Pregame notes: CC, A-Rod, Nunez and Posada
Posted by: Sam Borden - Posted in Misc on Sep 02, 2010 
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As I write this, Alex Rodriguez is on the field taking batting practice and – just my opinion – he looks to be moving pretty freely. I know A-Rod is trying to be cautious about whether he’ll return on Sunday (the first day he’s eligible) but at this point there doesn’t seem to be any reason why he wouldn’t.
Much of Joe Girardi’s pre-game press conference centered on CC Sabathia, who is going for his 19th win of the season this afternoon. CC has downplayed the importance of reaching 20 wins for the first time in his career, but Girardi knows it would have meaning to him.
“I think it would mean a lot,” Girardi said. “And I think the longer he was to get away from the game, I think it would mean more. I think you can reflect back on things a lot more when you’re done and things aren’t moving so fast. … A 20-win season for any pitcher, I think, is a big deal.”
Some other tidbits:
• Girardi hadn’t yet seen Andy Pettitte today (he met with us around 11:15 a.m.) and said he was taking that as a good sign that Pettitte’s lower body wasn’t overly sore after yesterday’s bullpen. “If he was here at 9 in the morning, I probably would have been more concerned,” Girardi said. I’ll pass along any updates we get.
• It certainly seems like Girardi had at least a quick word with Jorge Posada about the foolishness of last night’s ejection, though the manager wouldn’t flat-out confirm that. “I’ve talked to him about some things,” Girardi said. “And he understands. But Jorgie is an emotional guy. And that’s one of the things we love so much about Jorgie because he brings that intensity every day, so sometimes with all that great intensity that he brings to the field every day, sometimes things happen. But I don’t want him to change what he’s doing most of the time, because his personality is important to this club.”
Obviously Posada’s tirade at plate ump Dana DeMuth would have been an even bigger deal if rosters hadn’t expanded and Chad Moeller wasn’t available to come in and catch the ninth inning, though Girardi said he believes Posada would have held his tongue if he’d known the Yankees had no catchers behind him. Have to say, I’m not so sure I agree with him on that. Posada was pretty hot over that strike-three call.
• How has Eduardo Nunez, who didn’t play third base much in the minors, looked there so far? “It’s totally different playing third base than shortstop,” Girardi said. “The ball gets to you a lot quicker, the throw is different. I think he’s handled himself very well. I know he made an error the other day, but that can happen to anyone. And he hasn’t let his offense affect his defense or his defense affect his offense so I’ve been happy with him.”
nunez has also looked very comfortable at the plate.
i am just a fan, but he looks like a ml’er there
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......id=3195354
I wish this Joba was back
What do you guys think of the Nats-Marlins brawl last night?
raymagnetic
Boras completed the deal and was paid on it because he was the registered MLB agent of record but he didn’t do the negotiating. Gerry Cardinale did the negotiating with an assist from Buffett.
Squeakz September 2nd, 2010 at 12:03 pm
What do you guys think of the Nats-Marlins brawl last night?
I think Morgan is douche and that was an awesome clothesline by Gaby Sanchez.
Truth is, Posada was 100% justified. That call was just terrible.
Sometimes you just lose it, and he did, but it didnt hurt them so move on.
This is pretty good:
RiverAveBlues A response to Dallas: http://bit.ly/bvU7oT
And with that I should probably start doing some actual work. LOL
Enjoy the game everyone.
ac1
I disagree. There was no reason for Jorge to get thrown out at that point. There have been thousands of worse calls that have gone against us this year at more vital points of a game.
CR9 September 2nd, 2010 at 12:09 pm
ac1
I disagree. There was no reason for Jorge to get thrown out at that point. There have been thousands of worse calls that have gone against us this year at more vital points of a game.
___
With all due respect, you think there is some ridiculous conspiracy against the yankees and every call is bad.
That was a close game, his first AB and that was a worse than the usual blown strike calls. He overreacted, but he was right. And truthfully, i didnt see him really lose it until after he was ejected.
The umps just dont like being questioned on what has been a year of seemingly endless horrible umpiring.
Of course he was correct in getting thrown out.
You can’t argue balls and strikes. You also can’t go nuts like that and expect to stay in the game.
The call was bad but, the ejection was correct.
FWIW, I agree with Girardi. I think Jorge would have held it together more if he was the only remaining catcher on the roster.
Pat is right, Boras did very little work on Alex’s last deal.
Since he’s the registered agent, per MLBPA rules, he’s entitled to the commission.
However, Gerry Cardinale, John Mallory and Warren Buffet did more to get that deal done than Scott.
That call against Posada last night was ridiculous. The ball was, what, 6-8 inches off the plate?
The ESPN announcers said that the Ump must not have liked Posada because they couldn’t see he did anything wrong.
ac1
Let’s forget about my true revelations of umpire conspiracies against the Yankees for a moment.
There have been thousands of bad calls against all teams this season, including the Yankees.
It was not a worse than usual blown strike call. Half of the blown strikes we’ve seen this season are in the opposite batter’s box. That’s the way umpires roll
By not doing their jobs correctly.
That call to Posada was no worse than many others – that both he and other Yankees have received – throughout the course of this season. There was no reason up 1 run to get tossed at that point.
Trap game?
benshpigel CC will face an Oakland lineup whose three best hitters are hitting .260, .269 and .270. Four are hitting at .249 or lower. #roadto20wins
It seems like it could be a trap game, but…
Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win a war. The home plate ump really blew the strike call against Posada. They have some history! Now the next time the Ump will think twice before he calls the next one. The video shows how bad it was. The other umps will let him know that he blew it too! LOL! So will the TV broadcaster if he does it again against Posada.
I agree it was dumb to get thrown out, but the arguing balls and strikes rule is really dumb and gives the umps a free pass to stink it up. It doesnt just happen to the yankees. He was mad. He was PHing and was brought in because he can hit and he didnt get the chance. That’s likely why this time he was more angry.
Let’s see what Admiral Ackbar thinks:
http://i.bnet.com/blogs/its_a_.....-container
Oh dear…..
I think Cy CY Sabathia will completely shut the A’s down today.
Tom
thanks for the laugh, I love Admiral Ackbar
perhaps the team knowing CC is going for his 19th keeps it from being a trap
if cc can get his era under 3, it would go a long way to breaking free of buchholz and price for the cy young.
Clay Buchholz is not winning the Cy Young Award.
Its between CC, King Felix and Price.
Upstate Kate, Here’s what Admiral Ackbar thinks will happen tomorrow:
http://knowyourmeme.com/i/1387/original/Tarp.gif
Georgie would not have freaked out like that if Moller was not with the team. The call was vary bad but you can’t argue balls and strikes. Georgie got his say, the ump threw him out, all good, and entertaining for sure…
What do you mean, you can’t argue balls and strikes?
Red Sox hitters do it every night.
Its between CC, King Felix and Price.
___
I dont think felix is in the same place as price and cc.
I think the CY young will come down to who has the best September between CC and Price. CC is leading now IMO..
competition has to be taken into account. cc and price face 4 good offenses 18 times a year (pitch 4-6 each. Even the orioles can hit.) Felix gets to boost his stock on the Angels and athletics and texas (who are good but not the same as the AL East offenses).
Felix has whooped the yankees and sox this year, but still it would be a crime for him to pass cc and price.
Tom
I hope Admiral Ackbar is wrong on both accounts
So when Scott Boras in the daily news article said he negotiated the rest of Alex’s contract he wasn’t being truthful?
# Robin September 2nd, 2010 at 12:34 pm
What do you mean, you can’t argue balls and strikes?
Red Sox hitters do it every night.
__
Truer words have never been spoken. That’s all that team of criminals knows how to do.
“The Yankees were offering an eight-year, $230 million contract, but Boras says Steinbrenner agreed to 10 years after meeting with Rodriguez. Boras says he negotiated the rest of the deal, spending six weeks working out a plan with the Yankees and the commissioner’s office that will pay Rodriguez $315 million, the richest in baseball history, if he breaks Barry Bonds’ career home run record.”
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....z0yOJTlsIo
This isn’t true?
I don’t know if I understand why people get so mad when players showboat…
Their soul existence in the league is to provide entertainment for millions of Americans. I kinda like that they sometimes behave as what they are – overpaid clowns.
Why do people here and in the media insist on talking about Alex’s contract? If we talk about it constantly, is that somehow going to change it’s details? Ugh!
Laura, its all about envy.
envy is correct, Yogi. Selena Roberts, first and foremost, is synonymous with envy. Her entire stalking of Alex was nothing but sickening envy.
“If we talk about it constantly, is that somehow going to change it’s details? Ugh!”
Perhaps. It’s worth a shot.
I think Alex and Scott Boras are fine with each other.
Alex may have played like he was upset with Boras but opting out was the best thing to do for his bank account.
And Scott definitely got his cut which was probably pushing 10 mil for a 300 mil deal.
I admit that Arod’s contract seems pretty crazy.
However, let’s remember the situation at the time the deal was made….Alex had just completed an all time great season, there was no steriod scandal, and he was on track to save baseballs most treasured record from Barry Bonds…his stock was sky high and he and Boras took advantage of it. Hindsight, its a bad deal but not one that is going to cripple the Yankees…they will pay him his money, he’ll be a productive player, and life will go on.
“Selena Roberts, first and foremost, is synonymous with envy. Her entire stalking of Alex was nothing but sickening envy.”
Or she’s just synonymous with being a typical journalist chasing down a scandal. Which, as much as I love you CR9, I must point out did actually exist (unlike some other stories she covered).
Yogi Mantle, my dear chap, the discussion today — which I neither endorse nor condemn — came about from a discussion of the agent, Scott Boras, not because of a spontaneous outburst of envy.
RuBiCaNT5X: how does montero compare to stanton with the bat?
jimcallisBA Stanton has more raw power, but Montero is close and a better pure hitter.
“Which, as much as I love you CR9…”
That’s interesting.
What is it about master criminals in general and serial killers in particular that attracts such affection?
Shame
Selena went above and beyond what a typical journalist does. Even Pete Abe – and Pete hated Alex – didnt stalk out Alex trying to screw his entire life over. After the scandal was uncovered, she went even further to try and screw him over. On top of that, what she did to the Duke LAX men that she screwed over, she is not a journalist, but rather a criminal.
I agree. Voters give significant credence to the importance of playing on a contender.
_____
I dont think felix is in the same place as price and cc.
“What is it about master criminals in general and serial killers in particular that attracts such affection?”
Nick
I fail to see the relevance in which that comment has to Shame’s comment.
Anyone ever figure out why PeteAbe hated Alex so much?
Ray,
He negotiated about 10% of that deal.
Mostly ancillary language and putting the language together for the incentive clauses in order to pass MLB muster.
He did not negotiate the bulk of that contract.
It is a different world these days! Reporters think they are the news instead of the players. Envy, disgust, salaries, notariety, etc cause reporters to take a side. These days opinoins and sides are more important than the news. If you can have/make a villian it sells. Pros & Cons will debate it! ARod was Pete’s button to push to keep everyone coming back to comment.
President Clinton had people checking under his desk & monitoring his every step looking for a story. In the 1960′s White House reporters use to draw straws to see who would sleep with President Kennedy! Times are different.
Sex, inuendo, lies, trash, fear & hatred sell! News doesn’t! Ultimately it is the consumers & voters who decide what they want.
Think about it! If someone says Jeter is … or Posada is … or whatever, then the sides are drawn & everyone comes to the match!
raymagnetic
Far be it from me to accuse Mr. Boras of saying untruths so let’s call it creative embellishment on his part.