Greg Golson: Who would have thought?
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Podcast on Sep 15, 2010 
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It was Alex Rodriguez who said what everyone was thinking last night: “Whoever would have thought Greg Golson would make a great play in the middle of a great pennant race?”
There was a lot to be said for The Catch and The Home Run — never thought Curtis Granderson would get there, never doubted Jorge Posada was leaving the yard — but there was something about the The Throw that made it the most buzzworthy play of last night’s very buzzworthy Yankees win.
“Just a loud, Yes!” Golson said. “Everyone running out to right field, that usually doesn’t happen. They usually don’t run out to right field.”
Last out of the inning, against perhaps the fastest runner in the game, by a guy with 20 games in the big leagues. It was one of those moments, and everyone seemed to be talking about it.
Alex Rodriguez: “Tricky pickup but just an incredible throw. He caught the ball throw flat-footed. I honestly thought he had no chance because he caught it with his momentum going back to right field. It was straight as an arrow. I long tossed with him about a week ago and I could tell he just had a cannon.”
Curtis Granderson: “It all happened prior to that. When Brett Gardner came out there to warm up in the bottom of that inning, he wanted a couple of extra throws. When he normally throws with the guy on the line, he ended up making some throws with Golson. I’m sitting there watching the ball go back and forth thinking, man, Goly’s got a really good arm. Sure enough he ends up getting a ball where he’s got a play.”
Jorge Posada: “We knew he had a good arm so he showed it. I couldn’t believe he was running there to tell you the truth. He would have scored on a base hit. He is that quick. He doesn’t need to get to third base to score really.”
Mariano Rivera: “That was a perfect throw. Short bounce. On target. Won the game.”
Joe Girardi: “Perfect throw and an unbelievable tag by Alex because it’s a short hop and it’s bang-bang. Just a great way to end the game.”
Joe Maddon: “I always tell our guys to take positive risks. If that ball hits him and bounds off of him right there, all of a sudden we score another run. When you’re facing Rivera, you do take chances versus Rivera because he dod not give up many hits, so I was fine with the play. Golson made a great throw. That was a fabulous throw that he made, so we’ll just move on until tomorrow.
Greg Golson: “I heard a faint Granderson, ‘He’s tagging, he’s tagging, he’s tagging!” But I didn’t think he was going to be going… I was just worried about catching it. I had a little bit of trouble yesterday with the first blooper, and that was all I was worried about. When I caught it, I looked up and he was running, so I just tried to put a good throw on the bag.”
Here’s Golson’s postgame audio.
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it was the top play on espn’s top 10 this morning…and Granderson’s catch was #3
” When I caught it, I looked up and he was running, so I just tried to put a good throw on the bag.”
Did you ever. Mr G.
An immortal throw. It will be remembered.
Bravo !
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......d=12083843
Matt Vasgersian’s mlbnetwork call.
Great picture! The umpire was in position to make the call on that one.
“Tricky pickup but just an incredible throw. He caught the ball throw flat-footed. I honestly thought he had no chance because he caught it with his momentum going back to right field.”
—————————————————————————
Not entirely flat-footed. He was under the ball in plenty of time. You really don’t want to be running and throwing at the same time. Just step into it.
Sometimes I see players almost try and get get too much momentum and the throw suffers. Swish does that a lot. Then it’s air-mail city.
Golson’s footwork on the catch was good too.
Alot of times you see an outfielder make the catch and then have to switch feet to make the throw which costs them seconds.
Completely and utterly stunned that we got that call to end the game. A fair call by an umpire. Probably the HP ump from the night before, Halion. Oh well, I appreciate the fairness, but we aint gettin’ that call in a playoff series – unless we’re already down 3-0 in the series.
CR
This is a link for you. You are such an expert to begin with, it should be no problem for you.
http://www.umpireschool.com/
I’m with Posada. Not a bright idea by Crawford to try getting to 3rd there. Perfect throw though. Rodriguez barely had to move.
Tar – I am an expert. I already know the first requirement (cheating the Yankees) of being an umpire, and that’s half the battle. Id never make it as an umpire; once I treated the Yankees fairly, Id be fiiiiiired!!
Dumb move by Crawford to run there but it took a perfect throw and a great pick and tag by Arod to get him. Maddon likes aggressive baseball.
What other play was ahead of Granderson’s? Golson’s throw was great but that catch by Granderson was one of the best if not the best I’ve seen this season….both incredible plays given the situations…sometimes it takes things like that to turn a losing streak back in a positive direction.
The Yanks have a really good chance to take a hold of the division again if they can pull off another win tonight…then heading to Baltimore and a series they SHOULD win then facing Tampa again on the Yanks turf this time…..just a huge win last night.
Yankee 2011 schedule:
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....038;y=2011
90% of right fielders would not have gotten crawford on that play. I’m assuming he went because Golson was an unknown and CC didn’t expect him to have a cannon for an arm. Had that have been Swisher or Curtis, Crawford would have been standing at third.
Is it just me or does Golson look a little like Antonio Fargas (a.k.a. “huggy bear”) from Starsky and Hutch ?
http://www.starskyandhutchonline.com/hug.jpg
CR9-
At first, it was funny. But, in all honesty, your anti-Yankee umpiring conspiracy theories sound more and more ridiculous each time you voice them.
The umpire has a split second to make most calls. I doubt he has time to weigh his love/hate for the Yankees & determine how close the play was in that half-second.
Why would there be an anti-Yankee sentiment in MLB anyway? No team had a greater effect on ratings and viewing than the Yankees. Selig & Co. should be so lucky as to have us in every world series.
I think ESPN and various media outlet have convinced you that EVERYONE is against the Yankees. It’s simply not true.
Thus, every call in our favor is despite their hatred for the Yanks, and every call against us is due to that hatred. Odds are, they even out over the season, so any team can have the same argument you make for the Yankees & umpires.
Here’s a crazy idea: They call the game to the best of their ability and any missed called (balls/strikes, outs, HRs, etc.) is due to human error and not a league-wide conspiracy to ruin the Yankees.
You seem like a very smart person, buy your theories make you seem very unintelligent and naive. JMO though, nothing personal.
Blake
I can’t remember, I think it was a NL play
I know a lot of people got on Gardner the other night for trying to take third with 2 outs but Crawford’s move last night justifies what Gardner did. There are different rules for a handful of runners in this game – people who can win a game with their legs. That ball was about a half in from bounding off of a Arod’s glove and into the stands. When the odds of getting a hit are low (Mariano pitching, Kearns hitting) sometimes it makes sense for a very fast runner to try to make something happen. It took two great plays in successive nights to throw out the two fastest runners in the game. Any manager can live with that, it’s not trying after the fact that’s hard to live with.
One more thing – the Yankees beat the Angels last year for the first time in the playoffs because they took away their greatest weapon from them – their aggressiveness. The Yankees were the aggressive team last year in the playoffs and the Angels were the team who spent the series on their heals. A team like Tampa – who have no problem making aggressive mistakes need to be beaten at their own game.
it was a dumb play by Crawford but if the situation played out another 10 times its doubtful that that combination of throw and catch would happen more than 1 or 2 times….still in that situation and the frequency of broken bat bloop hits off Rivera….it wasn’t worth the risk any way you slice it.
The saying “speed kills” works both ways, I guess.
Crawford had no business running but I’m certainly happy he did.
Mo’s not throwing a wild pitch. I could probably catch Mo.
And sometimes I feel as if Mo actually gets better with a guy on 3rd. It’s like he sees someone there and he just gets in a zone. Power of God or something.
I don’t blame Crawford at all.
I feel it’s all on Maddon. It totally fits with maddon’s style of play. Crawford was simply doing what his coach wanted him to.
“Why would there be an anti-Yankee sentiment in MLB anyway? No team had a greater effect on ratings and viewing than the Yankees. Selig & Co. should be so lucky as to have us in every world series.”
Perfect. That’s why I’ll never understand it. The Yankees are baseball. And baseball is nothing without the Yankees.
But here’s a question, why did David Stern encourage Lebron James to not go to New York? (Im not saying that had ANYTHING to do with his decision) Stern should have wanted Lebron to go to New York for the same reasons you mentioned above re: the Yankees. Unfortunately, Stern’s Celtics and his anti-Knicks bias were more important than the almighty dollar.
“Thus, every call in our favor is despite their hatred for the Yanks, and every call against us is due to that hatred.”
Perfect. 100%
IMO Phil Hughes is a big game pitcher.
We’re gonna find out tonite.;)
CR9,
Serious question..if all the umpires out there are anti-Yankee and pro Red-sox, then how do you account for the fact that the Yankees are most most successful team sport ps franchise in American history and that the Sox are missing the playoffs this season?
Seems like if the umpires are all conspiring against the Yanks them they aren’t doing a very good job of it.
I see looking at the 2011 schedule that the Yankees finish with Tampa, Boston, Toronto and Tampa again.
MTU September 15th, 2010 at 9:46 am
IMO Phil Hughes is a big game pitcher.
****************
I fully expect the A list line up playing tonight.
At least the closest thing we can get to one.
There is no reason for anyone other than GGBG and Swisher to be “resting” tonight
Erica-
I agree. Make the call to Girardi.
Maddon made a good point after the game. If the throw hits Crawford, something that happens from time to time on that sort of play, the run scores. Since Mo does not give up many hits, Tampa likes to take chances on the bases when he is on the hill.
Anyway, what a great turnaround after the past four days. When Crawford got on, I thought for sure that he would steal second and score on a blooper or a bleeder. Another tie game, and another night with Gaudin and Mitre on the hill in extra innings would have been enough to put me over the edge.
Now let’s see what young Master Hughes has to bring tonight. Jeter, Cano, Thames and Miranda have very good career numbers against Shields (small sample size for Thames and Miranda). Shields has been pretty mediocre this year with numbers not too different from Burnett’s. The Yankees need to keep the bats going against him.
MTU,
I have Golson as “Candyman” from the horror film but you’re right about Huggy Bear.
Maybe he could be Candy Bear?
“I see looking at the 2011 schedule that the Yankees finish with Tampa, Boston, Toronto and Tampa again.”
That’s a tough stretch…. for Tampa, Boston and Toronto.
and to maddon’s credit, he was fine w/ crawford running.
I know many here do not like Maddon, but he has been very complimentary of Yankee players in both his post games…especially about CC the other night. Price said the other night that CC deserved the Cy Young.
blake – Serious Answer. Because the Red Sox are just not that good. It actually shows how truly awful of a team they are. If they had the same talent and roster as the Yankees, they’d never lose. Honestly.
#blake September 15th, 2010 at 9:46 am
CR9,
Serious question..if all the umpires out there are anti-Yankee and pro Red-sox, then how do you account for the fact that the Yankees are most most successful team sport ps franchise in American history and that the Sox are missing the playoffs this season?
Seems like if the umpires are all conspiring against the Yanks them they aren?t doing a very good job of it.
_____________________
Clearly the umpires are incompetent as well as biased.
Girardi is a fine Yankees manager and the front office will go to great lengths to lock him up.
He won how many World Series as a catcher calling games?
He won Manager of the Year. It was an accident?
He won a World Series with a 3 man pitching staff, giving his starters plenty of rest down the stretch in 2009 to make that feat possible. His rest and rotation schedules are impeccable and don’t result in positive outcomes by chance. You’re way off the mark if you think that.
He’s a thinker, a strategist and an extraordinary planner with an elephant-like memory of player tendencies and pitcher strengths/weaknesses. He’s Buck Showalter in his knowledge of the game and in his talent evaluation.
Let’s talk bullpen management, a huge weakness of Torre’s and other big game managers.
Two years in a row now Girardi has inherited a bullpen of gas cans and shaped it into an explosive weapon of destruction for the Yanks. He tests and trials and exhausts every last opportunity for these guys to rise or fail. But in the end, somehow the team is left with a reliable stable of arms. I don’t have to get into naming names. We all witnessed the metamorphosis of the bullpen in 2009 and now this year. Right now, Joe has 5 reliable arms in the pen, narrowed down from how many candidates to start the year? 15. How do you think he got to this point, by playing “pin the tail on the donkey”? These are the 5 best arms unquestionably. Joe being a catcher knows game situations and where each will thrive.
Last night Nova had a low enough pitch count and good enough stuff to get that last out. The Rays were on top of him but weren’t really making solid contact after the HR and double. Nova was still throwing strikes and his stuff was still moving. Had he made it through the inning, he’d still be in contention for a playoff start. Now Joe knows. Nova isn’t ready. Lesson learned but at least Joe was open to it as he should have been considering how Javy, AJ and Phil have been pitching.
Screw those guys. They’re not to be trusted. I don’t blame Girardi for giving Nova every last opportunity to displace one of them.
Rant over.
Good morning
“I know a lot of people got on Gardner the other night for trying to take third with 2 outs but Crawford’s move last night justifies what Gardner did”
No, it doesn’t. Both made baserunning gaffes late in a game and deprived their respective teams of an at bat with a RISP. No justification for that.
Jeers-
As long as he keeps making throws like the one last night he can be anyone he wants to.
Sounds like a reasonable compromise.
And conversely, it shows how truly great the Yankees are that they continuously overcome the umpires and the opponents. However – through no fault of the Yankees – sometimes the Yankees are unable to overcome the Yankees, like years 2001-2008. Gotta go, hope that explained it.
I think it is a mistake to think that people who don’t like the Yankees automatically like the Red sox…that simply is not true..there are many out there who think of the sox as “yankee light”, and it is not meant to be a compliment
I see looking at the 2011 schedule that the Yankees finish with Tampa, Boston, Toronto and Tampa again.
___________________
Hopefully Tampa won’t be as good next year as a result of ownership lowering payroll. Boston and Toronto should improve. Looks like Doug Drabek’s son Kyle will make his Toronto debut. Highly touted pitcher. Toronto has some good young arms coming up. Yanks need to keep pace with the arms race.
*overcome the umpires, like 2001-2008
good morning Bret
As for a night off, you could make a case for Tex or A-Rod, both of whom have very poor career numbers versus Shields.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....erId=28474
Tex is 4/28 with 0 homers and A-Rod is 5/24 with one homer.
Cano, on the other hand, must play. 14/35 with an OPS of 1.302 against Shields, and he appeared to get his groove back last night.
its true; many bang bang calls have gone against us this season. the proof has been all there in YES MO . Yet we shall overcome
MTU, I see my enjoyable reading is over. The cesspool creator has arrived, maybe it’s time to go do a hike.
This is how the Yankees finish their 2011 season:
Jays
Jays
Jays
Rays
Rays
Red Sox
Red Sox
Red Sox
Rays
Rays
Rays
Maybe Girardi is resting all his guys for next year???
JCPD-
Always a good time for that. Get some shots of the fall colors for us.
Got some great stuff to share. Just waiting for the principals involved to cooperate. They will soon.
Had he made it through the inning, he’d still be in contention for a playoff start. Now Joe knows. Nova isn’t ready.
—
One inning does not determine whether Nova should make a playoff start. Overall he’s been better than Javy and Burnett. That said, Burnett will probably have to suck for the rest of the month for Girardi to even consider having him not start in the playoffs.
I think with the G-Men in the outfield, it may be the best defensively in baseball.
So glad we have a west coast trip so close to the end of the season.. then again, lots of off days in September 2011. Four is quite a bit, no?
A couple of you have mentioned the Yanks season ending schedule next yr. But you’re not going far back enough. look at their schedule from 9/9 through the end of the yr.
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....;year=2011
LGY, that is going to be a brutal way to finish up the season. The one hope is that the Rays have fallen off a bit from the losses of players they will have.
And of course the RS will favored to win it all next year anyway.
Jacksquat,
Right.
But I didn’t say Nova would have secured that start based on one inning. I said he’d still be in “contention”. He’d still be an option.
Big difference.
After failing last night’s test, he’s no longer an option, no longer in contention.
MTU, fall colors are still about 2 weeks away for where I go up in the Adirondacks. And even then, it’s a crapshoot weather wise, hoping I have a nice day line up with my days off from work. It’s about a four hour drive from me, so it’s not just an easy day trip.
Everybody in the east has a rough close to the 2011 schedule.
It’s all within the division for the entire month of September.
CC Sabathia to be profiled on HBO REAL SPORTS beginning 9/21/10.
REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel goes one-on-one with the Vallejo, Cal. native to find out more about this quiet family man and his voyage to the bright lights of the Big Apple.
JCPD-
Just like with the Yankees things have a way of working out.
I guess that wasn’t entirely correct.
But look at how the Rays and the Sox close out the year. No easy schedule for anybody
Bill D wrote:
No, it doesn’t. Both made baserunning gaffes late in a game and deprived their respective teams of an at bat with a RISP. No justification for that.
———
Bill, 99% of the time you would be right but with players like Crawford and Gardner you take chances like that because the chances of getting thrown out are less than 10%. Ricky Henderson did stuff like that all the time mostly to positive results, if you have a problem with that then you probably are one of those people that don’t believe in stealing bases, bunting to sacrifice etc, but when you are playing against the league’s best pitchers you must take chances like that.
So they play the Cubs at Wrigley next year. Which uniform will Girardi be wearing?
This whole thing is weird–Girardi’s comments, the weird decisions over the past 8 games…this all seemed to start after Lou retired.
There appear to be a lot of undisclosed injuries right now that the Yankees are keeping secret (like Tex’s toe)–there is more to this than we think.
Maybe the goal really is to make the playoffs, then rest everyone, and not worry about first place. Perhaps Girardi and Cash thought this out a few weeks ago as the best chance to win everything.
If so, why not call up more people? Are there issues with the 40 man that would complicate things? Bring up Brackman, for example, to help out a bit?
CR9,
Although I read the comments, I hardly ever make my own.
That being said, I’m sorry, but you’re a complete moron with this conspiracy nonsense that you spew on here and dilute the blog.
Seriously, I get the taste of sour milk in my mouth whenever I see your name.
Stop with the “everyone against the Yankees” mentality. You come across as a 10-year-old. Well, maybe you are one?
Only 15 home games from 8/15/11 on.
A nine game road trip with a West Coast swing in September.
Ending away at a Division rival for the final series of the year–for the second year in a row.
Who thinks up these schedules?
Still can’t get over that throw from Golson, even this morning. Just a laser.
What a great game to watch last night. Big hits. Big catches. Big throws. The two best teams in baseball going at it.
Really really great game last night. It was sweet to see the Yanks win on 3 amazing plays.
And overall this series has been amazing. Monday night’s game was a heartbreaker but wow what a pitching duel. As a fan of baseball you really can’t ask for much more from these two teams. Lets hope the third game is just as good as the first two and ends in a YANKEE WIN
Undisclosed injuries to Yankee players is nothing new. The organization has done that constantly.
If they reported every guy getting extra treatment on a day-to-day basis, they’d probably be listing half the team.
Everybody is beat up. Everyone. Girardi just doesn’t want the other manager to know what kind of cards he has up his leave.
Not good morning, GREAT morning! I have ESPN SportsCenter on because usually they’re repeats and I’m hoping to see the top 10. But since I know that the way the game ended last night made everyone’s heart race, skip a beat, whatever, you can do what I just did and treat yourself to watching 4 different versions of Golson’s throw while remembering the words of Joe Maddon “Golson made a great throw. That was a fabulous throw that he made”. I saw Maddon on the YES Postgame and remember being so impressed with the way he said that. Who calls a throw “fabulous”? He meant it, and of course you know why. Anyway here it is and if you’re anything like me, you will have tears in your eyes the whole time. Good tears. Happy tears. Tears of awe. Just tears!
It’s the first highlight.
http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp?a.....olbar_team
Winning the AL East isn’t a gimme for home field advantage.
Twins are 1 1/2 games back of best record and finish out the year with series against CHW, Oakland, Cleveland, Detroit, KC and Toronto while the Yanks and Rays have 5 more to beat up on each others record.
Wow, what a game! I was watching at a bar last night and left fuming when we gave up the lead. I ended up listening to sterling for the rest of the game and I was just so happy for jorge
Also, jeter seems to be coming around so that makes me smile.
Havent been on here much lately, but i actually went to trenton to see andy’s rehab start last week. He was great. Only 2 hits and he struck out a few guys. He also looked really really good in the high socks
. Im so excited for his start in baltimore on sunday!
Anyway here it is and if you’re anything like me, you will have tears in your eyes the whole time. Good tears. Happy tears. Tears of awe. Just tears!
—
You’re one of a kind trisha…
NYY626
that is so great that you got to see Andy pitch…I can’t wait to have him back where he belongs.
Pat
I didn’t realize the Twins were creeping up there for best record HFA
Maddon is a class act. Quite impressed with his post-game comments both nights.
Agreed that these have been two great games. The first one was a heartbreaker to lose but what a pitching duel. Then last night’s game, the see-saw battle, Sado’s homerun, the great defensive plays.
Games like this are the reason I love baseball. What is in store for tonight?
what is in store for tonight?
a great game pitched by young master Hughes, w/ lots and lots of run support!!!
Patrick, that’s why I think it’s important to be able to try to think ahead when doing an evaluation of in-game moves. I still harken back to Game 1 and totally think that Girardi made the right moves with Gaudin and Mitre (meaning saving Robertson, Joba, and Logan). We saw, in retrospect, that the greater need for relief came in game 2. Girardi has to be thinking ahead. I will say again that the way game 1 was going, we could have found ourselves in the 15th inning with a totally burned-out pen – and still without the win.
Most in MLB History. It still astounds me that Andy Pettitte holds the record for the most starts and most wins in postseason games in MLB history. Thank you God that we are getting Andy back on Sunday. I have no fears whatsoever about what we will be getting back.
One thing I notice about the last play of the game that doesn’t get mentioned…… Brett Gardener has his head in the game and is behind Alex along with Mo backing up the play.
Every now and then, someone will post on here that the Yankees don’t care about winning. I wish those people could have seen the replays that the TB feed showed of the Yankees’ reaction after Alex tagged out Crawford. Several of the players were going nuts. Cervy, Gardner, even Jeter were pretty pumped up. They definitely care and they definitely want to win.
“You’re one of a kind trisha…”
I know.
Wish I had company sometimes.
If anyone wants to watch the Top 10 on ESPN it’s coming on right now (after commercial break)
upstate kate – I’m liking your predictions.
Anyone else thinking we end up splitting these games with the Rays 4-3 or 3-4?
“what is in store for tonight?
a great game pitched by young master Hughes, w/ lots and lots of run support!!!”
Ditto!
The conspiracy thing is a total waste of time. If you lived in Chicago and followed all of those teams you would think the same exact thing. Time to move on…
I watched it this am Trisha, backed it up and watched again…enjoy!
Shame, I’m thinking more 5-2. The Yankees win! The Yankees wi-i-i-i-i-i-innnn!!!!
Jacksquat,
Right.
But I didn’t say Nova would have secured that start based on one inning. I said he’d still be in “contention”. He’d still be an option.
Big difference.
After failing last night’s test, he’s no longer an option, no longer in contention.
—
What I meant was, I don’t think one bad inning takes him out of contention. Javy and Burnett have had many bad innings, and outings that were even shorter, or should have been. Hughes has had bad games/innings. Even CC had two poor games recently. I guess you just don’t like Nova to discard him so quickly…
Nova has pretty good stuff, at least 3 pitches that he actually throws (unlike some people…), doesn’t usually walk many, and most impressively does not pitch scared (unlike Hughes when he first came up). I’m not saying he’s a savior, but I like him more than Burnett right now.
Kate, DVring it right now!
“big game James” is headed for big trouble tonight
Does anyone have ESPN insider access? Buster Olney wrote an article about the M’s may be regretting training Cliff Lee for Smoak over Montero…
if you could email me or copy and paste the article here – i would be most appreciative!
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb.....%3d5570764
Granderson got robbed on the top 10 plays…the play Uggla made was a nice play but nowhere in the stratosphere on the one Grandy made…ESPN just couldn’t bare the thought of the Yanks having the 2 top plays….
This may sound like an odd question ? would there be any way that the Sept 26th game against boston would NOT be a Sunday night ESPN game? I just thought if there was a game with more playoff implications it would be shown instead? I owe my nephews a game and running out of homestand?Thanks!
NYY626-
So happy to see you back!!!!!
How did stalking er… seeing Andy in Trenton go? Did you get close?
Buster Olney wrote an article about the M’s may be regretting training Cliff Lee for Smoak over Montero…
—
Too late! Too bad! Thank you M’s!
(I like Cash but I would hung him if he traded Montero for a couple months of Lee).
montero and cliff lee will be teammates one day……..
trisha – I would DEFINITELY prefer that outcome and I think our best shot at that split would come with a win today. Winning the 3 game set is really important (yes, I know, Captain Obvious over here..) because god knows what will go down in the 4 games in the Bronx.
I think Hughes comes out strong tonight though. Not sure if that will help or hurt his command, but I think he’ll be just fine even with the extra rest.
What’s Smoak been contributing over there since the trade? I don’t have time for baseball, just the Yankees lol.
Here you go sunny…
The Mariners’ choices in their trade of Cliff Lee are destined to hang over them for years to come, and not only because of the fact they acquired a player who had pleaded no contest to a felony — a decision which may have led to the dismissal of Seattle’s professional scouting director Monday, as Larry Stone writes.
The debate will go on about whether the M’s were right in picking Justin Smoak, rather than the Yankees’ Jesus Montero, as the centerpiece in their swap of Lee. And while Smoak is a respected prospect who can hit for power and generates a high on-base percentage, rival evaluators are projecting an extraordinary future for Montero, who thrived in Triple-A this year, even at age 20.
Despite being one of the youngest players at his level, Montero accumulated 21 homers, 34 doubles and three triples, while posting a .517 slugging percentage. But it’s not only the production that has caught the attention of evaluators; it’s what they see as Montero’s extraordinarily mature approach at the plate.
“Jesus Montero is a stud,” one evaluator wrote in an e-mail. “One of the best young hitters I’ve ever seen, period. Especially when you consider the level of competition, his age, the demanding position he plays — and the fact that he plays for Scranton-Wilkes Barre, with the weather conditions that can’t provide the best hitting environment. I liked his natural hitting ability, his pitch recognition, his power, strength, baseball IQ and overall field presence. I was blown away honestly and overwhelmed about his whole skill set.”
The lingering question that some teams have had about Montero is whether he can continue to be a catcher or be something other than a designated hitter. The Yankees have felt that Montero has made great strides defensively this year and will be a serviceable big league catcher, and one rival evaluator agrees.
“I thought the catching skills were better than advertised,” the evaluator wrote. “He receives the ball well, commands the game and has a strong throwing arm. His deficiencies are his exchange on steal attempts and he is not the most agile guy in the world, but flexible enough. [Jorge] Posada, a converted catcher, was never the most naturally gifted defender in the world and Montero is more advanced defensively than he was at 20 years old. Montero is similar to a young Mike Piazza in many ways with a much stronger throwing arm.
“If he had to transition to first base he’s a good enough athlete and baseball player to play that position eventually. His bat is going to play anywhere in spades. Impressive.”
Another evaluator had a different view: “Montero’s body has gotten better over the last year. He made the adjustments needed during the season offensively, and he was a force the last two months of the 3A season. Great gap-to-gap power with a solid swing. Has gotten better defensively but not sure he could catch every day in 2011. Smoak was probably much more ready to contribute in 2011 in the Mariners’ mind.”
Smoak struggled in the big leagues for the Rangers and Mariners in this, his rookie season, and he seems to have stabilized since being returned to the minors.
Smoak turns 24 in December. Some scouts who watched him this year believe that he will hit for power in the major leagues, but say his defensive skills are lacking.
If it turns out that Montero can be a decent catcher in the big leagues and provide plus offense, this is a choice that could wind up haunting the Mariners — a team that needs catching.
“M?s may be regretting training Cliff Lee for Smoak over Montero?”
M’s scouting director surely was. He was fired because one of the other players acquired in the trade had a sexual battery charge on his record.
Best trade we never made?
shame – only if Lee signs here and montero catches a game for the yankees by the AS break.
Thanks!!!
Couldn’t have happened to to a nicer club–NOT. Tough noogies, Mariners, after agreeing to a deal and then backing out.
Enjoy, Jack Z.
Shame – Smoak is back in the minors.
With all the talk about the Yankees bullpen use over the past couple days, we also should watch Joe Maddon’s use of his two best relievers – Soriano and Benoit. Since Friday, each has pitched every day but Saturday. That is 4 out of 5 days.
Wonder if that will eventually catch up with them.
Buster is only telling half the story. There is a bigger part of the story than just Montero v. Smoak.
One of the other players acquired in the deal was accused of sexual assault and plead it out a year or two ago.
Some questions as to whether or not he’s a registered sex offender.
All of the upper level management of the Mariners had no idea the charge existed.
Nobody did a background check. Common practice today in all trades.
The farm director and 1 or 2 others have been fired over it. Although the Mariners deny that’s the reason for their termination.
I was just in Seattle this past weekend and it’s still a hot topic.
That trade is going to haunt the Mariners franchise for a very long time.
Montero’s winter schuedule should be one month of working out with Arod and one month of agility, balance and footwork. All the while he is living with Tony Pena.
Watching the way the Yankees are playing down the stretch, the way they are so short on the roster due to injuries and the competing priorities they are trying to juggle I think CC Sabathia should get very serious consideration for the AL MVP this season.
The amount that this franchise is relying on that arm is just remarkable. He’s literally the only one in the rotation who has provided any length for two months now. Before it was just him and Andy. And not only has CC provided length of course – he’s provided dominance.
Last night Girardi has to use Kerry Wood again in a game and regardless of what he said after he didn’t want to. But he did because the team was desperate for a win and once Nova leaves before 5 it’s almost inevitable.
And you can see it already – the next time through the rotation CC is going to have to once again go very deep and excel because the bull pen will be tired once more. There’s no other choice but for him to be brilliant – the entire pitching staff is built on an structured around that premise.
Josh Hamilton has been great this season. He’ll most likely win MVP. But he’s missed time as usual. And the argument that has gone against so many Yankees in the past with MVP voting should work against Hamilton – Texas won that division easily and would have won it without him. You can agree or disagree with that notion – but that has been a significant criteria with voters in the past. Miguel Cabrera has been amazing and clearly deserves consideration. Robbi as well of course.
I don’t think CC will win it. But he should finish in the top 3-4 at least and I do think there’s a legitimate argument for him being the AL MVP given the context of the season.
yes…the Yankees should strongly suggest Montero spend as much time with Arod and Pena as possible this winter and spring.
Bret The Hitman September 15th, 2010 at 9:51 am –
Good lord I wish you were around during the games! You’d be the perfect antidote for SJ’s nonstop ranting about everything Girardi does, probably including the way he takes his pants off at night!
I think you’re post was excellent and spot on.
“He’s a thinker, a strategist and an extraordinary planner with an elephant-like memory of player tendencies and pitcher strengths/weaknesses. He’s Buck Showalter in his knowledge of the game and in his talent evaluation”
You betcha. You don’t get to first place in the AL East without being all of that and more when you are dealing with an almost non-existent starting rotation (in comparison to what you expected) and an overspent and oft-injured offense and relief staff!
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My walking buddy (Brian Red Sox fan, who used to post here quite a bit) agreed with me several days ago that fans who have difficulty putting a game in the rear view mirror – and he admits to being one of them – are horrible when it comes to perspective. And he also agreed that the acuity of vision necessary to accurately parse the moves made in something as long as a baseball season does not come without the abillity to apply perspective.
Perspective, perspective, perspective.
Completely agree CB.
CC has definitely been one of the three most valuable players in the league this year.
That trade is going to haunt the Mariners franchise for a very long time.
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SJ-
Interestingly, Tyson Gillies, sent to the Philles as part of the deal to acquire Lee, was arrested last month for cocaine possession. One bad apple for another!!!
Still can’t get over that win last night. As a Yankee fan that has been highly disappointed in my team over the past week, to get to go to such a dramatic and energetic game is exactly what I needed. The scoring with RISP, getting to see an A bomb and a bigger bomb by posada. I missed the granderson catch cause eveyone around me had stood up thinking that ball was a walk off homer. Luckily they showed it on the video screen. I got to see Robertson who I love with his high socks on… It was just an amazing game all around.
One day Trisha, you will take your own advice re: perspective.
There is more to baseball talk than your belief that anybody who doesn’t wave pom poms and believe everything every Yankee player or manager does is correct and beyond reproach.
If you spent less time trying to tell everybody what to think and say, and spent more time taking your own advice, you would be much better off.
Perspective Trisha. Try it sometime.
CB-
Attached for interests sake from answers.com.
There have been four pitchers to win the MVP award since 1971, all in the American League:
1) 1981 – Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee Brewers
2) 1984 – Willie Hernandez, Detroit Tigers
3) 1986 – Roger Clemens, Boston Red Sox
4) 1992 – Dennis Eckersley, Oakland Athletics
Looking at this Yankee roster and the way it’s aging – the Yankees and Brian Cashman in particular are very lucky that Jack Z disingenuously backed out of that deal. The yankees very much need to add a balanced bat that provides batting average, on base skills and power. Those are the hardest kinds of players to find. Montero is one of them.
Still shocked that Jack Z actually turned down Montero. Smoak is a very good prospect – but he’s just not the kind of special bat that Montero is and he’s not close. That seems like way over thinking a trade and putting far too much value on having a prospect ready with a clear position for next season.
10 years from now yankee fans are going to have trouble remembering all of the angst and hand wringing about what position Montero would play and how that would impact his value, etc.
And as an aside – the M’s front office is completely incompetent at best and appears to be dishonest and unethical at worst. Outside of backing out on a closed deal, what they are saying up there about having Leuke included in that deal is just beyond plausibility. They are flat out lying that they didn’t know about the scope of his past criminal history. Just flat out lying. Perhaps the very top of the organization just didn’t bother paying attention but I don’t believe that the GM didn’t know something that enormous about a player he was trading for, especially since it was well known around baseball.
They fire Carmen Fusco over the trade while Leuke is still pitching for them in the AAA playoffs. And this while Jon Daniels has offered to trade back for Leuke given the Mariner’s claims that they didn’t “google” leuke’s background and didn’t know about his crimes.
CB-
What might cement CC’s claim for the MVP would be as a pinch-hitter in the last game of the season at Boston, hitting a homer, as the go ahead run/runs to clinch the AL East pennant and home field advantage.
The yankees very much need to add a balanced bat that provides batting average, on base skills and power.
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Seems like Cashman was hoping Nick Johnson would have been that type of player.
Maddon got a gift when Texas swept the Yankees but out of fear of this series he overused his bullpen in their series vs. Toronto. It’s now showing. The Yankees need to knock out Shields early to stretch the Rays bullpen even further.
CB,
I agree and I’m usually against pitchers for that award….but if its truly the “Most Valuable Player” then CC has to be considered because they would be lost without him this season…
Thanks for the Smoak info guys. All of this talk just makes me excited to see what Montero develops into.
Quite a game last night. A lot of highs, as well as the very low’s of the 5th inning.
It was great to see the team battle back, and the bullpen and defense hold the line.
Very happy it was Posada getting the winning HR. Jorge has had a tough year with injuries, and not playing as much as the team needed, but, last night he showed way he is still a very important link to the teams success.
Although the 1-0 loss was hard to take, it might have woken up the team, and they realized they all needed to provide a greater effort.
Let’s hope they can build on last nights effort through the remainder of the season.
Carl September 15th, 2010 at 9:09 am
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play&.....d=12083843
Matt Vasgersian’s mlbnetwork call.
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I saw the game via MLB Network. The call was great. You could hear the surprise in his voice when the tag was made for the 3rd out.
Did I tell you or did I tell you that while I was the main reason the team was losing-my absence from this board.
LOL!!
new thread
I think betsy has a lot to say, she very smart and knows what she talking about. bemikey2010@aol.com