CC Sabathia on Real Sports tonight
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Sep 21, 2010 
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Tonight at 10 ET, HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel returns with a profile of Yankees ace CC Sabathia. Here’s a description of the segment from HBO.
Standing as tall as the skyscrapers of New York City, six foot seven Yankees ace CC Sabathia is one of the game’s most intimidating figures on the mound, but an introspective person off the field. The hard-throwing southpaw is on track to win his second Cy Young Award, and perhaps his second World Series championship ring. Most everybody who follows the game knows something about the hurler, who previously played in Cleveland and Milwaukee, but not much is known about the 30-year-old husband and father of four away from the diamond.
He’s a son who was able to forgive his late father’s unfortunate past and unexplained absence in order to cherish their final years while his dad battled HIV and terminal cancer. 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.
Interviews include CC’s wife, Amber, and his mom, Margie Sabathia, who played fast-pitch softball and used to put on the gear and catch her son in their California backyard until he was about 12. Says Margie after a few fireballs from her young boy caught her in the palm of her glove-hand: “Dude, I’m done. Mom’s done. I cannot catch you anymore. You’re past me.”
These days Margie Sabathia watches CC’s games on television or from the stands, though she has another preferred location in mind: “Game day, if I am home, I don’t even drive because I don’t want to hurt anyone cause I’m nervous. Up until the eighth inning I’m nervous.”
Jon Frankel: “If you had a preference, where would you like to be (seated)?”
Margie Sabathia: “My idea would be in the dugout. I wouldn’t bother anybody, just a little spot for the parents to sit in the dugout. Right there. I would love it.”
Buster_ESPN FYI: Curtis Granderson’s strong finish probably makes it unlikely that the Yankees will be in the Carl Crawford/Jayson Werth market.
1 minute ago via web
“Buster_ESPN FYI: Curtis Granderson’s strong finish probably makes it unlikely that the Yankees will be in the Carl Crawford/Jayson Werth market.”
I don’t believe they were in that market to begin with, but if they were/are I hope that the Yanks aren’t making decisions on the basis of what Granderson does or doesn’t do over a 30 day period.
I think Olney is about 3-4 months late with that piece of info.
Once Gardner showed he could play everyday and proved his immense value to this club, the Yanks weren’t going to be interested in Crawford or Werth.
Why not evaluate Granderson based on a 30 day period? It surely hasn’t stopped some of the board wizards from judging players based on 30 day, 7 day one game or one at bat or pitch, has it?
Crawford will go to Anaheim. Pinstripers have to be all in on Lee. To start with and make moves from there.
Shame, I’m curious your thought process on Andy not deserving a plaque? It’s not because of the PED’s is it? I think the core 4 and Torre all deserve something when they hang ‘em up. I’d have to look at the Bernie numbers a little more closely because it’s been so long but he does still hold many important post season records and was the offensive linchpin during most of his tenure, plus he played very good CF.
Re Buster Olney:
Courtesy of Bodog.com, here are the current odds for who will win the World Series:
New York Yankees: 11-4
Philadelphia Phillies: 4-1
Tampa Bay Rays: 4-1
Texas Rangers: 17-2
Cincinnati Reds: 9-1
Minnesota Twins: 9-1
Atlanta Braves: 10-1
San Francisco Giants: 14-1
Colorado Rockies: 20-1
San Diego Padres: 22-1
St. Louis Cardinals: 125-1
Olney is nuts. I don’t know what Granderson has to do with Crawford. IMO, Gardner’s good year would be the reason not to go after Crawford. Second, Granderson is hitting .249 with a .330 OBP and over 100 K’s. A good three weeks in September does not a resumé make.
Buster breaking huge news, lol……..The Yankees were not going to give up on Granderson after less than 1 full season.
I just don’t understand all the fuss about the size of GMS III plaque.
For 37 years he managed to bring a championship team back to NY, and year after year devoted his time, energy and money in directing the team to be in a position to win.
Those of us that have followed the Yankees from the 40’s until now, perhaps can better appreciate the full impact Gearge had when be purchased the team in 1973.
The team had gone from years of greatness, to being a celler team, that quite frankly stunk, to the quality product we see year after year now.
No other major sports team owner has done as much as George to put their team at the level of the Yankees, not just in NY, but world wide.
If I were in the same postion as his family, I’d most likely had given my dad a great big plaque as well.
George was bigger than live while here, why not when he’s gone. The Yankees were George’s team, he built it and he deserves all the tributes he gets, IMO.
Andrew September 21st, 2010 at 1:54 pm
It is a shame that Torre and Kay have their little diva-tastic relationship, because it would be interesting to see Torre come back as an analyst on YES. He is a great talker, and the limited games I’ve heard him call on TV have been pretty good.
********************
I can see it now…3rd inning yankees losing 5-3..
Kay: Looks like bad AJ once again
Torre: Right you are Mike, what do you say bring Robertson in for 3 innings?
Kay: Joe, Robertson has pitched the last 5 games in a row and you want to bring him in for 3 more innings?
Torre: Mike who’s the HOF manager here me or you?
Kay: Joe, its Michael not Mike, and I have 3 words for you….The Joba Rules
Torre: Michael did you know I’m writing another book about my time with the Yankees and all of the situations I had with the media?
Kay: Joe, you don’t want to go there with me, I am the voice of the Yankees and I will bury you……OK inning over, do the yankees have a rally in their bones?
Big Al,
By making his plaque so huge it’s implying that he’s bigger than Yankee greats such as Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, etc. And the fact is, he’s not any greater than those guys.
Kay: Joe, you don?t want to go there with me, I am the voice of the Yankees and I will bury you??OK inning over, do the yankees have a rally in their bones?
*************************
LOL!
Patrick September 21st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Big Al,
By making his plaque so huge it?s implying that he?s bigger than Yankee greats such as Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, etc. And the fact is, he?s not any greater than those guys.
*************
I don’t really see it that way.
Bottom line, Steinbrenner was the Boss.
On your boss’s birthday, don’t you buy him a cake thats bigger than the one you get for rest of the Office?
I think its a similar analogy
Kay: “Baseball !…latent hostilities !…uncomfortable pauses ! Next on YES! “
Ever notice that just about every single sound byte with Torre he uses the word certainly? I certainly have.
Shame, I’m curious your thought process on Andy not deserving a plaque? It’s not because of the PED’s is it? I think the core 4 and Torre all deserve something when they hang ‘em up. I’d have to look at the Bernie numbers a little more closely because it’s been so long but he does still hold many important post season records and was the offensive linchpin during most of his tenure, plus he played very good CF
————————————————————-
Torre was a manager, I just don’t believe managers should get their numbers retired. Thats just a personal opinion, but for me personally I feel that it is the players that win the games. I’m not saying he shouldnt be in the Hall of Fame, but the retiring of numbers (again, in my opinion) should be set aside for only the most special players. Icons, really. The problem is that the Yankees retired so many numbers it would be pretty easy to make arguments for guys like Andy and Bernie.
And no, my thinking regarding Andy has nothing to do with PEDs either. But I do think being a Yankee for life should be a BIG part of having your number out there.
BIG AL September 21st, 2010 at 2:28 pm
I totally agree!
No one really thinks George is bigger than Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio, so I don’t get the big stink either. Their place in baseball history is absolutely secure
I agree with Patrick 100%. In Yankee history, George Steinbrenner is not the equal of Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle and DiMaggio IMO. They were beyond iconic and they played the game, not George. And without them, the Yankees would be just another good franchise.
Granderson made significant changes in his stance/swing and looks like a new man. It hasn’t been long, but I’ve seen enough that I don’t think the Yanks need to be looking for a replacement for him next year.
And Long changed Granderson around August 14th, more than just a few weeks ago.
Patrick -
I don’t see it that way. The players have monuments all the same size, does not imply they were all as good as Ruth, Gehrig?
George was the owner, he could have put his name on the stadium if he wanted, but loved the Yankees too much to do that.
For a person to have as much impact on a sportd team as George, he does deserve some special recognition, as the owner, not as a player. He’s not being compared to player, present or past, due to the size of a plaque, but, rather recognized for his 37 years as the franchise owner and savior.
It’s a moot point, it’s there, and it shall remain, and I for one believe he deserves it.
Cashman needs to go,
Even though you’re name is a little irrational, I enjoyed that post about Kay/Torre in the booth together.
Thanks for the laugh! lol
To add:…………….
Torre: It looks like CC is struggling a little in the 7th here with 1 out. I’d probably get Wood into this game for an inning and two thirds.
Kay: Well Wood did pitch the last two games.
Torre: Yeah, but you have to manage every game like it’s Game 7 of the World Series. Who else would you trust in this spot?
Well when you all own Yankee Stadium you can make the ‘necessary’ changes to Monument Park.
Cervelli since 8/29 (35 PAs/10 games): .458/.618/.583, 1.201 OPS.
Without George they most likely would still be a lousy team, like they were when he bought the team.
If the owner can’t be treated by his family and fans different than players were, then there is no need to further discuss the matter.
George was not bigger than the Yankees. By dedicating that huge thing to him last night, they’re implying that he was.
I’m not in a big twist about it, just seems silly to me that they didnt give him a monument of the same size.
I was just informed of sick sick sick comments here today saying that the size of George’s monument is an insult to the Yankees.
Seriously???????????????????????????????????
I also heard that there were sick sick sick individuals who said that Tim McClelland just had an off night.
Seriously?????????????????????????????????????
I dont know who said these things, or how many said these things, but whomever did are really mentally ill. Just out of this world mentally ill – mainly for the first comment. The second comment essentially boils down to a matter of opinion. But the first comment, WOW! You people cant even let the greatest owner in the history – THE HISTORY – of sports pass away and be honored without complaining about it.
As I type this, I was informed that CB said the monument is a travesty because George doesnt measure up to Gehrig, Ruth. ARE YOU SERIOUS?????????????????????????????????????????
This guy changed baseball forever. This guy had more of an effect on baseball than any person ever will.
WOW! Leave it to sick sick SICK SICK Yankees fans to not even appreciate the GREATEST OWNER IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTS and nitpicking something made to honor him. You people are a disgrace.
“And Long changed Granderson around August 14th, more than just a few weeks ago.”
Kind of nit-picking. I said 30 days, you say 37 days. Is the extra week that important?
I feel silly pointing this out, but the greatest Yankee owner was Jacob Ruppert, not the Boss. Perhaps the Boss was the most famous, but that’s a different issue.
Sure, George gets credit for the WS wins, but he also gets credit for the 80s and early 90s. That was a pretty depressing, and seemingly hopeless time to be a Yankee fan (kind of like being a Knicks fan today).
Things got better in the 90s becuase he was out of the picture and when he returned things did regress.
But yeah he did an enormous amount for the team overall. Not as much as say the Babe, but whatever.
I didn’t realize that CC had that kind of heartache in his life. His mother must have been some kind of force to raise such a fine, young man.
CB,
Thank you for those thoughts. I was afraid to criticize the monument when I saw pictures. But my first thought is that it was wrong for him to be towering over the Yankee immortals.
Betsy,
I know Doreen answered for herself, but before I saw her response I was going to tell you that I said many of the same things last night. I don’t think Doreen or I were targeting you in particular or at all. You didn’t say anything remotely worthy of that response. I think you took it too personally. Not every criticism is aimed at you. The “tongue lashings” were for others last night.
M, I didn’t think Doreen was targeting me at all. I responded because I didn’t think it was fair to criticize people who were frustrated by the game last night.
Ack.
“first thought was that it is wrong….”
CR9, is that satire? Because as much as I might agree to some degree, that’s kind of a clinic in stereotypical Yankee Michael Kay-ian attitude (greatest in the history of sports always kills me).
It’s arguable, but the Yankee fan is never ever to beat that over everyone else’s head. God bless the Yankees, my beloved team – but I’ve never asked for them to be the best in the history of sports…
*never afraid to beat that over…
Wow, Albaladejo hasn’t worked since 9/12…………..no reason for that
WYH – Im not talking about his WS wins with the Yankees, this guy literally CHANGED BASEBALL and the YANKEES. FOREVER. FOREVER.
He has had the greatest influence on the Yankees and baseball than anyone could ever have dreamed possible. And NOBODY will match him. NOBODY.
At the time that George took over, the Yankees were definitely the greatest organization in sports, however, the Yankees were in decline. If anyone else had taken us over, we would right now be just another team.
What makes us the Yankees is how George’s vision in business branded the Yankees. We are all over the place. This world truly is YANKEES UNIVERSE. We are a worldwide phenomenon.
Moseley hasn’t pitched either since that game – I don’t get it.
Javy hasn’t pitched since 9/10.
Fair? Nothing is fair here.
Doreen and I (and others) just think it’s ridiculous to continue to harp and pick and pick.
Everyone is welcome to their opinion, but others are welcome to comment as well.
Like I told whatever his name the other night that said we have zero chance without Andy (which last I checked we have him back), “Do you see us trying to convince you that this team is so great and going to win it all? Then why are you trying to convince us otherwise.”
Frustration is one thing, but chronic complaining is another.
People are free to do it, and others are free to call them out on it.
I don’t want Crawford and I’m not so sure I want Cliff Lee either.
Sure, Cliff Lee is great. He is probably even very great. Borderline amazingly awesome.
But is he a Yankee? I lean toward no.
I guess we’ll see.
Back in 1990 when the yankees were the laughing stock of baseball – as bad as they had been when CBS owned the team- and George was exiled from baseball this fawning by the yankee fanbase over the owner as “savior” was nowhere to be found.
The team had a rensaissance only when George was banned from having anything to do with the team and the baseball people were able to take control again.
George was a complicated figure who did a lot of good and a lot of damage.
He was an shrewd businessman and a fierce competitor but the framing him as some kind of “savior” of a franchise that had already been the most storied team in American sports is ignoring that entire history.
The yankees had a .414 winning percentage in 1990. That was worse than any season the franchise had with CBS as owners.
Ruth quite literally saved the Yankees. Not George. And Ruppert was the most important owner in yankees history.
If people want to forget that history it’s their loss. But then, forgetting history is what that monument is hoping to engineer.
“If anyone else had taken us over, we would right now be just another team.”
CR, I love you dude, but you’re crazy. Britney Spears could buy this team tomorrow and we’d still be champs.
CR9 — enough with the Steinbrenner worship; you’re slipping back; well, at least we had 3 innings of normalcy last night.
Are his sons not allowed to put up a monument at the size they feel comfortable honoring their father.
HONORING THEIR FATHER.
You people cant allow 2 sons and 2 daughters to honor their father in peace.
Sick Sick Sick!
_____
All you people who are afraid that his sons dont care about the Yankees or who have said as such……take note of this monument.
This monument shows how much they care about owning the Yankees.
Carl Crawford? Quite a hot topic, huh?
Two years ago I thought, “he’ll be a Yankee”. Now he could still be because this FO has a tendency to target and get a player no matter what.
But the Yankee OF right now is good. Very good. It’s been years since we could say that.
But someone yesterday mentioned that Cashman’s praises on the radio could have been a smoke screen.
Crawford has more power, but he and Gardner have a lot of the same skill sets.
And day after day we see that Gardner has a very, very good eye.
If Lee’s back his healthy, the Yankees are going to go all out for Lee – he’s desperately needed last year.
You can think the monument is no big deal and still not be forgetting about history. Ruth saved baseball – nevermind just the Yankees.
Oops, desperately needed NEXT year
CR9 – take it easy. People have the right to an opinion. Trust me, there are thousands of New Yorkers that didn’t care for George Stenbrenner. Everyone has the right to their opinion.
My concern with Gardner has been his poor 2nd half……………….and I don’t think he has the greatest baserunning skills despite his speed.
charlestonchew September 21st, 2010 at 3:01 pm
I don’t want Crawford and I’m not so sure I want Cliff Lee either.
Sure, Cliff Lee is great. He is probably even very great. Borderline amazingly awesome.
But is he a Yankee? I lean toward no.
I guess we’ll see.
***************************************************
Don’t want Cliff Lee? I guess if you were making the call we’d have Javy back, make AJ our #1, Cervelli our starting catcher, sit A-Rod in favor of Pena. I see your point, you have no idea of what the Yankees need, or the quality player and person Cliff Lee is.
RAB had an amazing picture up in one of their pieces:
http://riveraveblues.com/wp-co.....025168.jpg
The diminished little figure on the monument is Dimaggio, I believe. Though it’s difficult to tell for obvious reasons.
Shame -
I love you too, but I didnt mention championships. We are Yankees Universe because of George. Bottom Line.
And it’s driven home more and more every day how truly sick Yankees fans are when you see some buffoon (s) insulting a monument made in George’s honor.
Truly disheartening and saddening that I associate with such people of no-integrity.
Wave Your Hat September 21st, 2010 at 2:51 pm
“And Long changed Granderson around August 14th, more than just a few weeks ago.”
Kind of nit-picking. I said 30 days, you say 37 days. Is the extra week that important?
—
You did not say “a few weeks”, you said 30 days.
But I do like accuracy.
I wish I could find a website that would give me hitter splits from a certain date. All I can find is by month, or last 7/14/28/30 days.
Ruth > GMS
Gehrig > GMS
Joe D > GMS
Mantle > GMS
Rivera> GMS
Jeter > GMS
Munson > GMS
Bernie Williams > GMS
Yogi > GMS
Rivera > GMS
CR9 < GMS
Gardner hasn’t even completed his first full season as a major league baseball player. I bet he gets better rather than worse. And I’m talking about all the phases in his game, not just his hitting.
Betsy -
Gardner in AAA was over aggressive, to a fault. I wonder if he lost some of that by being thrown out a few times, or his fear of failure at this level. He has the tools, it would be great if he got some coaching from a great base stealer.
The Yankees just went insane when it came to retiring numbers so they set up the plaques to distinguish the men from the boys.. it was in that same spirit that they did the tribute to George. Whether you agree with it or not is another story, but the Yankees kinda set themselves up for this kinda stuff to get outta control.
It’s just driven home more and more.
We have a no-class bandwagon Pats, Lakers, and Yankees “fan”
We have Celtics “fans” on here.
And we have losers that feel the need to nitpick every positive thing the Yankees do. And other losers to thank the original losers for their thoughts.
You people all devise reasons why other people hate Yankees fans. When in actuality, people hate Yankees fans because they are losers and nothing more.
“I wish I could find a website that would give me hitter splits from a certain date. All I can find is by month, or last 7/14/28/30 days.”
Baseball reference has an absolutely amazing feature that lets you calculate splits for any period of games within the season you choose.
Go to the game logs for the player you are interested in, click the year you want, then click on the first and last games in the period you are interested in. It will sum all the stats for that period.
Absolutely amazing.
Now that I got my anger out towards no-class Yankees fans, have a good day. Be back later tonight!
CR9, you are spot on !
CR9 – have fun in your anger management class!
One last thing, this is PRECISELY WHY the scummy NY media can get away with what they perpetrate. Because of the scummy loser Yankees fans who have no problem doing the same thing that these scummy media members do.
i.e. Mike Lupica.
You people are all Mike Lupicas. And that’s the BIGGEST insult I can bestow on any of you.
Later folks – the grass needs cutting.
Ahh there it is, conclusive evidence that Don Vito A. Bellamo is CR9.
Apparently people still visit Monument Park but I haven’t been there in about 25 years. Back then if you got to the Stadium early enough you had the place to yourself.
And I’d go now but you gotta have the time and the patience to stand in line.
And George’s monument is a postage stamp compared to the monument of concessions that is the Mohegan Sun bar.
Wow, you leave the blog for 5 minutes only to come back and find the patients have taken over the asylum..
Patrick,
Did you notice a drastic change in Don Vito? The old one was full of positive energy. The new one is the complete opposite. Down on the team and the Girardi.
“And George’s monument is a postage stamp compared to the monument of concessions that is the Mohegan Sun bar.”
AHahahahahahaha.. post of the day right there!
m,
I don’t recall any of Don Vito’s old posts. I just remember the name.
I knew George Steinbrenner from 1977 until the last time I spoke to him in March of 2008.
He was a very complicated man.
Lot of good and a lot of bad. In my mind, more good than bad. But, the bad was REAL bad.
In his later years (from 2002 on), he mellowed SOMEWHAT. Emphasis on “SOMEWHAT”.
Is he the sole reason the Yankees are what they are? No.
Did he do a lot to make the Yankees what they are today? Yes.
Is it sacreligious to not fawn at the feet of George? No.
From 1983 until the second time (the second time!) he was kicked out of baseball, he was the worst owner in professional sports.
He was on his way to ruining this franchise, rejecting the advice of almost every person in his employ.
Gene Michael and Buck Showalter, with George out of the picture, rebuilt the Yankees, not George.
When he got back in the game, he lowered his profile……….until the night of Game 7 of the 2001 WS.
That’s when he decided to try to go back to the future and not only tried to buy every FA on the market. He also kept the Tampa/NY fighting at the forefront, and ignored the draft.
He wasted a ton of money on his whims.
In the end, giving Cashman full control of the franchise in 2005 was his final act of doing the right thing for the team.
Like I said, he was a very complicated man.
Deserving of a monument? Absolutely.
One that drawfs every other monument in Monument Park? No.
It makes one wonder what kind of a season Curtis Granderson would have had if Kevin Long changed his approach in the batter’s box from day one of spring training.
On the same note, there’s no telling how good Brett Gardner will be if he truly learns the art of bunting in 2011. Adding another 15-20 hits with his speed is very reachable especially with his being a LH hitter.
Wave Your Hat September 21st, 2010 at 3:12 pm
“I wish I could find a website that would give me hitter splits from a certain date. All I can find is by month, or last 7/14/28/30 days.”
Baseball reference has an absolutely amazing feature that lets you calculate splits for any period of games within the season you choose.
Go to the game logs for the player you are interested in, click the year you want, then click on the first and last games in the period you are interested in. It will sum all the stats for that period.
Absolutely amazing.
—
Awesome! Thanks, I did not know about that feature.
Granderson since returning on Aug 12 after Long tutoring:
.273/.372/.578/.950
(babip .270)
Nice.
Oh, he was the one that would be “We’re going to sweep this series.” And then if we lost he’d say something like “We’re going to sweep the rest of this series.”
I really enjoyed the old posts. Because they would come at times when the blog needed an emotional lift.
His “We win today” post makes me think old and same are the new guy.
But the other day, there were some striking non-typical posts from Don Vito.
It’s pretty sad that I remember those kinds of things.
But the good news is that CR9′s insults have no effect on me! I have moved on.
SJ-
Your post at 3:23 summing up George and his impact on the franchise is spot on. Very good summary of a complicated man and set of issues.
I’m not nearly as offended as a few others but I was taken aback a little bit based on the sheer size of the monument compared to the others.
If there’s a Mount Rushmore of Yankee greats, I don’t think Steinbrenner is among them (Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle).
Not even Yogi, Whitey Ford, or Jeter would make the cut.
SJ – that was a nice summation of things.
It must have galled Buck to have been canned as he was. Hiring Torre was a godsend at that time, as was Cash wresting control in 2005. We can now see the results of that change in how things were run.
If Gardner practices bunting every day during the off season, he could be a hitter with a .290+ batting average and 70 RBIs next season. True or false?
I think the monument says more about Hal and Hank than it does about George.
CB September 21st, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Back in 1990 when the yankees were the laughing stock of baseball – as bad as they had been when CBS owned the team- and George was exiled from baseball this fawning by the yankee fanbase over the owner as “savior” was nowhere to be found.
The team had a rensaissance only when George was banned from having anything to do with the team and the baseball people were able to take control again.
George was a complicated figure who did a lot of good and a lot of damage.
He was an shrewd businessman and a fierce competitor but the framing him as some kind of “savior” of a franchise that had already been the most storied team in American sports is ignoring that entire history.
The yankees had a .414 winning percentage in 1990. That was worse than any season the franchise had with CBS as owners.
Ruth quite literally saved the Yankees. Not George. And Ruppert was the most important owner in yankees history.
If people want to forget that history it’s their loss. But then, forgetting history is what that monument is hoping to engineer.
————————————————–
CB, you have an amazing historical perspective for someone who didn’t have the privilege of living through the Yankees dynasty of the 1950′s let alone the 20s, late 30s, and 40s. I couldn’t agree more with you, if Steinbrenner hadn’t been banned from baseball in the early 90s there would be no Yankees history for Bernie, Andy, Mo and Jorge because all of them would have been traded for ‘big’ names who were on their way down.
Ah, Shame. I think this has been debated.
Basically came down to robbing Peter to pay Paul. Yes, he could bunt for more hits, but would also risk giving up a walk for an out.
I wonder if anyone in the room actually said “You know, this is a bit too large”?
“I wonder if anyone in the room actually said “You know, this is a bit too large”?”
Probably went the other way…
Buck did a great job in turning the team around, but he’s too uptight for my tastes. I don’t think he was necessarily the right man to carry the team forward; a little of Buck goes a long way.
MG September 21st, 2010 at 3:31 pm
CB, you have an amazing historical perspective for someone who didn?t have the privilege of living through the Yankees dynasty of the 1950?s let alone the 20s, late 30s, and 40s. I couldn?t agree more with you, if Steinbrenner hadn?t been banned from baseball in the early 90s there would be no Yankees history for Bernie, Andy, Mo and Jorge because all of them would have been traded for ?big? names who were on their way down.
****************
Yes, but if the Yankees didn’t stink so badly in 1991, they never would have gotten Derek Jeter in the first round of the 1992 draft!
Gabe Paul and Stick Michael are going to get a great joint monument someday.
Or maybe a little one under GMS’s linked by an asterisk.
m – I wasn’t solely trying to imply that his bunting skills would result in that season though I realize it was worded that way. I just meant his average and OBP could climb if he could find a way to develop his bunting skills into a better tool (not saying he should use it all the time, but the threat helps distract the D, etc). I think with another full season he’ll get better instead of worse, so I was trying to get an idea of if other posters think those numbers for him are realistic.
m September 21st, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I wonder if anyone in the room actually said ?You know, this is a bit too large??
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Would you want to be the guy who says to Hal et al. “Gee, you know. This is kind of big”
People are behaving like GMS designed and erected the plaque himself. Hal, Hank Jessica and Jennifer would have been the ones that designed/approved of it. I’m sure that it was done with their father and mother in mind. It’s not like it’s a mausoleum on the order of Ty Cobb’s self erected building to honor himself and his parents in Royston, Georgia.
Much ado about absolutely nothing.
So Brackman is active?
CB,
I think two things are at play with George’s legacy.
A generational thing and an internet thing.
People who were 10-12 years old in say, 1995, have a much different view of George than those of us who were around him and the franchise earlier than 1995.
If the internet/blogs were prevelent from 1983-1991 for example, George’s legacy would be completely different today.
The precession of managers, GM’s, hitting coaches and pitching coaches.
The forced, dumb trades.
Taking advice from sportswriters (yes, he did that) on player transactions.
His ripping apart of NY, even threatening to go to New Jersey if he didn’t get a new stadium built, because the Bronx was “unsafe”.
The way he terrorized employees. Some in a very hurtful manner.
So much so, it drove Hal away from the team for years.
If all of that stuff was available on a 24/7 basis to fans in those days, he would be this coast’s Donald Sterling.
To George’s credit, he got it right in the end. On every level of his life, he got it right in the end and that’s a great thing.
However, you can’t forget the “middle” if you will.
Take a gander of all those empty seats when you see Donnie Baseball highlights and you will see how down the franchise was for almost 15 years of his era.
I do not want to encourage the raving lunatic, but it would be nice if all of us fans gave GMS his long overdue respect and thanks. This is a time for appreciation, not nit-picking.
Given my handle, I am not one for fawning at the feet of George Steinbrenner. However, I can’t understand why people don’t grasp the current situation. Not just the greatest owner of any franchise in the past 30 years, but a beloved father and husband, has just died and his family has chosen to honor him in the best way they see fit. This plaque/monument (or whatever you want to call it) is a touching sentiment by the family of George Steinbrenner designed to express their feelings towards him not just as owner of the Yankees but as patriarch of their family. Seeing as how the Steinbrenners still own the Yankees, they are free to use the organization as a vehicle to project those emotions. I, for one, am thankful that the Yankees have had such great owners in the past (sans CBS) and will continue to be thankful that George’s offspring so clearly care about his legacy as well as the organization the way they do. I only hope that those who are critical of the Steinbrenner’s devotion care to think of what it would feel like to have their decisions publicly disparaged during a time of great grief and sorrow.
SJ, thanks for sharing your insight, it is most appreciated and matches my observations as a very long time fan.
Showalter may be an outstanding manager and baseball mind, but, he is not the type personality to be dealing with veterans. His real calling should be in building teams and organizations, much along the lines of Andy McPhail.
Just got it from Damon Oppenheimer that Montero will be joining Betances and Brackman. He will also be inactive.
I was about 13 in 1984, so I lived through the worst of the Steinbrenner years…………I’m glad there was no internet because I would have spent all my time on the computer screaming about the Yankees.
My other observation from last night was that the plaque was way, way too large relative to the other historically significant players, managers and owners of the Yankees. Jacob Ruppert turned the Yankees from an afterthought to the dominant team in New York City when the Giants and Dodgers were daily competition, a far more difficult task than restoring Yankees tradition in the ’70s and rebuilding them from the horror show of the early 90s.
I think folks have to leave room for improvement from Gardner.
He’s not nearly as complete a player as he will be in the future.
He’s just starting out in his major league career and is a hard worker.
He’s saving the Yankees over a 100 million dollars with his play this season and he’s only going to get better.
Bunting more successfully is only one of the things he needs to work on.
Give it time.
New thread
Line up!!!!!!!!!!
MG-
In 1912 the yankees had a .329 winning percentage and finished 50 games out of first place. 1913- .377 winning % 38 games out. 1914- .455 winning % 30 games out. 1915- .454 and 32g games out.
They had won almost nothing. There was no history and no real tradition. They were a desolate franchise with no real prospects that didn’t even look like they were going to survive. NY City wasn’t even close to as important as it is now.
That’s the team that Jacob Ruppert purchased.
It’s remarkable to me that many Yankee fans have no idea about the weight of this history and how bad it was and what Ruppert, Huggins and most of all Ruth did for this franchise and how they saved it.
SJ44
It was hard to be a Yankee fan in the early years of George.
At times it was embarassing as a Yankee fan here amid RS fans.
The hirings and firings and the signings and trades were at times hard to defend.
Those teams of the late 70s, as good as they were, was a crazy collection of individuals.
m, same person, just maybe a bit too critical of Girardi, but the “team” is why. Been a Yankees fan all my life ( and I’m 46 now )….and can’t stand to lose games that it looks like we have every business winning. We can certainly do it again this year, but whether it be Girardi or management or both, simply “playing out the string” because we have the WC to fall back on, to me, is NOT what the mighty Yankees should EVER do. We are World Champions and we can repeat that title over and over here in the near future. Play today and WIN today needs to be the calling card EVERY DAY until we clinch the division and HFA throughout. We can rest when we are dead !
Enjoy the WIN tonight, ALL ! Tampa and their silly suits and punked out hairdos and scraggly haircuts need to tell their story WALKIN ! 
Monument Park is a complicated subject. No real standard was ever established for being on a plaque and numbers retired.
For example, Reggie Jackson had only a 5-year career as a Yankee yet because of one spectacular World Series in 1977, he’s out there.
Billy Martin had a .257 lifetime average with a few teams during his playing career and a few rings as a Yankee player and just one as a manager. He’s out there.
Long ago a large plaque should have been made up and inscribed as “Significant Yankees” showing their name and the years as a Yankee. Many names would be on that plaque including Tommy Henrich, Hank Bauer, Bill Skowron, Vic Raschi, and so many others such as Paul O’Neil, Tino Martinez among the many.
If No. 21 is supposedly retired (?) so should No. 24. Tino was just as significant as Paul was.
To have a number retired should be for long time Yankees with Hall of Fame credentials not because they had a certain popularity.