would be a significant blow.
Associated Press photo of Teixeira
Oh no…Well, I hope she has it htis morning….
Congratulations Tex!
Granderson is not doing the job. There is no more sugar coating his incompetence vs lefties. He has to sit sit sit vs Wilson, Lee, Bruce Chen. Yanks should acquire Jose Guillen if he won’t be a problem.
With Tex out, DH is open anyway as Berkman is bound to play 1B. So Posada seems like the logical choice to DH, although he also might get at least one day off as the Texas starters are lefties, so Thames comes into play (although Posada’s splits this year also heavily lean towards him batting RH).
I say he gets today off (he caught 3 days in a row, right?) and DH tomorrow unless Tex is back.
RiverAveBlues The AAA Yanks won 2-1 on a two-run Jesus Montero walk-off HR. He went 3-for-4 tonight and is now hitting .282/.358/.483.
RiverAveBlues Cervelli last 30: .216 with .273 SLG
Kevin_Goldstein: J. Montero is batting .363 and slugging .657 in his last 30 games at Triple-A
Granderson has been getting a complete pass for his under-performance. Sherman was right. If George were alive and had his faculties, he’d really have to hear about it from the guy signing his checks. He’s lucky in that regard.
I’m sorry but I can’t jump on the “Long will fix him in the off season” bandwagon because there’s still 2 months of games and the post season to deal with and this guy has been a complete void.
You worry about everything Yankee related. You’re not worried that we traded all that talent for a guy who can’t seem to show up and deliver anything?
It’s quite possible he’s lost it as a professional player, which his declining numbers could be indicating.
It’s not like he’s coming off a banner year in Detroit last year. The numbers are steadily plummeting.
If that’s the case, regardless of what anyone in here says to make themselves feel they are a better or more enlightened fan, the trade was a complete bust and the key to the off season may be getting him out of town.
Never thought I’d see this happen with him. I thought he was a given to be a good piece of this team.
At this point, he’s a dead weight.
No thanks to Guillen. He’s a jerk, can’t get on base and sucks in the field.
Here’s a repost of some analysis I did this morning:
Hi there all
Since everyone is mulling how “awful” the Yankees are vs winning teams, I thought I’d do a little research. So here’s the results.
The following are teams with records better than .500:
Yankees, Boston, Tampa Bay, Tex, White Sox, Twins, Jays
The rest are not:
O’s, Indians, Tigers, Royals, Angels, A’s, Mariners – and I did both a with and without the interleague.
Yankees:
vs Winning Record Teams (WRT): are 25-19 (.568)
vs Losing Record Teams (LRT): 33-16 (.673) ~ with NL [11-7] – they are 44-23 (.657)
Boston:
vs WRT: 22-23 (.489)
vs LRT: 29-21 (.580) ~ with NL [14-5] – they are 42-26 (.618)
Tampa Bay:
vs WRT: 30-23 (.566)
vs LRT: 31-10 (.756) ~ with NL [7-11] – they are 38-21 (.644)
Texas:
vs WRT: 12-19 (.387) [including 0-3 vs NYY and Minn and 1-5 vs Tor)
vs LRT: 38-24 (.613) ~ with NL [14-4] – they are 52-28 (.650)
The Yankees are the team that has done the best against teams with winning records. Both Texas and Boston have losing records against teams with records above .500.
Gotta love interleague. If you want the break down – go here:
http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings/grid
So sans interleague, these would be the standings:
Tampa Bay 61-33 (.649)
Yankees 58-35 (.624) 2 GB
Texas 50-43 (.538) 10 GB?
Boston 51-44 (.537) 11GB?
The Yanks have played 111 games, Boston 113, TB 112.
With 51 games to go for the Yankees, if the Yankees go .500 the rest of the way… (26-25) they will have a final record of 95-67. If the Yankees maintain their current rate of .622 ball, their final record will be 101-51 going 32-19 the rest of the way.
If the Yankees play .500 ball resulting in a 95-67 record, Boston (49 games left) would have to play .653 ball to beat them (96-66) – their current ratio is .566 ball. If the Yankees win 101 games, Boston would have to win 38 of their final 49 games to pass the Yankees or play .776 ball.
Things look bleak in the Nation.
Why should Granderson be singled out alone? Other than Swisher, Gardner and Cano, everybody on that team is hitting at least 35 points beneath their career averages. That reduces the power numbers and priduction. Virtually every offensive player on the team is responsible for not opening up a bigger lead.
G. Love-
That’s why they got Kearns. Guillen is a good hitter but has been trouble with a capital “T” just about everywhere he has gone.
Sorry to see you so down on Grandy and having made your mind up on him if thaat’s how you do feel.
I very much enjoy your posts and almost always agree but I can’t this time.
This is one time I hope you are dead wrong.
There is no denying that Granderson is struggling against lefties, but it is way too early to write him off, IMO anyway. I still believe the potential is there, and he is a good defensive player.
MTU,
I hear you. Don’t hate me because I’ve given up on him. I just can’t stand the at bats anymore.
If there was something there other than the wishing that he’d hit a HR every at bat, I’d be more optimistic.
I never watched him play in Detroit. One of my friends is a sports broadcaster in Detroit and I asked him some questions about Granderson and what we’re seeing.
He’s no expert more than you or me, but he told me that the feeling was Granderson is on a steep decline and has been for some time. People in Detroit loved his personality but were growing tired of his game.
We may have gotten him just before he totally falls off a cliff.
It’s hard to take since the expectations for him weren’t sky high, but they were high enough that we thought he’d contribute something.
Another flight with a layover?
You know how many direct flights AA has to DFW?
GB-
Good morning.
Grandy has really been a disappointment so far. No doubt about that.
But I’m not ready to throw him under the bus just yet.
For now, I think the Yanks should limit his exposure to left-handed pitching and make more use of Kearns.
I want to see version 2.0 of Grandy after he works extensively with Long in the off season, and I like your idea of him playing Winter ball (doubt he does).
Right now Curtis is the designated whipping boy which ,as you know, rotates through the team with few exceptions.
GB7
It?s too early to have been into the moonshine unless ?priduction? is some new sabermetric you have come up with.
Granderson has been frustrating-no doubt about it. But I’m not ready to completely write him off. I really think Kevin Long will work his magic this winter, and Granderson will have a much better 2011 season. (I’m hoping anyway).
Something tells me Montero will be up by Sept. 1. Hopefully it’s not to showcase him for some off season trade.
G. Love-
You are entitled to your take just like everyone else.
I just don’t happen to agree this time.
I base my opinion on the belief that Grandy still may have plenty left in the tank.
Guys don’t generally fall off of a cliff that early in their careers.
I think if Long helps to retool his swing there may be much benefit.
That’s what I am willing to wait for and hope to see.
But hey. You know me. The eternal optimist. Been wrong more times than I can count (which isn’t very high).
G Love
I think that the Yankees wouldn’t have made the trade if they viewed Granderson as those you referenced.
They have scouts that would have watched him enough to form an opinion based on that scouting.
I’m not saying he hasn’t been a dissapointment. I’m saying that it’s to early to decide it’s a bust of a trade.
I haven’t given up on Granderson as a player. However its getting late this year and the games are getting more and more important. I would still keep him in there against righties because I like having both he and Gardner in the outfield defensively and he is a hr threat. At some point you have to start managing for the present the closer it gets to October.
I really don’t think they’re going to move him (Montero) to the 40 man roster. They’ll let him play out the AAA season (including playoffs) and then bring him up to sit on the bench (as a non roster player). that would be my guess, anyway.
The only way to salvage Granderson’s season and make it somewhat respectable is for Kevin Long to spend as much time as possible with him in the video room and batting cages in sort of a cram course.
As of now, Granderson has too many moving parts standing in the batter’s box.
I’m glad you guys have more patience re: Grandy than I do. He needs those kind of fans to support him, lol.
I hate making him the whipping boy, but I can’t help it. To me, it seems the game finds him at crucial spots.
Sure, Jeter and Swisher failed yesterday in a similar spot, but both of them have been contributing all along. Granderson hasn’t.
What makes me even more frustrated is that Gardner is struggling. He helped carry this team early on with Cano and Swish when our offense was really struggling.
Now that Gardner is going through an prolonged slump, it hits harder because Granderson is still doing nothing productive offensively.
With the two of them struggling and Kearns still trying to get adjusted to being here, we’re playing with 1 OF.
That can’t keep going on.
This kind of stuff makes Cashman go get a guy like Jose Guillen who I want no part of.
It’s all a product of Granderson not being reliable all season long.
That’s where my frustration lies. Not to mention that I know we’re not supposed to believe in Austin Jackson and his .300 batting average with no power (and great defense), but it sure looks a lot better than what we’ve seen out of our CF’er.
MTU
But hey. You know me. The eternal optimist. Been wrong more times than I can count (which isn?t very high).
—————————————————————-
I have no problem counting to 0.
G. Love-
Maybe a few brewski’s and some games of Bocce will soothe your mood.
Labor day is coming up fast.
Maine-
That’s way better than me. I can’t get past the negative numbers and haven’t even hit zero yet.
It’s almost mid August and Granderson has been eye opening bad vs Lefties all season long. Its not like its been only 2 months, Long makes an adjustment, and then from the All Star game forward he is tearing the cover off the ball. There most blatant problems are with Grandy than any other player.
MTU,
Like I said. I’m glad you guys are optimists. If Granderson turns it around feel free to hit me with “I told you so” as much as you want.
I was wrong about Cano 2 years ago and I’ve owned up to that on many occasions.
Yesterday the entire team failed to hit with RISP not just Granderson. While I do think he has been a lot less than what I expected, I am still not ready to write Curtis off just yet.
I do agree with G.Love that with Gardner in a prolonged slump, the only OF really contributing offensively now is Swisher.
G. Love-
I won’t do that because I’d just have to trade places with you very soon thereafter.
But I do hope you are wrong about Granderson.
Jury is still out. At least for me.
MTU,
Hope that everything is going ok.
G. Love-
Just to show you how really screwed up I am.
I still believe Joba can turn it around too.
G Love
You know nobody here would hit with an “I told you so”
I wasn’t too happy with the Granderson trade. But I understood it. So far it’s a bust in that Granderson is a veteran. And still looks like he’s on a decline. Whereas A-Jax still has an upside. But I’m hoping Grandy can turn it around.
Fran-
Thanks. Today should help tell the tale. Trying to stay on an even keel as I await the next update. Things were trending in the right direction last evening.
MTU,, no doubt that Granderson’s production this year has been a major disappointment to the team and fans, but, like I said, so has almost everyone elses. Right down the line. Why has everyone slumped at the same time? Who knows, but, it’s not age or injury. Granderson and Teixeira aren’t hurt or old. It’s just one of those odd seasons, but, the Yankees still have the best record in baseball.I’m as disappointed as anyone else, but, I’m not upset, holding my breath unti I turn purple, stomping my feet or screaming.
Nobody gives a damned about hearing, seeing or reading about these idiots temper tantrums. If it was a lack of effort, then, there could be a reason for the disgust or anger. Nobody has quit on the team. The gutless wonders that boo from 200 feet away in the stands or the pathetic slugs that call the players names from behind the safety of a computer screen while shoving pizza into their bloated bodies impress nobody but others just like them. Color me unimpressed with these as ses.
I can’t get as worked up as others and gleefully kill the guy hitting 7th for the team with the best record in the league because he’s had a very down first year with the team. There are very few warts on the team but apparently the only remedy is to constantly pick at them and make sweeping statements about how benchings need to be in order, shame needs to reverberate throughout the front office for acquiring the player, millions need to be spent to fix the mistake, etc.
I don’t know what Granderson will actually do down the stretch and into the playoffs but I find it extremely hard to believe that he will be the one to blame if the team doesn’t win it all this year. It’s perfectly fine to rip the guy on a daily basis for not living up to probably inflated expectations, but I guess in perspective it just seems way overdone, at least to me.
GB-
You’re snortin’ fire this morning.
People better stay clear.
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 9:15 am
GB7
It?s too early to have been into the moonshine unless ?priduction? is some new sabermetric you have come up with.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Yeah, but, it’s my own special brand of moonshine. I call it Pinstriped Shine. It actually has pinstripes in it. Just can see them until you drink it.
Me, I’m just enjoying the celebration baby boom the Yankees have going on – first CC and now Tex – Do the math: November, they win the WS. 9 Months later is August! Personally, I hope Tex’s baby is born tomorrow – Aug 11 rocks!
GB7
It hasn’t helped with the typing.
When it comes out is it pinstripe too?
GB-
“Just can see them until you drink it.”
Speaking of that. I was just finishing my bowl of fruitloops and right there before me spelled out plain as as day was a message.
“Yankees will win 28″.
Is that unbelievable, or what ?
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 9:43 am
GB7
It hasn’t helped with the typing.
When it comes out is it pinstripe too?
———————————————————————————————————————-
If I didn’t have typos, you’d think it was an imposter. Everything I do is pinstriped. EVERYTHING.
Lori August 10th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Me, I?m just enjoying the celebration baby boom the Yankees have going on ? first CC and now Tex ? Do the math: November, they win the WS. 9 Months later is August! Personally, I hope Tex?s baby is born tomorrow ? Aug 11 rocks!
*************
I noticed that math too. Kind of funny and not really a coincidence at all that there is a Yankee baby boom right now
Or what.
Whether Long can fix Granderson or not is an off-season question.
You can’t fix everybody.
The issue is the next 51 games and the post-season.
It’s about winning time now. It’s not about anybody’s feelings, ego, etc.
Regardless of how great a guy he is, he can no longer be an everyday player. His production simply doesn’t warrant it.
I suspect it will begin with them platooning him against lefties, starting on this roadtrip.
If he continues to struggle into September, and somebody like Kearns gets hot, he will be reduced to being a part-time player/defensive replacement.
As far as the trade being a “bust”, nothing you can do about that now.
Despite all the frothing, Austin Jackson is nothing special and would be in Scranton right now if he remained a Yankee.
Phil Coke is no better than Logan and Ian Kennedy has a near 5 ERA pitching in the NL West.
At the time of the trade, nobody envisioned Granderson being this bad. After all, he did hit 30 HR’s last year.
Girardi just has to play him less the rest of the way. If he does, his negative impact on games is reduced and that’s all you can do at this point.
MTU August 10th, 2010 at 9:45 am
GB-
?gJust can see them until you drink it.?h
Speaking of that. I was just finishing my bowl of fruitloops and right there before me spelled out plain as as day was a message.
?gYankees will win 28??.
Is that unbelievable, or what ?
**************
Tomorrow you should eat Rice Crispies and see what the Crispies have to say!
GB7
Can we trade Granderson for Damon???
Congrats to Tex…Posada needs an off day (At least). He has not hit at all lately! Thames against lefties will work the next two days.
Granderson watches too many straight balls down the middle and swings at junk in the dirt…he is worth keeping in there for the CF/LF D with Gardner.
MTU August 10th, 2010 at 9:45 am
GB-
“Just can see them until you drink it.”
Speaking of that. I was just finishing my bowl of fruitloops and right there before me spelled out plain as as day was a message.
“Yankees will win 28?.
Is that unbelievable, or what ?
———————————————————————————————————————-
You’re really impressive if you can read a secret message in a bowl of colored “O’s”. I get my messages from Alphabits. Of course, I’m just learning to be a mystic.
Andrew, its not the inflated expectations from Granderson that have people becoming disgusted at him, his offense has fallen off a cliff.
When you couple it with the higher cost and decreasing production it makes you wonder why had they done this trade. Far too often we see groundouts or strikeouts from him. We are shocked to see him get a hit as you usually count on him to be an easy and quick out.
Looking at things from the defensive side, he isn’t all that great either.
There has been no improvement to his offensive game throughout the whole season. You can give a pass to someone who struggles for a while then picks it up. Like Teixeira did.
This isn’t a personal attack on the guy, its that his offense has put a bat in the lineup that isn’t much better than a pitcher normally hits. That just isn’t what he is paid to do.
Erica
Hisssssssssssss!!
ahhh Erica, hope springs eternal!
I’ve thought since day 1 of the trade that Granderson was a platoon player. I was disappointed, though not surprised, when the Yanks wanted to see him as an everyday player, and I was also disappointed the Yanks couldn’t do better than Kearns as a platoon partner (if he is) although I can’t blame Cashman for that as there weren’t a lot of options at the trade deadline.
Long isn’t going to fix the problem. If he can, he either would be paid a lot more than he is, or he’s the most underpaid coach in baseball.
He could have had Jonny Gomes to begin the season if the Yanks weren’t so budget obsessed in the off-season and if Cashman hadn’t been so starry-eyed about CG.
No use crying over spilled milk though, I guess.
Granderson was already guaranteed to play less with the acquisition of Kearns and the fact that Thames keeps mashing lefties. His recent struggles I don’t think change that, and the idea that Kearns will show so much so that he can take ABs away from Granderson against right-handed starters, I think that is wrong. Girardi will still put him in CF against righties.
GB7
You have to be a mystic to be able to decipher things only using ABC’s .
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Erica
Hisssssssssssss!!
***********
Come on, that was hardly hisss-worthy!
Erica
I just saw it as a chance to get back at you.
Erica-
“Tomorrow you should eat Rice Crispies and see what the Crispies have to say!”
They say it’s a very bad sign when you begin to hear things from the rice krispies. Fortunately they do not speak to me at this time.
GB-
You have much to learn from master Yoda. I am already a Jedi at Night.
I have to try the Cambell’s next time. You’re right it took great skill to discern the message contained amongst the rings. It was a color code. That is all I am allowed to reveal.
If Granderson keeps this up. He will be a late inning pinch runner/defensive replacement.
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 9:54 am
GB7
You have to be a mystic to be able to decipher things only using ABC’s
———————————————————————————————————————-
Well, that’s true, but it’s easier than all of those “O’s”.
Guess I have to start eating cereal for breakfast.
MTU,
Glad things are going in the right direction.
It has been said that Cashman reads this blog.
I suspect he can’t stand to wade to far in here at times for fear of drowning.
I am creating a whole new blog game!
GWTCS!
(Guess What the Cereal Said!)
What the heck happened 9 months ago? Lester and Bucholz just also had new babies , now Tex, was there some sort of massive bonus handed out to MLB players 9 months ago?
Not unless he starts hitting.
It’s not like he is crushing righties.
At some point, he has to hit. Even if it’s a little bit.
If he doesn’t, his PT will be cut significantly.
The Yankees aren’t playing a guy in the post-season who concedes 4 AB’s a game and can’t even make productive outs.
Girardi is a loyal guy. He’s not that loyal.
He has six weeks to show why he should start in the post-season.
If this is all he is, he will not play much, except for being a late inning defensive replacement, in the post-season.
Nobody is asking him to carry the team.
Just don’t contribute something to the cause.
Granderson needs to sit against the lefties in this series. Long should have been working with him all along and certainly a crash course is in order this week.
I know you can’t change a hitters approach over night but certainly some tweaking is in order right away if Granderson is to and wants to contribute.
He should take the next few days and work on what Long has seen all season. Then he needs to apply those suttle changes during BP and eventually games. He can’t be any worse than he has been so changing him now can’t hurt but only help IMO.
Just “contribute” something to the cause.
Sorry for the typo.
SJ44
Girardi won’t let his loyality hurt his chances for his next contract.
Fran-
Thanks Fran. Check your morning cereal for Yankee updates and coded messages.
It seems to work for me.
About all that can be done with Granderson at this stage of the season is to have him work in the batting cages at reducing his moving parts in the batter’s box and hope it translates into something during games.
Erica
Sure, pass off GTLU saying you don’t have time and then try to start another one.
9 months ago, we had just finished winning our 27th championship. Just sayin.
The alternatives are not as rosy to bench Granderson against right handers considering Gardner has hit a wall offensively and Thames has an extremely negative effect on the team’s defense for a largely fly ball-reliant pitching staff. I don’t buy for a second that Austin Kearns will prove to be the type of guy taking outfield playing time away from Granderson against right handed pitchers. Yes I understand that Granderson has had ugly at bats against all types of pitchers this year, but I similarly don’t see it happening where he’s only pinch hitting/running barring a total nosedive to where he has no productive games against even righties. At this point though it’s clear he’s a strict platoon guy, definitely for the stretch run and maybe into next year.
So when Curtis is put in front of the firing squad who has the gun with bullet.
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 10:06 am
SJ44
Girardi won?t let his loyality hurt his chances for his next contract.
__________________
I don’t think Girardi has to worry about his next contract. The Cubs want him if the Yankees don’t.
“It’s not like he is crushing righties”
A key point. One reason Granderson has gotten away with struggling the way he has against lefties throughout his career is that he’s put up a .900 OPS against righthanders. This year he’s around .830. That’s not awful, but it doesn’t do enough to offset his .518 OPS against LHP’s.
Maine-
He has already been hung. No bullets needed.
speaking of Os…what is going on w/ the orioles since Showalter took over??? quite the turn around lately.
MystiqueAura August 10th, 2010 at 10:03 am
What the heck happened 9 months ago? Lester and Bucholz just also had new babies , now Tex, was there some sort of massive bonus handed out to MLB players 9 months ago?
************
Nine months ago was the end of the post season
upstate kate August 10th, 2010 at 10:14 am
speaking of Os?what is going on w/ the orioles since Showalter took over??? quite the turn around lately.
——
Good thing we did our damage against them already. Hopefully TB and Boston still have a lot of games against them and the O’s stay hot.
upstate kate, I think its more a matter of small sample size. Good for Buck, but I don’t see it being sustained.
I do think he can bring some improvement to the O’s, but he hasn’t even been there long enough to have affected any real change. Its probably more attitude adjustment from the players having someone new in charge.
YankeeRay
Boston already had their troubles with the O’s. Got swept by them in one series.
I’m very much looking forward to the day Granderson turns things around so the lynch mob has to retreat.
oh I don’t see the Os winning ways continuing, but I was impressed w/ their mini streak, and to see them sweep the ChiSox
Granderson is just a disaster right now. He’s a good guy, but unfortunately I saw this coming when the trade was made.
Look at it this way: Who would have most likely come through in that bases loaded situation against a lefty: Granderson or Damon?
The lynch mob won’t retreat they will just move on to another poor sucker not doing enough to light the world on fire on the roster. Granderson is just filling in for Joba right now until his next rough outing. Although to be honest even when he gets outs now he’s ripped, so maybe Joba and Curtis are being equally pursued by the bloodthirsty.
MUTLU [Mess Up the Line Up]
1. Jeet, SS
2. Swish, RF
3. Cano, 2B
4. A-Rod, 3B
5. Fat Elvis, 1B
6. Thames, DH
7. Kearns, LF
8. Cervelli, C
9.Gardner, CF
I realise there is no GTLU today, just wanted to put my thoughts down on the lineup.
Giuseppe Franco August 10th, 2010 at 10:22 am
I?m very much looking forward to the day Granderson turns things around so the lynch mob has to retreat.
———————————————————————————-
They’ll just move on to the next candidate.
GF-
I’m afraid they will just move on to the next one.
Patience and insight are in short supply.
It’s much easier to just tear at the flesh.
If Damon would have struck out in those situations fans would just whine about how Cashman overpaid to bring him back, he can’t play any defense, he’s too old and he doesn’t take his failures seriously enough since he’s laughing and joking in the dugout, or something like that.
the bullpen has pitched well lately, so someone has to be the whipping boy! Next up will be AJ if he has a bad night.
I hope he can at some point GF.
In the meantime, they can’t wait much longer for that to happen this year.
They have to reduce his PT and hope whomever takes his place in the lineup can be more productive.
It’s one thing if he was in a slump.
This is more than a slump. He is a shell of the hitter he was.
At this point, I’d settle for competitive AB’s.
Sadly, he can’t even do that.
I don’t know what happened to the guy.
Even last year, an off year for him, he was productive.
This year? It’s like watching a rookie who is overmatched at the big league level.
Hard to put a finger on how he could be this bad, given his talent.
MaineYankee,
What part of Maine are you from? I grew up near Farmington!
I’d love to see Granderson succeed just as much as the next fan, but I don’t see how anyone can suddenly make him a contact hitter.
He’s always been a K machine, and I’m afraid he always will be. He doesn’t battle during his at-bats — it’s almost always quickly to two strikes, then he swings over the top of a breaking ball. There’s no panacea that’s going to improve his eye-hand coordination.
I also don’t buy the assumption that it’s taking him time to adjust to NY. He spent his college years in Chicago, and the last time I checked that’s not exactly small town America.
NYC is not to blame for his inability to hit a baseball.
I seem to recall that many posters here wanted to run Cano out of town a few years ago…
SJ44,
I agree. It doesn’t appear as if he (Granderson) even has a plan when he’s up at the plate. Sometimes he’s swinging at a first pitch ball and popping out. Other times he goes down swinging on four pitches. He looks lost.
It’s one thing to have a lot of strikeouts. It’s another when he’s not even having competitive AB’s.
YankeeBlue222 August 10th, 2010 at 10:32 am
MaineYankee,
What part of Maine are you from? I grew up near Farmington
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South Paris.
I know Farmington well. My wife went to college there and I had an uncle that lived nearby.
SJ-
“Hard to put a finger on how he could be this bad, given his talent.”
And therein lies my cause for continued optimism.
Grandy should be in the prime of his career, and he has talent.
I agree with you that his at bats against lefties should be limited.
Let’s evaluate a little further on down the road with respect to righties.
I happen to believe that Long can fix him especially against righties.
This is one time that I hope your analysis is wrong.
Cano’s issue was effort a few years ago. That’s what got him benched.
Granderson’s issue isn’t effort.
No doubt the guy is trying hard.
Unfortunately, he can’t produce results.
It’s a risk v. reward ratio.
Do you continue to play him everyday, concede his 4 AB’s, and say, “that’s the way it goes”.
Or, do you reduce his PT, play other guys, and see if that helps the team?
At this point, I don’t see the downside toward cutting down his PT. If it doesn’t work, you put him back in the lineup and live with his 0-4′s daily.
He is no miracle “fix”. There is so much wrong with his swing right now, it’s impossible to do what needs to be done in season.
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 10:35 am
South Paris.
I know Farmington well. My wife went to college there and I had an uncle that lived nearby.
*****************
Nice! I grew up in Jay and went to UMaine. Live in Florida now.
A lot of Lohud posters need a whipping boy sadly. The Yanks have the best record and run differential in the league so now posters need someone to hammer.
I find it amusing when posters are actually infuriated and frustrated even when the Yankees are currently the best team in the league. Says more about them then it does about the player.
Two weeks ago Jeter of all people was the wrath of many peoples ire. Now since he’s been playing better lately Granderson is the target. If Granderson goes on a hot streak they’ll move on to the next guy who’s struggling.
YankeeBlue222 August 10th, 2010 at 10:44 am
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 10:35 am
South Paris.
I know Farmington well. My wife went to college there and I had an uncle that lived nearby.
*****************
Nice! I grew up in Jay and went to UMaine. Live in Florida now.
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I also was a dairy farmer most of my life and know many from that area.
Good morning, just getting a chance to sit down –
1. Most importantly – MTU – how are things going? Hopefully well.
2. Looks like the lynching party is out for Granderson. Can’t blame them. This has been a very rough year for him. Going down with the injury early on didn’t help, looked like he was starting to hit then; but that was a few months ago. He’s looking worse and worse at bat. I’m really rooting for him, but, realistically, he’s not suddenly going to turn it on.
Because of that, I think Girardi might actually sit Brett a little bit now, to rest him and let him get over whatever aches and pains he has. Because, Joe’s going to need Brett to play everyday in CF as it gets later and later.
Cash got Austin Kearns for a reason, and I don’t think it was to use him as a pinch hitter.
3.It would be nice to see them win 2 of 4 against the lefties. Otherwise, teams will be stacking lefties against them in October.
EDIT – should have read – “Can’t blame them for their frustrations.”
Maine-
“I also was a dairy farmer most of my life and know many from that area.”
That explains a lot. Makes sense.
Good at recognizing as well as flinging BS.
There is to many places for people to get info and to vent with other fans that drives alot of the micro managing of teams and players.
When things are going bad it allows people to have others to commiserate with and when things are going good it gives them a chance to over evaluate the team.
At times the game gets so overanalyzed that it takes the joy out of it.
Joe-
Thanks for asking.
Today should be an important day. If everything stays on the same track from last night we should get over the first hurdle soon.
Bleeding has stopped. Fever is down. Vitals are stable.
As you know these types of things can turn on a dime for the better or for the worse so I am just trying to stay on an even keel right now as I await further news.
This is my distraction and as you can see from my posts right now I am feeling more optimistic. But I am still cautious.
I am sure you understand these things better than most.
Appreciate your interest.
The thing that’s most troubling about Granderson is that he swings at just about anything. It appears he doesnt have a good grasp of the strike zone.
That said, he wouldn’t be the 1st big name player to come to NY and struggle in his 1st season. Hopefully he can have a big post season and take some of the stress off of 2011.
MTU
I don’t whether to be offende or take that as a compliment.
Maine-
Why should I remove the suspense ? But I think you know.
There is no reason to believe Granderson can’t hit RHP. He always has, he is struggling now but there’s no reason not to think it is just a slump.
IMO, he should sit against all lefties, just let him face RHP to let him get in a groove.
Granderson can still contribute in a big way to this team.
Maine-
I’m trying to milk it for all it’s worth.
The Detroit fans were as concerned about Granderson’s batting trends as are those here. I don’t think its fair to call it a lynch mob.
http://www.detroittigersweblog.....randerson/
One thing that makes me wary of taking him out of the line up is the drop off in defense we get with whomever comes in to LF. Watching Thames out there is as heart wrenching as Granderson’s ABs.
It will be interesting to see what Burnett does tonight. It’s important that he pounds the strike zone and mixes his curveball at the right times.
MTU
Good place to come to get distracted.
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 10:47 am
YankeeBlue222 August 10th, 2010 at 10:44 am
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 10:35 am
South Paris.
I know Farmington well. My wife went to college there and I had an uncle that lived nearby.
*****************
Nice! I grew up in Jay and went to UMaine. Live in Florida now.
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I also was a dairy farmer most of my life and know many from that area.
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It must have been rough when you had go wade through those 5 foot snow drifts out to the barn to milk the bulls.
“lynch mob”
“whipping boy”
horrible connotations there. there are many great words in the English language; try expanding your vocabulary a little bit…
GreenBeret7 August 10th, 2010 at 10:58 am
It must have been rough when you had go wade through those 5 foot snow drifts out to the barn to milk the bulls.
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It is! Maine is beautiful during the summer (when it’s not raining), but absolutely stinks during the winter.
My goal after college was to find a job somewhere warm…hence why I am in Florida now!
GB7
I should have known you were lurking somewhere.
We saved the bulls for the ones like you to milk when they came to visit.
Just like when we’d get them to grab the electric fence to hear them yowl.
YankeeBlue222 August 10th, 2010 at 11:03 am
GreenBeret7 August 10th, 2010 at 10:58 am
It must have been rough when you had go wade through those 5 foot snow drifts out to the barn to milk the bulls.
***************
It is! Maine is beautiful during the summer (when it?s not raining), but absolutely stinks during the winter.
My goal after college was to find a job somewhere warm?hence why I am in Florida now!
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I thought you said warm, not HOT.
“horrible connotations there. there are many great words in the English language; try expanding your vocabulary a little bit…”
pariah?
108 stitches August 10th, 2010 at 10:57 am
It will be interesting to see what Burnett does tonight. It’s important that he pounds the strike zone and mixes his curveball at the right times.
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Actually, TX is a free swinging team. They could be a decent matchup for guys like AJ and Javy because they will swing at stuff that’s out of the zone.
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 11:05 am
I thought you said warm, not HOT.
**********
Well, I enjoy hot so it doesn’t bother me at all.
I’ll get my dose of skiing when I come home for Xmas, but other than that, I could care less if I ever saw snow again!
hardwired7 August 10th, 2010 at 11:03 am
?lynch mob?
?whipping boy?
horrible connotations there. there are many great words in the English language; try expanding your vocabulary a little bit?
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If this is turning into English class I’m leaving.
Barely got through it once and ain’t going back.
Just to clarify, I almost never use the word ain’t. I guess I learned something in English class.
Wave Your Hat August 10th, 2010 at 10:57 am
There is no reason to believe Granderson can?t hit RHP. He always has, he is struggling now but there?s no reason not to think it is just a slump.
IMO, he should sit against all lefties, just let him face RHP to let him get in a groove.
Granderson can still contribute in a big way to this team.
_____________________________
THIS. Granderson’s low contact approach, his complete inability to handle lefties, and the current slump he’s in have caused him to be perceived as a useless player, rather than simply a capable player with a major flaw. It’s easy to lose sight of his overall success against RHP (.490 SLG, .830 OPS) because of his other issues, but he shouldn’t go from everyday player to the bench. You’re right, as the LH half of a platoon, Granderson will still be pretty valuable the rest of the way.
Maine-
“I thought you said warm, not HOT.”
Also doesn’t have much to recommend for someone who likes to hike in the Mountains. Not a big fan of the humidity, bugs, or Pythons either.
GB loves grabbing electric fences. He just smiles afterwards and says boy did that tickle. Helps him with his memory too.
I would say pariah is not quite apt.
YankeeBlue22
The older I get the more I’d like somewhere in the middle.
G. Love August 10th, 2010 at 8:57 am
Granderson has been getting a complete pass for his under-performance. Sherman was right. If George were alive and had his faculties, he’d really have to hear about it from the guy signing his checks. He’s lucky in that regard.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I’m in full agreement with your post. I think anyone saying K-Long will fix him are delusional. They fail to realize K-Long did work with Granderson before, and during spring training, and he is what he is, a player with vastly declining skills. I was always a big A-Jax supporter, and thought of him as the Yankees CF of the future. Unfortunately, no team will take him and his contract this winter, unless the Yankees pay a big part of his salary. I believe we’ll be stuck with him again next season.
Kears was brought in to play LF against the lefties.
Thames and Kears will both start 2 of the next 3 games if not all 3.
I think Posada sits today and either catches or DHs tomorrow.
Granderson will be on the pine 2 of the next 3 to start the game.
Last year Swish sat in the playoffs when he was struggling so Grandrson will too.
Cash did well to get Joe more options down the strech.
I agree with the takes of tk and Wave Your Hat on Granderson. It’s easy to talk about how he should be totally stripped of ABs and be nothing more than a pinch hitter/runner based on how bad he’s looked at times recently. But he does still have skill at the plate against righties, and had put together his best streak of the season facing only righties a few weeks back. At this point I am totally onboard with platooning him.
I bought into the pipe dream that he could improve against LHP this year but it didn’t work, however I don’t think it’s a pipe dream that he will get hot again facing righties exclusively for the rest of the year. Perhaps Girardi putting him in there against Lester was his swan song as a non-platoon player?
Too many established guys have had tough first years as Yankees for me to give up on Granderson now. Strategically, I agree, he has to get less playing time if he continues to swing at bad pitches the way he does now. He looks lost, like it’s in his head. He’s reputed to be a sweet kid, probably wears his heart on his sleeve. He probably can’t get in the New York State of Mind yet. But I have every reason to believe he will, either by year’s end or by next year.
Joba? I’m done with him as anything other than bullpen filler. Why? He cannot repeat his delivery and he insists on getting beat with his second best pitch. And neither his fastball nor his second best pitch, the slider, are what they used to be. Maybe he’s hiding a shoulder issue, maybe he’s heading for Tommy John. Hope not but who knows.
Good Luck to Tex and his wife.
Let’s hope the Fat Elvis can hit these lefties…
Why did Girardi “rest” Tex in Tampa if he knew he would be taking paternity leave a week later? Then he spent most of the post-game press conference waxing lyrical about how James Shields was “unhittable.” Is that the same James Shields who gave up six home runs in five innings in Toronto at the weekend? Perhaps the AL East is not quite as strong as we thought? After all, the Yanks are in first place despite the fact that more than half the lineup is bang out of form – Granderson, Posada, Gardner, Swisher, Jeter, A-Rod, Cervelli, Kearns to name but a few. In fact, Tex is about the only one hitting consistently right now…and he might miss the next two games in Texas. We’ve lost six of our last 10 games and couldn’t beat a Boston team missing their two best hitters, leaving six men on base in the last three innings. The only reason we split the series was down to CC and Dustin Moseley producing gritty, gutsy pitching performances. The question is when is our All-Star batting lineup going to start producing? The answer better be soon because it’s highly unlikely we will win either game in Texas if we can only score one or two runs. Oh for the days when the Yanks truly had a circular batting lineup. This current one has more holes in it than Swiss cheese.
MaineYankee August 10th, 2010 at 11:03 am
GB7
I should have known you were lurking somewhere.
We saved the bulls for the ones like you to milk when they came to visit.
Just like when we’d get them to grab the electric fence to hear them yowl.
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LMAO. I guess that I deserved that. It backfired on me.
And they say you Maine boys aren’t very bright?
Curtis actually hits Cliff Lee pretty well.
40 ABs, .300 BA & only 2 Ks.
Maybe rest him tonight and start him on Wed?
Maine-
“The older I get the more I’d like somewhere in the middle.”
Well there’s still plenty of room in Missouri.
“The question is when is our All-Star batting lineup going to start producing?”
The non producing lineup leads the league in runs scored.
Granderson should start bunting and cut down on his swing against lefties. I know, easier said than done…
GB&
That’s what you Southerners think
Thats our way of trying to keep you guys from coming up here and bothering us.
MTU
Been there in July. No thanks.
It’s working, Maine. I’ll leave the moose and bears to you.
Maine-
“Been there in July. No thanks.”
Well you said “middle”. Guess that’s not what you meant.
You mean’t “moderate”. As in climate.
New Post: Pitching matchups in Texas
I think it’s time for ARod to get Hot!
Who bats 3rd with no Tex?
I guess tonight I’d go with:
Jeter-ss
Swish-rf
ARod-3b
Cano-2b
Thames-dh
Kearns-lf
Fat Elvis-1b
Cervelli-c
Gardner-cf
GreenBeret7 August 10th, 2010 at 11:17 am
And they say you Maine boys aren’t very bright?
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That isn’t necessarily true. However, I was checking my hometown newspaper this morning and saw that some “bright” man (a former drug felon) was at a police station signing papers and they conducted a random search on him and found cocaine in his shoes! How dumb! LOL
Granderson has clearly disappointed. His production hasn’t been there.
That said, Curtis Granderson isn’t the single reason why the Yanks have struggled more against LH pitchers than RH pitchers. Is he a significant part of the problem? Yes.
but the problem is deeper than that.
Ultimately, this season the Alex, Jeter and the DH slot haven’t hit for as much power as they did last season. And Tex wasn’t that great even from the right hand side even in the beginning of the season. That’s the fundamental issue.
If Alex Rodriguez is going to hit for a sub-.500 slugging percentage and Derek Jeter is going to hit for a sub .400 slugging % this team is going to find it difficult against lefties.
raymagnetic August 10th, 2010 at 11:20 am
“The question is when is our All-Star batting lineup going to start producing?”
The non producing lineup leads the league in runs scored.
And so it should with the talent and payroll at the Yankees disposal. That can’t hide the fact that too many players are having down years. Remember all those people who said The Titanic could never sink?