Workout notes: A second lefty in the pen
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Oct 21, 2010 
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Last night, Joe Girardi specifically said there was one pitcher he would avoid using out of the bullpen. Andy Pettitte was off the table.
That seemed true until the late innings when Petttitte was told to get to the bullpen and be ready.
“Well, they told me to go down there,” Pettitte said. “I was hoping not (to be needed).”
The Yankees are going to have a second lefty in the bullpen again tomorrow night. For Game 6, CC Sabathia will be in the bullpen. One day of rest, so he clearly won’t be available for any sort of long relief, but he’ll be down there and ready to go.
“Our plan is he’s available tomorrow,” Girardi said. “Let’s see how he feels tomorrow, but our plan is that he will be available for us.”
• Also like Game 5, the Yankees will have both Mariano Rivera and Kerry Wood available for six outs if necessary. If Rivera gets six outs tomorrow, though, it’s unlikely he’d be available for six outs in Game 7. “I doubt it,” Girardi said.
• Lance Berkman will be available. “I don’t think he’ll be limited tomorrow,” Girardi said. “I’m sure he’s sore. You don’t fall that hard and not be sore, but I don’t expect it to affect his play tomorrow. He’ll be in there, unless something happens overnight.”
• Girardi on the track at Yankee Stadium: “If we feel it’s something we need to address, we’ll address it.”
• Alex Rodriguez said he never had any idea that guy who ran on the field on Monday was after him. He didn’t find out until he read it in the paper. “I saw he was very upset,” Rodriguez said. “It’s always a little scary, but our guys took care of it.”
• Mark Teixeira on having to watch a playoff game from the bench: “Really, really weird. I’ve watched games before during the regular season, but watching a playoff game from the dugout was something hopefully I’ll never have to do again.”
• The Yankees didn’t have much luck with Colby Lewis the first time they saw him (hardly anything new this season). But they get a second crack tomorrow. “The one thing I noticed was he threw a lot of strikes,” Curtis Granderson said. “He didn’t get behind at all throughout the course of the game. I assume to see a lot of the same, that he’s going to come right at guys. He’s going to throw an even mix of his fastball and his offspeed pitches, which is going to be a hard thing to try to offset. He’s going to stick with his plan, and hopefully we can stick to our plan.”
• Nelson Cruz is expected to be in the Rangers lineup tomorrow. Pulling him from last night’s game, Ron Washington said, was a precaution.
• The ceremonial first pitch for Game 6 will be thrown by Rangers Hall of Famer Tom Grieve, who works as a team broadcaster.
• Derek Jeter on workout day during the ALCS: “It’s always loose. These are the days that for us as players, we just want to get them over with. We’d much rather be playing than have today off.”
Associated Press photos of Jeter and Posada. I have no idea what’s going on with Posada, but it cracks me up.
Bad inning for the Giants
Interesting picture of Jorge, lol…………
That Alex incident was indeed scary; I hope that guy is locked away for good
0 Days, 23 Hours, and 8 Minutes until Game 6 of the ALCS
Who wants to bet it’s going to be Yankees/Phillies in the World Series?
Jorge looking at Cervelli….
As long as Lewis doesn’t get the opposite batters box as a strike like he did in his game, the Yankees will punish him.
I am not optimistic about game 6.
but I will cheer for them.
“Adios mio! Who cut the Queso?”
Must be Hallowen, 1st baseman appear to be scared of catching the ball
That was a rookie mistake by Posey not going to 2b on that bunt. You don’t throw to 3b on a bunt unless it’s planned.
Well Tex, I hope you’ll be able to watch from the bench for 6 more victories this year.
I don’t think Lewis is getting enough credit…….as I posted in the prior thread, he’s had a very good year.
We’re winning Game 6.
will berkman be able to play the field
I know the face Jorge is making…..
I make the same one every time I arrive at work int he morning
Interesting read:
http://www.620wdae.com/pages/big_dog.html
Navarro made the difference
Jorge, what do you think of Girardi?
sorRydoC!!!
Cody Ross again….remember when everyone wanted the Yankees to trade for him.
Then he turns around and does something very dumb….great throw by Werth.
I wonder what LoHud’s going to do to prevent another server meltdown tomorrow? Something tells me it’ going to be raining comments.
what a throw by werth… he’s a good right fielder.. speed, range and plus arm..
The server broke (or whatever) because the Yankees were losing……….only the Yankees winning can prevent the same thing from happening
Neither halladay nor Lincecum looking particular sharp tonight… watching the ball glance off Huff glove made me think of the butterfly effects… What ifs… how sometimes one play in a game or a single act in life effects the courses of subsequent events that follows in exponential ways.
Either wordpress 3.0 have a problem with over 1000 comments threads or both RAB and Lohud needs a better server.
This has been an exciting NLCS.
What game?
I bet TBS is salivating at the prospect of a Game 7.
The Yankees are going to have a lot of fans tomorrow night.
Rich, you getting shutout by Cablevision?
Heres a really interesting article on how lucky we were that Navarro was good until the 2008 amateur draft, the Rays could have had Buster Posey.
http://www.620wdae.com/pages/big_dog.html
Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS was the most watched baseball game in cable history.
Can you imagine how many people are going to watch substituting the Yankee fan base for the 1 Rays fan?
I’m dying for a Game 7. That will be epic. Just get to game 7!!!!!!
Halladay seems to have a short fuse on the mound. I’m surprised that doesn’t affect ball/strike ratios for close calls.
“What game?”
1, 3, 4, 5 (so far).
“Halladay seems to have a short fuse on the mound. I’m surprised that doesn’t affect ball/strike ratios for close calls.”
Yea, he almost seems to be pitching angry. Kinda odd.
Would have been nice to have the 2009 Damaso Marte for the 2010 Josh Hamilton.
Yes, Cash.
There you go Rich, enjoy…
http://www.tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=1730
They are debating Cano vs Hamilton on MLB network
Thank you, Cash.
With the Yankees facing Texas Rangers starter Colby Lewis in Game 6, Swisher did not take kindly to a reporter asking teammates a couple lockers down about Lee.
“You guys are talking about Cliff Lee?” said Swisher out loud in a room full of reporters. “[Expletive], who cares?”
As he walked off, Swisher said, “I can’t wait to hit against his [behind].”
Later, when a reporter asked about saying this out loud with reporters present, Swisher cut off a reporter when the words “Cliff Lee” were uttered.
“I’m not talking about Cliff Lee,” Swisher said. “I don’t give a [expletive].”
hahaha nice
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-.....id=5712106
It’s really interesting to watch how late hitters pick the ball up out of Lincecum’s hand. It’s almost as if he was 6’6′ rather than 5’9. Worth is a good fastball hitter and in that at bat he was swinging when the ball was almost in Posey’s mitt.
Not that it matters. By the standards of many yankee fans tonight’s game would have been definitive proof that neither Lincecum or Halladay are “true aces.”
Phillies can’t feel good about a 1 run lead. Ryan Howard is being badly exposed once again.
LOL good for Swish…….enough already. The Yankees have work to do before they face Lee……..and although I think it likely that Lee would do his thing again, the Yankees can not afford to think they are overmatched. If the mediots want to give a possible game 7 to them (even Francesca said today that Andy would face an uphill task), that’s their problem.
LOL good for Swish…….enough already. The Yankees have work to do before they face Lee……..and although I think it likely that Lee would do his thing again, the Yankees can not afford to think they are overmatched. If the mediots want to give a possible game 7 to them (even Francesca said today that Andy would face an uphill task), that’s their problem.
Roy getting squeezed..
Buster has very good contactability and a good eye. He is impressive.
I wouldn’t know if the NLCS has been good.
Cablevision and FOX suck
The ball just doesn’t have as much life or crispness coming out of Doc’s hand tonight as it usually does. He’s vulnerable tonight.
“Ryan Howard is being badly exposed once again.”
———————-
Good thing his 5 year $125 million contract starts in 2012.
Yankees versus the Giants would be an entertaining series.
Betsy
I think what annoyed Swish more is that they were being asked about Lee before game one and he wasnt even pitching until game 3…I am sick of hearing about Cliff Lee too, they guy cannot be that good.
Damn what a great game. I love baseball. The strategy, etc. Awesome.
Doc has thrown a lot of slop the last couple innings…clearly doesn’t have his best stuff tonight but he’s hanging in there.
Tyanks……….. that’s true. Plus, proud athletes do not want to be told they don’t have a shot at beating anyone.
cb,
i never got the feeling that there was much howard could do about the holes in his swing. he seems to see the pitch later than other sluggers and then try to foul off a breaking pitch, usually swinging over it.
he’s got to know what pitchers are trying to do against him. can he do anything differently?
Doc can definitely win this game but he’s going to have to battle through it like CC did in that last game.
Even aces aren’t perfect all of the time.
Big potential issue for Doc tonight is uncharacteristically his pitch count. He’s already at 108 through 6. Chances are the Phillies bull pen is going to have to go multiple innings and that’s always a huge adventure.
Vulcan Changeup?
Howard’s contract will be one of the worst in MLB history.
How in the Hell was Utley not charged with an error on Torres’ ball in the 3rd or how was Sanchez not charged with an error on Rollins ball?
Lincecum’s pitching reminds me a little bit of “K-Rod”.
Howard vs curveballs at age 37 could be interesting considering he can’t hit them now.
Ok, just booked my trip to Boston!
Lincecum reminds me of the ugliest girl in homeroom….a real mouth breather.
Lincecum is very slow to the plate.
I certainly doubt the Yankees feel overmatched by anyone, though some of their fans certainly feel they are!
“We’re winning Game 6.”
Hands down.
“But, yes, and I still think the Phillies are going to the World Series. I bet I am the only baseball fan in America that thinks that huh?”
Hardly. EVERY Sux fan feels that way. Why wouldn’t you!
************
Some very interesting parallels between the Phils and the Yanks.
1. Both were considered the favorites in the postseason
2. Both swept their first-round opponents
3. Both suffered the residuals of having long layoffs while waiting for the CLS to begin
4. Both went down 3-1 in their series.
Both Texas and San Fran are considered the Davids…
All of that said, I’ve been rooting for the Giants and I never once considered the Phils invincible. In fact, I know a lot of people who believed the Giants would pull it out.
************
West Coast Sis, if you are around. In an earlier thread I saw your post about the Rangers pitching, including their ERA, bullpen ERA, etc. I do have to remind you that they pitched in the weakest division in the AL so I don’t necessarily look at those stats as indicative of any overarching thing. Not a question that they’ve got some really nice pitching. But I certainly don’t see it comparable to the Yanks. You can start to do your measuring on the regular rest starts. Everyone but some idiot Yankee fans understands that the long layoff affected the starting pitching. Phil Hughes didn’t suddenly forget how to pitch in Texas!
That was huge.
Wow.. sometimes its better to be lucky than good.
Lincecum about to let them add an insurance run.
or not lol
What is going on here?
Erica, I’d love you to compose some songs!!! The more the better. I think Shame Spencer is doing one tomorrow!
*******
What in hell is that on the field?!?!?!?!
Ugly, but great…………..what a staff the Giants have
Anyone see the costume of the woman singing “God Bless America”?
GB7
whats your take on how underwhelming Romine has been in the AFL? to me it doesnt seem he has been that good both defensively or offensively…hopefully he breaks out soon. I tried to comment to you earlier but I had left school without getting back online. I really wish I had gone to Tampa Yankee games last season so I could have gotten a good look at him before he got promoted.
man or woman?
She was a little sharp on that last note. But I guess better sharp than flat if you have to be one or the other.
I’m going to wear that get – up to class tomorrow.
“man or woman?”
Good question!
You’ll get raves…I am not sure what kind though
Giants have gotten very lucky… like the Rangers in that regard.
If we play them, we will knock them down to earth. The only concern is that we haven’t seen any of their pitchers.
TY, until today’s 0-4, Romine was hitting .333 in his 5 games with 2 doubles and 6 RBI. hardly underwhelming.
“I’m going to wear that get – up to class tomorrow.”
If someone guaranteed you a Yankee win if you wore that costume to class, would you do it?
kd-
There’s 4-5 basic components to generating power. Strength, bat speed, hip rotation, transfer of load, swing plane, etc.
With Howard what’s talked about a great deal with his power is his strength – and that’s very evident. But a good part of his power comes from his swing plane. But the downside to his swing plane is that his bat doesn’t stay in the zone for very long. That’s why he doesn’t square the ball up and barrel it that often. Compare him to say Miggy Cabrera.
The reason why it looks like Howard sees the ball later than most other hitters (especially against LH pitching) is that he will often start his swing too early and can’t adjust. He winds up committing early and that makes it paradoxically look like he’s seeing the ball late. He has to commit relatively early. That’s why he can be so strike out prone.
That’s a very tough issue to change because so much of his success comes from the same issues which create problems for him. He’d have to radically change his swing plane and mechanics to eliminate those holes and that could screw up what makes him successful.
Only in SF
Can’t wait for GB’s comments on that ….
Lincecum looks like Randy Johnson’s darker younger brother…
Oh yeah Trish. It’s introduction to satire day.
It would fit right in.
The future Mrs. M. Kay is on Ch. 11, what a waste.
Hey GB and Pat M!!! Bout time you veterans showed up to hose down some of the complainers!
Can you imagine if women went around with their hair like that. Guys would not be happy.
I thought it was the former mayor of Sausalito back in the ’70s, Sally Stanford, who was a madam in her younger days.
SAS, how are you?
Pat M, would you say that the NL East has lost its reputation for being the toughest division in the NL, and if so has the West taken it over? Or is it still NL East, even though the Mets have tailed off?
I want Jose Contreras to get through this inning, only because I still feel kind of sad whenever I look at him because he’s really been bounced around. THEN the Giants can kick ass.
For all of the accolades the Phillies starting rotation has gotten this second half of the season and running up into the playoffs their entire season comes down to Jose Contreras, Madsen and Lidge.
Funny how baseball works, huh?
cb,
thanks a lot. that makes a lot of sense. so in that regard, when grandy shortened his path to the zone, he could commit later, right?
with howard, it seems like he’s trying to hit everything into the seats and never just trying to hit the gap. he seems to be an all or nothing hitters with huge contract, must make the rest of the nl east happy
Good Jose.
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 10:13 pm
“I’m going to wear that get – up to class tomorrow.”
If someone guaranteed you a Yankee win if you wore that costume to class, would you do it?
———————————————————————————————————————-
If it guaranteed a Yankee win, I’d let you run nekid in my front yard, Trisha.
GB
got me there, I guess I more meant about his defense. I read somewhere that they stole 3 bases off him in a game the other day. I guess that happens. Going to be interesting what they do next season, if they leave him in AA or move him up to AAA with Montero
I watch Lidge pitch and I kiss the ground that we have Mo.
I kiss the ground that we have Mo even when I don’t watch Lidge pitch.
“If it guaranteed a Yankee win, I’d let you run nekid in my front yard, Trisha.”
You really love your Yanks to make that kind of sacrifice, GB!
Montero isn’t going to be in AAA for long next season. If at all.
I would find it funnier re: the Phillies being in this position if the Yankees were in a better spot, but the juggernaut has stumbled, lol. However, I still prefer the Phillies over the Giants, so I’m not thrilled
I told my boss that if the Yankees win game 7 then I will wear a Rays shirt to work every day of the WS.
Tom, I do not see him making the team out of camp………….
TY, very few pitchers in the minors and not that many in the majors over the last 10-15 years even bother holding runners on base any more. They have to share a considerable amount of blame for the stolen bases.
Every ball hit at Utley these days seems like an adventure.
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 10:24 pm
“If it guaranteed a Yankee win, I’d let you run nekid in my front yard, Trisha.”
You really love your Yanks to make that kind of sacrifice, GB!
———————————————————————————————————————-
That’s me, Trisha. I’ll sacrifice everything for the team.
Tom
thats what I am thinking and hoping. Im planning on going to a few more ST games this spring. Hopefully I see a lot of him. I am really looking forward to seeing him with the team in NY next season. As much as I love Jorge it would be really cool to see another power hitting catcher in pinstripes.
I can’t see the game, but I wonder if Utley is still having hip problems……..
GreenBeret7 October 21st, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Lincecum reminds me of the ugliest girl in homeroom….a real mouth breather.
*************
More brilliant baseball analysis. What’s the matter did a kid with long hair beat the crap out of you in school? What was her name do you remember?
And Aubrey was his name
A not so very ordinary boy or name…
“More brilliant baseball analysis”
Lighten up.
Aubrey is a good name for an Iguana or a gold fish.
Sorry Rich. When I get gratuitously attacked I give as good as I get.
Montero will get every chance to go north with the Yankees next spring, especially if his defense warrants the promotion. I can’t see NYYs bringing in a high dollar DH for next year when they can have two and both can be more than adequate behind the plate.
GB
I think I read or heard from someone at a game that they dont really spend too much time working on holding guys on base, they focus more on offense and calling good games. Makes sense, if the guy steals the base you can make it all moot by worrying only about getting the out at the plate
The West Coast Sux fan taking on GB? I don’t think so.
He’s got more baseball knowledge in his toenail than you have in your entire Suxian body.
Because he doesn’t feel the need to put everything under a microscope and come up with all the wrong answers, patterning your style, doesn’t mean he doesn’t know the game cold.
So buzz off loser. You picked the wrong guy to try to show up.
I “do” think so Trish. Don’t like it? Tough.
“I told my boss that if the Yankees win game 7 then I will wear a Rays shirt to work every day of the WS.”
Tyanks, I think that will be funny – and fun!
GB, I guess if he has a great spring……………..but it seems like Montero has quite a few things to work on in terms of being professional (that basically comes from Donnie (?) who covers Scranton). We really need a much better BUC
I’m declaring Romo winner of the freaky beard contest.
according to the Jorge haters(I am not one of them) we cant get any worse when it comes to catching defense. If Montero can stand up to major league pitching then there is no way they dont have him with NY at the beginning of the season. I dont see them getting another backup catcher with him already knocking on the door.
Romo has almost the same amount of facial hair as Wilson does. I wonder there is a competition in the Giants clubhouse for that…
This commercial is GREAT!
“so in that regard, when grandy shortened his path to the zone, he could commit later, right? ”
kd-
That’s exactly it. What was interesting to watch with Granderson was that initial period of time after he first shortened his swing. He was still adjusting to having more time to commit. You could actually see him still swinging early – only now his swing was shorter so he was at times way too early on the ball. I remember seeing that and feeling good about what he was going to do when he adjusted. I didn’t think he could do all of this so quickly though. I thought it would come more next season.
He has such fast hands. He should be able to let the ball travel very deep to him. There’s no reason why he couldn’t wait and wait and let the ball travel to his hands. He has the kind of outstanding bat speed needed to do that. But his swing plane and the way he loaded his hands was getting in the way.
You could see Curtis starting to make another set of adjustments in september where he started feeling through the additional time he had and started letting the ball travel more deeply to him. And that why he was so great in September and why he’s been so terrific in the post season.
One place where you really see this very clearly is the way he’s now able to cover the outside part of the plate. It’s really amazing. Before his outer plate coverage was very poor and that was his biggest weakness, particularly against LH pitchers. He now lets the ball travel much deeper, waits and because of that has much more balanced plate coverage.
Trivia Question!
What Yankee will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow?
Past or present
Tricia, this season here at the lohud has been simply exhausting with all the arguing, fighting, threats, just the entire gamut of BS….It’s been escalating since the Parade last November…..You were smart to stay away from here until the spring…….I’m spent to be honest……This blog has lost some real good baseball people in the past 10 months or so…..Every comment seems to get such a jagged & negative response…….It’s gotten dark here in my opinion…..
Javy Lopez…one of francoma’s favorites…lol…frisbee tosser
It’s a shame that we are going to have to play revolving DH for the indeterminate future with Jorge in 2011 and A-Rod and Jeter after that. Montero seems to be custom made for that position.
ROB-BY!!! ROB-BY!!!
GB – Hi there. I think the Yanks have to make a big decision this winter, re: Montero. If they really believe that he can make the team and make a big time contribution offensively, then they’ll do as you’ve stated. If not, if there’s any doubt, then I think they’ll take a look at the one bigtime bat who’s going to be out there on the FA market, Victor Martinez.
Again, their preference will be Montero, of course, for the reason you’ve stated. But, if there’s doubt, then I think they’ll go looking. They have some issues with aging bats, after all, and they know it.
Cashmoney
maybe the beard thing is like, they wont shave until the season is over. maybe the beards bring them good luck.
ding ding ding!!!
For all Mr. Cano has done for the Yankees this series, the team needs to “win a game” for his bday present.
I’m on record with this.
The Yankees should sign Branyan, let Thames walk, and Montero should break the team out of camp next Spring.
The Yankees can’t assume that Montero is going to be a monster – and they have to plan accordingly. I had suggested trading Swisher because the lineup could use some changes and there are only 3 players that are tradeable: Swish, Granderson and Gardner. Granderson isn’t going anywhere. I’m not enamored of Gardner, but I don’t see the Yankees going after Crawford, so he’s all we’ve got.
I’ve wanted Branyan on the Yankees for a while now.
Oh, I want Thames back; why Branyan?
Speaking of birthdays, as I mentioned this morning, a very happy 82nd birthday today to “The Chairman Of The Board”, Whitey Ford.
There not even trying anymore in this ED drug ad. Pitching a tent? Really?
I hope that Robbie gets the best birthday present ever!!
(A Game 7!)
I can’t see the Yankees being interested in Martinez. He’s a poor defensive catcher that will get $10-12 million a year in the FA market and he is destined for 1B and DH in a year or two. We are already going to throw $130 million + at Cliff Lee and $40 million a year at Jeter and Mo.
Maybe so, TY, Everyone seems to be growing a beard on the Giants team except for Timmy but he looks like he barely hit puberty.
Maybe he has his own hookah contest…
“The Yankees should sign Branyan, let Thames walk, and Montero should break the team out of camp next Spring.”
I’m down with that
Pat M, it’s pathetic is what it is. And you’re right, we lost some really good posters who just got tired of trying to wade through the negative crap and the on-going stupidity.
You know that I think arm-chair managing is really rather trite since people behind keyboards pretty much don’t have a clue, even though they are convinced that they do. Then add the element who get shaken baby syndrome whenever a Yankee player disappoints their expectations, well it really is a cistern.
I once again asked the Yankee organization if I was going to have any say whatsoever on what happens in the offseason. They told me that once again I wouldn’t. So I will definitely be on sabbatical until spring once again!
Tom in N.J. October 21st, 2010 at 10:42 pm
I’ve wanted Branyan on the Yankees for a while now.
****************
I think Branyan is only good for hitting homeruns against the Yankees.
Kind of like how AJ burnett was best pitching against the Yankees
# trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 10:38 pm
ROB-BY!!! ROB-BY!!!
____
well dont cha know???? I remember seeing Robbie in ST in 2006, him and Melky when jeter and alex were at the WBC. I remember thinking “who the heck are these guys?” and now Robbie is MVP(regardless of who wins it) I hope he has the best day tomorrow both offensively and defensively and that the Yankees season lives to see another day where they show Cliff Lee that they are his daddy.
Betsy – trade Swisher for who? You realize, a SH OF with his batting ability doesn’t grow on trees.
Really like the Branyon suggestion. Agree on Montero as well.
There are quite a few people within the organization who believe Montero should get the bulk of the time behind the plate next year in NY.
I think there is going to be a lot of thought given to that possibility this winter.
If he comes into ST in shape, I could see he and Jorge catching the bulk of the games.
Going to be tough to keep his bat in AAA.
The key is his ability to call games and whether or not they believe he can catch at least half the games next year.
LGY – well, that’s a novel thought. Russell Branyan? In lieu of Thames? That would be a change. I don’t know….
Let me rephrase that. Some posters behind keyboards do have baseball smarts. But compared to the minds in the organization who have complete knowledge of players and situations, they are total neophytes.
Montero has hit right handers as well as left handers since he signed. He’ll be no worse than an AJ Pierzinski, Jorge Posada or a young Mike Piazza on defense. He has the ability and the desire. He’s not some slow footed oaf behind the plate…and that bat can hide any sins he might have. He’s certainly a better option than Cervelli was this year. I continously amazed at the number of people that have never seen some of these young players but have no issues with trashing him because some idiot with a web site and an agenda says so.
Joe, yeah, believe or not I do……………but the lineup has had issues in the post-season (and this year, overall) except for 2009. Swisher’s post-seasons here have been bad………….
Does anyone else have difficulty seeing the score on the graphic on the left-hand side of the screen?
The yankees shouldn’t trade Swisher. Quite the opposite – they should look to add another player similar to him to play LF if they can. Swisher hit for average, got on base and hit for power this season. Hard to ask a player to do more than that.
Swisher’s knee injury has hurt his swing. It would be poor decision making to just trade him given his september and post season unless you were bringing back an enormous talent.
Thames hits from the right side and Branyan the left. Branyan would replace Berkman who won’t be here in 2011 not Thames. They like Thames, he will be back. He makes only $900K a year.
Wow, I don’t want to see Montero behind the plate for a majority of the games. He wasn’t doing so hot in AAA – but now he’s going have to come up here and catch most of the time while trying to be a cog in the lineup? I’m not down with that.
I think Branyan’s slugging and OPS is very good against RH pitching. He will be a good fit in YS and prolly relatively cheap to sign.
Yeah, SJ – that’s the kind of fundamental, organizational decision that has to be made. So much else in terms of decisions, finances, roster construction will flow from that.
There is no reason to trade Swisher.
While there are no sure things in baseball, offensively, Montero is as close as they come.
He’s that talented offensively.
Put him in this lineup next year, start him batting 9th to break him in slowly, and he will help them.
WC, when I think of Branyan, I think of a guy who will hit some HRs and strike out a ton …………he’s not a guy I’m interested in.
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Does anyone else have difficulty seeing the score on the graphic on the left-hand side of the screen?
*****************
Me!!!!!
Because FOX and Cablevision suck and I am missing the WHOLE CHANNEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Sorry, but after almost a week I am getting bitter)
“Oh, I want Thames back; why Branyan?”
—————————–
Betsy,
I don’t think they should spend money on Thames, because with Montero right there he is redundant and therefore a poor investment in both money and roster spot.
I want Branyan in the role Thames played this year, but the opposite side of the plate.
At best Branyan is a platoon DH, because he performs very well vs RHP. At worst, Branyan is a bench piece and should be cheap enough where that is not an issue.
I want to see Branyan playing only vs RHP and rotating through the DH with Jorge and Montero.
I mean, catching wise.
CB, I like Swisher, but changes need to be made and who else are you going to trade? I’d prefer to find a replacement for Gardner and make him a 4th OF, but the Yankees love him and that’s not happening.
“”There is no reason to trade Swisher. ”
Absolutely. An uninjured Swisher did everything the Yankees needed, and more. Plus he can play his position. I think he adds great value to the team. He has a great OBP.
SJ, what are going to do with Cervelli once Montero is up? are they going to carry 3 catchers in rotation?
SJ, I agree about Montero; I’m just saying that he can’t be relied upon as a key cog the way people were so sure Melancon was going to be a lock down reliever.
As to Swish, they really should have his knee checked out again. I mean, he didn’t break it, so why hasn’t it gotten better already? It’s been over a month.
“Because FOX and Cablevision suck and I am missing the WHOLE CHANNEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Erica, are they having some kind of battle?
LGY, sound reasoning…………
SJ;
Which is more of a possibilty for Montero? Either starting his ML careers like Mauer and Pujols, smashing like there’s no tomorrow, or the Yanks will either stick (the Pedrioa rookie year route)with or send down Montero if struggle within the first month of the season?
Betsy October 21st, 2010 at 10:50 pm
WC, when I think of Branyan, I think of a guy who will hit some HRs and strike out a ton …………he’s not a guy I’m interested in.
************
I don’t disagree, he struck out 131 times this year and is 36 years old. But, since Berkman is leaving, I don’t know who else appealing is out there.
Have you ever seen Montero catch in a game Betsy?
If you have, you would feel differently.
Right now, the cheapest, and probably most talented guy to upgrade the offense next year is Montero. He’s that good.
Defensively? He’s no worse than what the Yankees had this year.
He OPS at .850 +, which he has the potential to do, his D will be an afterthought.
Especially since it isn’t that bad.
bochy with a Girardi moment.. blowing it open in the 9th.. j/k…
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 10:53 pm
“Because FOX and Cablevision suck and I am missing the WHOLE CHANNEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Erica, are they having some kind of battle?
**********************
Yes. The contract was up and FOX wanted more money to keep the channel on. Cablevision didn’t want to pay. The little people suffer.
They are both greedy idiots
Montero is going to be ready to play in the majors next season. The only question is whether he breaks camp with the club or they wait to give him some more games at AAA to get off to a strong start. It’s only an issue of 2 months or so.
He can rake and the yankees are going to need him over the next couple of seasons. They need to start incorporating him into the team next season. Better to get the process started while the core players are a year younger than they will be in 2012.
There will be bumps in the road but that’s inevitable with young players. His bat’s ready. Get the process started.
“, since Berkman is leaving, I don’t know who else appealing is out there.”
Johnny Damon
/Erica’d
WC, ouch – I can’t do that. No freaking way – 131 strikeouts? Nope, absolutely not interested.
Swisher’s OBP is .358. That is not great.
I saw watched Montero catch probably 20 games or so online this year….didn’t look all that bad to me.
@Erica, I left Rich the internet fox channel in a link above. Just click on it, you get to watch the game…
SJ, are you willing to go with Montero and Jorge and that’s it? Cervelli can’t do the job…………I think we need another BUC.
Erica, I fully empathize. I feel your pain. I hope and pray they get this nonsense settled by the time the Yanks start the WS.
Tom in N.J. October 21st, 2010 at 10:56 pm
“, since Berkman is leaving, I don’t know who else appealing is out there.”
Johnny Damon
/Erica’d
**************
I am going to cling to the pretend dream of having them both next year
thankyouverymuch
Trade Joba for Buster Posey…catching problem solved
Hi Betsy,
Big air conditioning problems here. Always something, and it is always expensive.
Fair enough, Erica.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHnzYEHAow
Wow Erica, that stinks. I hope you saw that I definitely want to share song writing. Heck the more we cheer the Yanks on, the more positive vibes we put out into the universe! That can only be good.
There are few if any right fielders/1st basemen available at $9 mil a year that can put up Swisher’s offensive numbers and add to that, he has put in a lot of work on his defense and is more than decent in the outfield. That improvement, both with the bat and the glove came in one season of corrections. NYYs will add an outfielder who is capable of playing more than one position, who is cheap, has power and a decent average. They aren’t going to sink another $25 mil into the outfield or offense this year. They have the youngsters to fill slots. One starting pitcher, plus Pettitte and one bullpenner…perhaps Kerry Wood if he doesn’t find a closer’s spot, but, his $10 mil paychecks are over.
Cashmoney October 21st, 2010 at 10:57 pm
@Erica, I left Rich the internet fox channel in a link above. Just click on it, you get to watch the game…
********************
Thank you. Very good to know.
But it only becomes a true emergency when the Yanks are in the series and Glee is new on Tuesday.
It just bugs me that I don’t have the option right now. I feel so…… controlled. Like a pawn in a greedy corporate game.
Branyan has 874 OPS against RH and also good isolated power against Lefties albeit with a low average. He will a good and cheap fit in YS.
Montero and Melancon aren’t remotely comparable.
Mark Melancon was never considered a Top 5 prospect in baseball as Montero is right now.
They neither need, nor will make, significant changes.
Add Cliff Lee, an arm in the pen, Montero, and perhaps a bench piece or two, and they are good to go.
Win or lose this series, you aren’t going to see a ton of changes on this team in the off-season, IMO.
Yes – we talk about the farm system all the time, but Montero is about the only top position prospect we have who’s at all close. I sort of wish Cashman hadn’t waited until this year to start drafting position players…………We really have to cross our fingers that Alex is not declining/permanently iffy in terms of health, that Jeter has a bounceback year, that Posada can give us just one more year………….lots of questions
I always thought that .300 was the magic line for BA, and .350 for OBP.
I don’t think the Giants will be able to come back from this game tonight.
Don’t see how there is anyway they win in Philly now. Their terrible offense from the regular season really reared its ugly head tonight.
They just have some dreadful hitters in that lineup. You live by Juan Uribe, you die by Juan Uribe.
Halladay had nothing tonight and hitters just absolutely got themselves out tonight. Awful swings.
It’s s a shame. Lincecum and Cain deserve better than this.
SAS October 21st, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Hi Betsy,
Big air conditioning problems here. Always something, and it is always expensive.
*****************
My AC broke in October. I have to buy a new one in the spring.
So thrilled.
There was nothing else at all I could think of to spend that money on
Who said Berkman is going anywhere? The invisible whisperer?
Trisha,
I hope you have a good winter. I will miss you during your hibernation.
Thames was signed on a minor league contract this year.
He is going to be looking for a raise after the year he had, maybe even double his salary this past season.
He doesn’t really have a role on the team next year with Jorge playing more DH and Montero there.
The only circumstance I see Thames being brought back is if Montero is traded for some reason.
Maybe Damon could manage…
“I like Swisher, but changes need to be made and who else are you going to trade?”
Changes don’t need to be made just for the sake of making changes. Changes should only be made if they improve the team.
Sure if you could trade Swisher for Nelson Cruz you’d have to consider it. But outside something like that (which isn’t going to happen) you’d just be making the team worse.
Right now in baseball corner outfielders aren’t a real position of strength. It would not be easy at all to upgrade from swisher. He’s a legitimate all start caliber player. He’s not the issue with the team.
Erica, I bet they have it fixed just in time for the world series. They’re playing chicken. But ultimately, they know they’ll lose a ton of customers if they don’t get it settled, so someone will blink at the last minute, etc. etc. etc.
SJ, I did not say they were………..but I’m not going to assume that a 21 year old (even as good as Montero is) is going to rake up here and be huge for us this year. The situations were similar: unproven-in the majors-young talent expected to perform. Yes, I expect Montero to be a very good hitter, but as a 21 year old – I expect him to go through major growing pains.
“The only circumstance I see Thames being brought back is if Montero is traded for some reason.”
Like if Cashman has a stroke.
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Wow Erica, that stinks. I hope you saw that I definitely want to share song writing. Heck the more we cheer the Yanks on, the more positive vibes we put out into the universe! That can only be good.
****************
I don’t have a full song.
But I have been walking around for two days with to the tune of “Goodbye Stranger” by Supertramp singing….
“Good-bye Rangers
It’s been nice”
I didn’t pursue a full song, because I wasn’t sure how you would feel about someone doing your thing. But thank you. I have a seminar from 10:30-11:30 tomorrow. That should be enough time to write a song
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Erica, I bet they have it fixed just in time for the world series. They’re playing chicken. But ultimately, they know they’ll lose a ton of customers if they don’t get it settled, so someone will blink at the last minute, etc. etc. etc.
**************
I have no doubt that if it comes to the point that the Yankees are in the Series and this battle is still going on, that the politicians will get involved. There will be riots
Postseasons are small sample sizes of games. Nothing more.
People overrate and bash players too much based on postseason stats. Nick Swisher was the second best hitter on this team. Cano and Swisher carried the team.
It’s nonsense to trade him based on a handful of at bats in the postseason. Nonsense.
# Rich in NJ October 21st, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Maybe Damon could manage…
The Managers report with Johnny Damon would be hilarious.
Erica,
In Arizona, it’s a necessity that can’t wait if it can’t be fixed. It also heats the house so no choice or chance to catch up. We also just are in the process of getting a new furnace in New York. We will be eating dog food soon.
“Add Cliff Lee, an arm in the pen, Montero, and perhaps a bench piece or two, and they are good to go.”
Those things alone should make the team significantly better. They really don’t need anything else other than better health next year….I do hope Andy comes back as well though.
Betsy,
Why no because of the strikeouts?
Thames strikes out a fair amount as well.
Rich in NJ October 21st, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Maybe Damon could manage…
************
I can think of lots of things MPB Johnny Damon can manage
But the Yankees aren’t one of them
“Trisha,
I hope you have a good winter. I will miss you during your hibernation.”
SAS, thank you! I really enjoy time away from baseball during the off season. It is of no moment to me who the Yankees get and who they don’t. They never end up disappointing me so I leave the work to them!
well, game 6.
hopefully Yanks won’t play lifeless.
this blog has the feel of a reasonable place this evening. it’s such a welcomed change
SAS October 21st, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Erica,
In Arizona, it’s a necessity that can’t wait if it can’t be fixed. It also heats the house so no choice or chance to catch up. We also just are in the process of getting a new furnace in New York. We will be eating dog food soon.
***************
The more summers I life through, the more I know one thing.
I don’t like being hot.
Arizona is not for me
Oops – next year.
SAS, ow, that stinks. I hope you can get that taken care of; is it hot out there?
CB, I agree, but I’m concerned about this lineup; it’s aging rapidly and we all know that the offense (no matter what the numbers said) wasn’t all that great. This team is always about the post-season, but the lineup doesn’t often produce in the post-season. We’ve got Alex, etc…. for a long time, so those are unbudgeable. I’m thinking we need to change things up to make this lineup less susceptible to such deep freezes as they go through.
Branyan hit 19 HR this year against righties playing in Cleveland and Seattle.
Imagine him with the benefit of the short porch half his games.
I think Berk would be great to fill the DH spot but he’ll probably get more money than the Yanks would be willing to spend on that position.
I think Ideally Montero and Jorge are going back and forth between DH and catcher. There’s value in that.
Any remotely knowledgeable Yankee fan that has been following the team rather than worrying about chicken knows that Berkman won’t be back.
“I don’t like to platoon,” said Berkman. “If I was the manager I would platoon me because I’ve been so bad righthanded this year. But I don’t think that’s a permanent problem…. I like to play every day. The DH role is great but I also like to play the field. I feel like I’ve got something to offer still defensively.”
Not to mention a $15 million option that won’t be picked up.
Rconn, then how do you suggest fixing our issues in the post-season? The team did not hit at all in recent post-seasons except for 2009…………
if Montero is ready to play in the majors next year then he should play in the majors. Cervelli is awful behind the plate and will never be a run producer-the pitching staff is good enough to deal with a young catcher on a half time basis, guys like CC, Andy, and Lee (if he is signed) don’t need lots of help calling their game from the catcher, they just need a good, solid, target to throw at.
And in 2008 the team was awful……….
” I have a seminar from 10:30-11:30 tomorrow. That should be enough time to write a song
”
LGY, 131 is horrendous………….he’s just the kind of player I don’t want on this team – all or nothing. He’s Rob Deer.
Erica in NY
Player manager? Someone should replace the current one.
LGY October 21st, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Branyan hit 19 HR this year against righties playing in Cleveland and Seattle.
Imagine him with the benefit of the short porch half his games.
*****************
Every stupid time he comes to Yankee Stadium its the same thing-
“Russell Branyan is the only player to hit the facade of the Mohegan Sports Bar”. I almost wish they would lose the tape so I can stop hearing about it.
Maybe they should sign him. It won’t bug me so much if he’s a Yankee when I hear that
LGY, we are on the same page with Branyan.
I think Cervelli will be good in a reduced role this year.
For all the criticisms of Cervelli this year his numbers at the end of the day are really pretty good for a backup catcher.
He needs to shore up the defense though. But, again I think in a reduced role he will be better again.
“but I’m not going to assume that a 21 year old (even as good as Montero is) is going to rake up here and be huge for us this year. ”
Arod had already been in the big leagues for 3 years when he was 21. He hit .358 as a 21 year old. Miguel Cabrera came up as a 20 year old and had a great season at 21 as well. Doesn’t mean Montero will, but the sooner he gets his feet wet in the big leagues….the sooner he will get up to speed and start producing. Its not unheard of for a guy to perform well at that age.
I remember Miguel Cabrera going thru some growing pains back in the 2003 World Series as he took The Rocket over the boards to beat the Yanks……And I think he was all of `9 or so at the time……I’ve heard that there isn’t a league invented yet that he can’t hit in…..
Erica,
It is gorgeous here. It is the June, July, August and early Sept. that are tough. Even at 100 degrees it is not the same as NY. There really is no humidity. The people who live here year round do just the opposite of NY’ers. They stay inside when it is unbearable. Winters are delightful with no humidity unless it rains.
I can see it coming now, the first time Montero strikes out with a runner on 2nd….
Think about it this way Betsy.
39 of those came vs LHP.
Does 92 sound better
Repost… cause I forgot to refresh my page. Ooops.
GreenBeret7 October 21st, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Either profound or a bad joke, angel. Not sure if many on here know who Christian Bernard is.
How have you been, Angel. Been a long while and good to see you back home where you belong. Not enough pretty angels with brains on here. Trolls fear angels. Bring lots of friends.
**************************************************************************
Heh. I’ve been good.. how are things with you? I knew who he was…. South African dr. who pioneered words first heart transplant.
Awww thank you. You’ve always been my favorite grumpy smartass GB on this blog.
“Any remotely knowledgeable Yankee fan that has been following the team rather than worrying about chicken knows that Berkman won’t be back.”
Well that leaves you out since you are neither a Yankee fan nor remotely knowlegeable. But you sure like to eat according to the menus you’ve thrown out there. So I am guessing you are maybe a chubby Sux fan.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course. But SOSH is ———-> that way.
Montero is pretty much the same type of hitter as Alex Rodriguez. He’s not a pull hitter and he hits high line drives to every part of the field. I’m not saying that he will be that good….just the same sort of hitter. He hit some homers in Savannah at Grayson Stadium that had some old timers talking about places that only Mantle had reached when the Yanks would play games there in the ’50s on the way North. Into the trees beyond the red sign in left center. Look at the pictures.
http://www.ballparkreviews.com/savan/savan.htm#
Erica,
I definitely agree.
I actually kind of hate Branyan and will continue to do so if he the Yankees don’t sign him
Blake, that’s fine – if he’s ready, he should be called up. All I’m saying is that the Yankees can’t assume he’ll be as good as he eventually will be; you have to assume he’s going to struggle quite a bit so that if he doesn’t it’s a pleasant surprise. If you assume he’s going to be very good and he’s not, then you’re left with………………..what?
LGY, Cervelli’s biggest problem behind the plate is that he acts like he took Adderall before the first pitch-he’s way too active jumping around all the time. Great catchers look like they barely move and I wonder whether he’s capable (or worth the effort) to school him in the science of catching.
LOL Are you supposed to be listening in the seminar though, Erica?
LGY, not really, lol – I’d be surprised if Cash went after Branyan.
One way to improve will come from better health.
A third of the lineup was hurt for most of the season.
Another way to improvement is adding Montero. He’s that talented.
FWIW, Posada thinks he can be the next Pujols with the bat.
The next way they can improve is the continued improvement from guys like Gardner and Granderson.
Just making trades for the sake of shaking things up don’t always improve the team.
phillies win
And yet another parallel.
OK, Betsy, I’m not a Montero expert but if he’s going to struggle for awhile in the majors (which he probably will) it’s much better to do so early in the season. Every young player struggles at first (except Buster Posey lol) and the Yankees have enough talent and depth to live with it while he’s getting used to the majors.
I do think Granderson will be huge, SJ – I’m more “wait and see” on Gardner.
Health is fine, but Tex can’t disappear for 2 months (he was healthy then) and Jeter has to have a better year. I think he will – I truly don’t think he’s done.
Cashmoney
GMTA
Betsy,
A lot of teams struggle hitting in the postseason because hitters are usually facing better pitching in a small batch of games. You’re not going to put up big numbers against Cliff Lee, Halladay, Lincecum etc.
Postseasons are what they are…crapshoots.
Do you think the Cardinals team that won the 2006 series was better than Detroit. Jeff Weaver looked like Cy Young for a game or two. It happens.
The best teams don’t win a lot of times.
The Yankees were still one of the best teams in the league, despite what happens in this series.
You don’t trade Nick Swisher. Who would you suggest they trade him for? Name some players.
Plus, what’s up with Alex? Is his hip bothering him? It could be a chronic, lingering issue………or not. We’ll have to wait and see.
MG, that’s fine – if the Yankees think he’s ready, then I’m all for giving him a shot.
Geeze Rosenthal looks like a ragdoll between Halladay and Werth! What is he, 4’10?
San Fran blew a golden opportunity tonight. I think they can’t come back from this loss.
RConn, that’s all true……….but the Rangers, for one, haven’t struggled. I understand (believe me, I do) that you face better pitching, so you’re going to have low scoring games. The team is just not efficient with RISP…………..
There is nothing wrong with Alex’s hip.
Bets, I don’t think there is a recipe to guarantee a team hits in the postseason. Look at the Phillies, one of tghe best hitting teams this year, and they’re hitting about .200 against the Giants. The pitching gets better in the playoffs.
And that 2008 team that you said was “awful” – your word – they had the 6th best record in baseball.
GB7
I am confident that Montero will be with the team next year, if not right out of the gate then within a few months or so, Posada is only on contract through 2011 and I dont see them bringing in someone new for 2012. I think Montero is their man. No one can ever know how someone will take to the major leagues until they get there but I think that the Yankees organization has enough sense not to leave the catchers role open to an outsider once Jorge is gone(I sadly dont see him coming back in 2012 unless its strictly to train Montero or Romine)
Rconn, with that pitching? They’re never out of it……
Teix is really getting a bad rap from you Yankees fans. He was dinged up throughout August and September yet played through it and helped the Yankees make the playoffs. He had a bad April and bad September but in the months May-August, in 106 games, he drove in 86 runs, scored 89, hit 28 HRs, and had a batting average around .290. He came close to carrying the team during July when he was the AL Player of the Month, just as Robbie Cano carried the team early in the season and Arod carried it through a tough September.
I think another thing that needs to be considered as well (and CB mentioned this) is that it may be better to get Montero’s struggles out now while some of the core players are still productive enough to cover for it. That way he is hopefully ready to step in when the torches are passed.
Thats obviously in an ideal world, but the quicker they get him up and playing, the quicker he’ll adjust and the quicker they can see what they have in him.
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 11:11 pm
“Any remotely knowledgeable Yankee fan that has been following the team rather than worrying about chicken knows that Berkman won’t be back.”
Well that leaves you out since you are neither a Yankee fan nor remotely knowlegeable. But you sure like to eat according to the menus you’ve thrown out there. So I am guessing you are maybe a chubby Sux fan.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course. But SOSH is ———-> that way.
**************
Well I just exposed you as knowing nothing about the Yankees didn’t I? And as to the second part of your oh so feeble attempt to save face – you would be incorrect. Nice troll behavior on your part though, talking about bloggers physical appearances. I won’t stoop to your level though.
Angel, doing fine here, thank you for asking. The kids are doing great. Tony is growing like a weed and Sid is growing like a delicate southern rose….except for a few thorns. Those kids are rotten, though. I’ve been told that all kids smell like that, though.
Seriously they are spoiled. I blame their mother for that. I’m very strict.
I see we’re having a student earning a merit badge in debating 101 tonight once again…..Later, go Yanks
Joe, if you recall that team, they played like zombies for most of the 2nd half …………….That was the closest I ever came to saying they weren’t trying (and I don’t believe in ever accusing players of not trying). They had an 8 game winning streak prior (or after the ASB) and that was it.
It’s not the big offense I’m concerned about – it’s the fact that they don’t take advantage of their opportunites. They’ve lost playoff games because of this. It shouldn’t be that hard to hit a sac fly, but for this team it often is.
Well, with a chicken in the over and a song in my heart, I think I will catch up on some of the television programs that I’ve DVRd!
Night y’all. I look forward to Erica’s song and also Shame Spencer’s!
Anyone else who wants to write victory songs for the Yanks, have at!
SJ, then what was up with Alex’s power this year?
“Well I just exposed you as knowing nothing about the Yankees didn’t I? And as to the second part of your oh so feeble attempt to save face – you would be incorrect. Nice troll behavior on your part though, talking about bloggers physical appearances. I won’t stoop to your level though.”
Go blank yourself obnoxious troll freak.
Oh, and above all
Y
A
W
N
!!!
I know no fan as down or as skeptical of their team as you, Betsy.
Why you can’t be more positive about this teams prospects is beyond me.
There’s good baseball talk here – alot of knowledgeable people.
And you question them all.
Angel October 21st, 2010 at 11:11 pm
LOL Are you supposed to be listening in the seminar though, Erica?
*****************
Yeah, but I can multitask!
Alex hit 30 HR’s in 137 games this year.
Longoria hit 22 HR’s in 151 games this year.
” I won’t stoop to your level though”
Stoop to my level? You could never reach that high, newbie freak.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
“I’m thinking we need to change things up to make this lineup less susceptible to such deep freezes as they go through.”
But that’s just arguing make a change for the sake of change. Say they trade Nick Swisher for say a guy who will be available like Kosuke Fukudome they won’t be better.
Nick Swisher is part of the solution. He’s not the problem. A young player, in his prime, on a reasonable contract. That’s a player you generally don’t want to lose.
Way too many baseball teams make the mistake of just shuffling the deck chairs and making change just for the sake of making change or making change because they have a general, vague sense of things not working. The mets have been doing exactly that for years.
Injuries hurt this team a great deal in the last part of the season. You can’t over react and start making rash moves based on temporary external circumstance.
The main thing they should do this off season in terms of the line up is to figure out how they want to deploy Montero, evaluate the DH slot in turn and then consider whether upgrading LF potentially makes sense via a trade. That’s all they need and can practically do.
S.J., Does Posada have a good realtionship with Montero?
Erica, I got to watch both Parenthood and The Good Wife tonight-The Good Wife is getting better and better, it could be an HBO or SHO quality show with some better language lol
Trish – read it and educate yourself.
By Ian Begley
Special to ESPNNewYork.com
NEW YORK — One day after getting his biggest hit as a Yankee, Lance Berkman admitted that he probably won’t be back with the Bombers next season.
The Yankees are unlikely to pick up the $15 million team option on Berkman’s contract for 2011, meaning the 34-year-old will be a free agent at season’s end.
Berkman said on Friday that he has no interest in returning to the Yankees in 2011 as a part-time designated hitter, the role he currently fills for the team.
“No, I don’t think so,” Berkman said. “I don’t like platooning.”
Berkman still believes he can play every day and said he’d want to find a suitor who would allow him to return to first base next season.
Berkman first told ESPNNewYork.com’s Wallace Matthews after Thursday’s Game 2 win that he had no interest in returning to the Yankees next season in the role he currently fills.
This place is like a Whack-a-Mole game. You knock one down, another appears instantaneously!
Whack-a troll.
MG, I think someone with Teix pay grade and stature will always catch flak until they produce in the playoff. Look how little narratives are focused on Arod since his 2009 monster playoff. That’s a reality in the Yankee universe to me.
Betsy,
The Rangers are a good team, but if they were in the AL East they wouldn’t have made the playoffs, playing the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox.
Anything can happen in a best of five or seven series.
If the Yankees got Cliff Lee, the Yankees would win this series. They tried but Seattle’s GM apparently liked Justin Smoak over Jesus Montero. A mistake.
MG – I couldn’t agree with you more about Tex.
Bets – yes, I do remember that team. They had the 6th best record in all of baseball that year. I think 24 other teams, cities, and sets of fans would love to have their fave team be zombies like that.
Alex’s power down?
30/100 AGAIN after missing a chunk of time.
Look at the books – any slugger – and you’ll see variances from year to year.
I’d take 30/100 every year from Alex.
Cashmoney October 21st, 2010 at 11:24 pm
MG, I think someone with Teix pay grade and stature will always catch flak until they produce in the playoff. Look how little narratives are focused on Arod since his 2009 monster playoff. That’s a reality in the Yankee universe to me.
————————–
that’s not fair at all, Cashmoney. Teix had some key hits in the post season run last year and won game 1 of the ALDS this year. Arod was really the only Yankees who consistently hit in the postseason last year-Matsui, for all his heroics in the WS, did almost nothing before that (if I remember correctly).
He had a good series against the Twins and struggled against the Rangers but he was also really hurting, you don’t pull a hamstring running straight down the 1st base line unless something else is bothering you so much that it starts affecting other body parts.
If the Yankees had got Cliff Lee they would be playing Tampa right now.
CB – you left out Cliffie.
blake – yeah, but no one cares about the Rays, so that goes unnoticed
blake, if they had gotten Cliff Lee they would have already beaten Tampa in 5
CB, that’s very fair – and I don’t believe in change for change’s sake. I like Swisher a lot – I’d prefer him to stay.
Rconn, that’s true. Well, I’m trying hard to avoid having regrets that we didn’t get Lee……….Cash obviously didn’t have regrets about giving up Montero.
MG, it’s not fair to assess him that way. But I bet you there is a large segment of fans think that way.
The whole issue of Montero coming up is also something of an artificial one.
If the Yankees didn’t happen to have Tex, Montero already would have been the Yankees 1b this past season.
He is absolutely , unquestionably ready with his bat. That’s not to say he won’t struggle – that is inevitable. You just have to go through that and get over it. He’s about as ready at the plate as you possibly can be.
And the yankees will not be counting on him next year to be a huge force. They just need him to be pretty good.
The best way to address the aging on the left side of the infield is to get Montero incorporated into the team next season. It’s better to do that during Alex’s age 36 season and Jeter’s age 37 season than to delay and do so in 2012 during Alex’s age 37 season and Jeter’s age 38 season.
Get the process started. There’s going to be bumps in the road and there’s no doubt Yankees fans will call Montero a bust and not have patience with him, similar to Hughes. That’s an inevitability. Can’t do anything about it. Montero is going to have to deal with playing in NY eventually, start next season.
“blake, if they had gotten Cliff Lee they would have already beaten Tampa in 5 ”
possibly. I’m glad the trade didn’t go through though now….especially if they can find a way to win this series.
in 1952, Gil Hodges went 0-21 at the end of September and through the World Series. He also started out so poorly the following season a priest asked his congregation to pray for him. He soon broke out of the slump and never had a problem hitting in the World Series again.
boy, how times have changed. Nowadays as soon as a player has an AB that isn’t deemed ‘worthy’ he’s a bum…
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 21st, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Well, with a chicken in the over and a song in my heart, I think I will catch up on some of the television programs that I’ve DVRd!
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“Chicken in the OVER”? You bought my new book on typing made easy, didn’t you?
Cashmoney October 21st, 2010 at 11:30 pm
MG, it’s not fair to assess him that way. But I bet you there is a large segment of fans think that way.
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Cashmoney, you’re right, and they are the ones who know nothing about baseball…
Why do the Yankees not follow the Red Sox lead and shoot for the stars? Are the Yankees spending their extra money on 16 year old Dominicans?
Jim Callis: Good question, and I know other teams are hoping the Yankees don’t change. They go over slot for some guys but aren’t nearly as aggressive as they could be, considering their resources. They haven’t been as aggressive since failing to sign first-round pick Gerrit Cole in 2008.
is ‘chicken in the OVER’ one of those specialty bets that Pat M and Nick are always talking about?
MG October 21st, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Erica, I got to watch both Parenthood and The Good Wife tonight-The Good Wife is getting better and better, it could be an HBO or SHO quality show with some better language lol
***********
I forgot all about The Good Wife. Its on my list to watch online. I thought Parenthood was great this week, but its really struggling in the ratings
Joe-
I was only referring to the line up. There can be no distractions this season. All of the line up issues take a huge back seat to signing Lee, which I think they will (or at least they have the highest probability of doing so…).
I agree with SJ. Sign Lee. Add a bull pen arm like Wood and find a second LH if possible. That’s the pitching side, IMO as long as Andy comes back (which I think he will, though it’s not certain).
Montero has as high a chance of being a productive major league bat as any minor leaguer who has played over the past five years. If you can’t take the dive with that kind of kid then just forget building with young players because it’s lip service otherwise. It’s similar to Hughes. If you aren’t going to give the #1 minor league pitching prospect a shot then you might as well just forget building internally.
MG – two points –
1. Tex was hurting. He’s had problems since August with one foot and that swollen knee that he admitted to today. As he said, his body finally gave out.
2. I remember reading about Hodges’ slump. As he described it in Kahn’s book, The Boys of Summer, Charlie Dressen, the Dodger manager, changed his stance and he took off after that. But, you are right about some folks’ need for instant results and gratification.
The other issue with getting Montero adjusted quickly is that it could be Jorges last year.
If it is the better prepared montero is the smoother the transition. Those are big shoes to fill
Erica, The Good Wife was great this week, don’t miss it…
Upgrading LF is easy to do. Sign Crawford. Upgrading the bullpen could require some maneuvering via trade. Upgrading the rotation would require a trade if Texas locks up Lee before Lee declares free agency.
I think the Yankees will have an offer out to Lee almost as soon as the FA bell starts tolling……….I don’t think the Lee thing will drag out, either; I think it will be resolved pretty quickly
Joe, I know Teix was hurting and it’s interesting how he admitted very little until he was out for the year. I hope his knee doesn’t need surgery, everything else will heal with some rest. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do some work with Kevin Long this winter to rework his swing a little-maybe a little more of a balance front to back in his stance so he isn’t fooled as easily on off speed stuff.
Well the Yankees have given Phil a shot and of course they will give Montero one as well…………
Well, guys, I’ve got to call it a night. Still have to make a living tomorrow, so I need to get to bed.
But, I really enjoyed the baseball conversation here, and want to thank everyone who participated. It made for a great off-night.
Yanks win tomorrow. Rest up, all.
if I’m the Yankees I give Lee almost a blank check and let him fill in the numbers, he’s that good. There is no reason he can’t be as effective (or more so) than Andy at 38 or 39-Warren Spahn had the kind of command you see with Lee and he pitched effectively until he was well into his 40′s.
Halladay strained his groin during the game and just kept on pitching? Ace and Stud.
did I read something that a certain Boston-hating, poster-stalking cretin was banned today?
if so he probably had a number of other logins because the quality of the dialog tonight is the best I’ve seen in a very long time, thanks everyone.
CB,
Just curious.. what thoughts do you have on possibilities of upgrading LF via trade? I’m guessing any team willing to deal would probably want Gardner and young pitching. If it were me and I decided to go that route then I would think big….otherwise just stick with the outfield you have.
Rest well Joe….heal a lot of sick folks tomorrow
Getting ready to order Jane Leavy’s book: “The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle And The End Of America’s Childhood”. If it’s as good as her book: “Sandy Koufax” A Lefty’s Legacy”, it’s going to be sensational reading. The Koufax book is must reading for baseball fans.
The problem with trading Gardner is that he is one of their few cost-controlled players. Given their pre-existing salary commitments, Jeter and Mo’s contracts, and a potential contract for Lee, they don’t have much flexibility.
Maybe Jeter’s new contract saves them a few million a year, but that still won’t alter things much.
Rich,
I agree, thats why I said that if I were going to trade him then it would have to be part of a big deal for a star player. Otherwise just keep him and continue to get good bang for your buck.
GB7,
I asked earlier if anyone had read the book yet…I was thinking of picking it up myself. I skimmed through it at the airport the other day and it had diagrams of his hitting mechanics and how he generated his power….looked pretty neat. Let me know how you like it.
Rich, I think Gardner represents more values to the Yanks than to anyone else.
I am not surprised that we found out that Tex was playing through not only a broken toe, and bone bruise but a swollen knee as well, it took like what? 2 weeks before we found out that he had the broken toe? The guy has, like he said, worked so hard at getting healthy and it was his bodies way of saying enough is enough. I was really sad to see him go down but youve got to think that a guy playing through that much pain and wear cant keep it up forever.
blake-
I think the Yankees will have the pieces needed to upgrade LF via a trade if they chose to.
Brett Gardner has a significant amount of talent. He’s not a guy the yankees should just trade for the sake of trading. He’s a very valuable player. But that also makes him a very attractive trade chip – especially because teams are always looking for CF help. In a certain way having two plus CF in the same outfield is a suboptimal use of resources because one should have significant trade value due to how few good CF there are.
Couple Gardner with guys like Nova, potentially Joba, Laird, Romine, etc. That’s going to be an attractive package to teams.
The yankees will be in the driver’s seat here. They can well afford to make a move on their terms and should because keeping Gardner (or Granderson even) is by no means a problem.
I think they’ll explore a deal. Don’t know if it’ll happen. But they’ll take a look. And I agree with you – they should only make a move for a guy they think can be special. That’s the only way you trade Gardner + 2-3 cost-controlled, talented players.
Hard to know how the market will evolve. There are no decent CF on the free agent market (Carl Crawford isn’t going to play CF without huge arm twisting and/or money). There was no indication last winter Granderson will be traded, for example.
We’ll see. I think they can put together a package to get a very good LF if the opportunity presents itself.
blake, having grown up watching (and idolizing) the Mick in his glory days I’m sure he didn’t have a clue about his mechanics at the plate-he did have a good batting eye so got tons of walks but just swung out of his shoes most of the time.
One game I remember was a time he’d hurt his should and missed a few games. He came back (I believe against Jim Bunning, a tough pitcher) and hit two home runs in the game-he said that he couldn’t swing as hard as he usually did so just tried to meet the ball and make good contact.
Just got back from a Bob Dylan concert. He played none of his older music and I recognized only like half of the set list but the guy even in his drugged out messed up state is still an absolute legend. One of the best concerts I’ve been to.
Grady Sizemore…
MG,
What if Lee is not Warren Spahn…few are or were. Even Andy has had super longevity. I don’t think you give anyone a blank check or no one will ever sign with the Yankees without that blank check.
that was supposed to be ‘shoulder’ not ‘should’, I took one of those GB typing lessons earlier tonight…
CB,
Good stuff, thanks. If one of these teams like the Dodgers or DBacks decided to discuss moving certain young outfielders then thats the kind of thing that should perk their interests.
I don’t think the Yankees can afford to trade Nova or Joba (who should be shifted back to the rotation) given that they can’t count on AJ. If Pettitte retires, then the case against trading becomes even stronger.
MG,
Thats funny. My dad always told me to swing hard in case I hit it….
Rich, if Andy retires, they need a veteran for the rotation……..not another #5
SAS, it isn’t really a blank check, it is more just telling Lee we’ll give you what you want to sign and the years and money isn’t that important.
Lee has great mechanics, has never had an arm injury, and always pitches within himself-he can be just as effective throwing 89-90 as 92-93 with his location and command, particularly since he has a great change and outstanding curve ball.
I don’t know what young outfielder on the Dodgers I would want. Only one worth it right now would be Ethier considering what you will have to give up. Kemp has a boatload of talent but he just strikes me as lazy (and I think he actually is lazy unlike Cano who sometimes appears lackadaisical because he makes everything look so easy). Chris Young would be another interesting guy but the price to get these guys would be too much imo.
blake, that’s the way kids are taught to hit a golf ball today as well. In the old days you learned to control the ball first, now they just go out and swing as hard as possible and learn to control it after they develop the distance.
I would hate to see them trade away Gardner. Especially because he is so cheap to them right now. I think he plays good defense and I think he will only get better as he gets more comfortable seeing the same pitchers over and over. Who out there do you think they would be willing to trade him for? And I dont like Crawford(i know he is an FA)
Crawford really is not the answer for upgrading this team.
He doesn’t get on base enough and he struggles too much with LHP.
From Gardner to Crawford it is an upward move, but in a lot of ways it is a lateral move as well, which is far from worth it given the cost.
Going forward over the course of Crawford’s contract he would become a problem with this team instead of part of the solution.
I would take a chance on Kemp for the right deal.
Grady Sizemore
MG, those homers you described were in September of 1961 when Detroit came to NY behind just one game. Mantle had torn a muscle in his arm that turned it black and blue. He said that it didn’t hurt so much just swinging…that it was when he missed that it hurt. He used Bob Cerv’s 36 inch, 38 ounce bat against Bunning’s upper 90s fastball.
I don’t see how trading Gardner for an OF makes sense. What team out there would trade an OF just to fill an OF spot? It’s like spinning wheels because then that same team has to figure out a way to acquire a LF.
Take the White Sox for instance.
Would they trade Carlos Guillen for Gardner+? Then what would they do about LF?
Bob Dylan still does drugs? I doubt that.
Posada and Montero get along very well.
Jorge has been mentoring him on and off the field for the past couple of years.
Gardner is cheap and that is a real plus for the yankees. But at the same time that’s what makes him especially valuable on the trade market. It’s not a definite move you make. But you have to listen. It would be another way of utilizing their financial resources.
If you can make a move analogous to trading Jackson and Kennedy for Granderson to improve LF I think you have to consider it seriously.
The Dodger situation is very unstable. If they made Matt Kemp available I would try to trade for him (as would many other teams). He’s a real risk but that’s also the only reason he’s even potentially available. You’re not going to be able to acquire that kind of talent in a trade unless there’s some question mark.
I don’t think the D’Backs would move Justin Upton or the Cards will move Rasmus but if they do then you have to consider backing up the truck and going all into to get one of those players.
blake-
I can’t see the Dodgers giving up on him for a couple more years though. He’s still relatively cheap and under franchise control which is going to be crucial with that whole McCourt divorce mess. Something about Kemp just really bothers me. I feel like him and BJ Upton are the biggest waste of talent in baseball. It’s a shame.
Cashmoney,
I like Grady Sizemore a lot more than Austin Kearns.
Poor Don Mattingly.
MG,
Thanks for your explanation.l
CB-
The Cards GM says that Rasmus will not be going anywhere. LaRussa coming back though is going to make that a very interesting situation worth watching. If LaRussa doesn’t change his approach with that team they are going to be in for a very very rough season despite still having the best team in the NL Central and one of the best 1-2-3 combos in the NL with Wainwright, Carpenter, and Garcia. Rasmus and LaRussa have a long way to go before that relationship is mended. He struggles some against leftys but he’s a solid fielder who already has proven he can hit around .270 with 25 homers and 15 steals. I would love to steal him from the Cardinals.
Tyler,
Yea I have no idea the exact financial situation the Dodgers are in or how they feel about Kemp. I do know that he’s incredibly talented and sometimes a change of scenery and exposure to players like Jeter and Arod could help a guy. Just something they could explore if the opportunity presented itself…..if it panned out then you could plug him into LF for years.
Tyler October 21st, 2010 at 11:55 pm
Just got back from a Bob Dylan concert. He played none of his older music and I recognized only like half of the set list but the guy even in his drugged out messed up state is still an absolute legend. One of the best concerts I’ve been to.
*******************
When you are a guy like Bob Dylan with hundreds of songs to choose from, I would think he is probably not going to play much you’d know
It doesn’t make any sense.
Gardner’s value is maximized on the trade market as a CF.
If we trade a CF (Gardner) for another team’s LF, that team is forced to make an additional move to fill their vacancy in LF.
If we trade a CF (Gardner) for another team’s CF, what’s the point? Why would another team with a star CF trade him for Gardner? Why would you then stick that star CF in LF?
If we are plucking off an Indians OF, Shin Soo Choo is the guy I’m targeting over Sizemore. Sizemore is too risky will all the injuries the past 2 years.
“If we trade a CF (Gardner) for another team’s CF, what’s the point? Why would another team with a star CF trade him for Gardner? Why would you then stick that star CF in LF?”
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Why did the Tigers trade Granderson for Gardner?
Sizemore hasn’t been healthy for a year and a half. Elbow surgery in 2009, microfracture surgery in 2010 on his knee. Not exactly what I would be dumping a ton of talent and money on. He said that he wasn’t sure if he could handle center field any more. No thanks.
for *Jackson*
Tyler-
I agree that Rasmus probably isn’t going anywhere. But I do think that’s a potentially explosive situation as it does look like Tony is going to be coming back and doing so on his terms. Pujols is so squarely in the LaRussa camp that it gives LaRussa huge clout there on top of the world series win.
LaRussa is a very stubborn guy. Rasmus isn’t easy to deal with. That situation with him and Rasmus seems pretty frayed. From the outside that looks like two sides that are fairly rigid needing to figure out how to work things out. Plus Pujols doesn’t seem thrilled with Rasmus.
Rasmus has enormous pull power for a player who runs that well. He would be a 35 HR player in NY.
Here is an interesting thought.. If cashman calls Daniel offering Gardner for Murphy straight up, do you think Texas would do the deal?
what is the true value of Gardner on the trade market? Are we overvaluing him as a player?
Cashmoney,
You bet your fanny we are.
Would they trade Carlos Guillen for Gardner+? Then what would they do about LF?
–
Cashman would be fired for this trade. Carlos Guillen for Gardner AND MORE??? What drugs you on?
Also teams would trade position for position if the guy they are getting back is a significant cost savings.
How much value does Gardner really have? He has not yet put together a good, full season ……………I’m still somewhat skeptical of him.
I wouldn’t trade Gardner for Murphy
Kemp is a corner outfielder playing center field. If he’s not careful, he’s going to eat himself out of baseball. He’s already nearly as big as Carlos Lee.
Jerkface,
Get it through your thick skull.
I am not discussing baseball with you. Period.
So there’s no need for me to clarify any statement I make.
Leave me alone.
Thanks.
28 year old david murphy who Gardner is much better than???
I am in the twilight zone?
Not responding to me does not mean I won’t let you fill this blog with unchecked stupidity.
Too many negatives! Does not mean I will let you, correction.
Jerkface,
Fine then.
For the people out there who wonder why I won’t answer questions posed to me by Jerface it’s because I think he’s a prick.
Just so you are all aware, Bret the Hitman’s trade proposal was
34 year old .273 .327 .419 .746 with bad knees for .277 .383 .379 .762 25 year old with sparkling defense AND MORE.
Furthermore, Is the second half Gardner a true representation of him as a hit, foreshadowing what will come next season.
To put it simply, a plus D LF/CF who can’t drive the ball at all whose value rest precariously on his sole ability to get on base. What if the pitchers had made adjustments and he is no longer able to get on base at such proficient rate? What if he is glorified 4th OF… those are legitimate question to raise IMO.
Betsy,
Despite playing injured for most of the 2nd half Gardner got on base at a .366 clip.
I also posted a breakdown the other day but if you take out 10 days at the beginning of August where Gardner hit like under .100 he got on base at over a .400 clip in the 2nd half.
That is extremely valuable to this team and his defense is extremely valuable as well. He makes less outs than just about every player on the Yankees and plays plus plus D.
Also he was concerned that detroit might not accept.
I meant Carlos Quentin. LF White Sox. Now quit being a PRICK.
*as a hitter
Ah yes, the other injury prone outfielder who has hit under .250 for the past 2 seasons. Yes we need him.
Bret the Hitman-
Duly noted.
Move on now… don’t let The Face get to you
It was an example, which is different then a proposal, so now STFU
A stupid example to prove a stupid point. You don’t even know what the yankees have in Gardner.
Gardner proved to be one of the best bang for your buck players in the entire game this season.
He is a very attractive commodity given his production relative to salary.
Gardner sucks. Go cry about it wussy.
Valid points on Gardner, then there is the story that he requires surgery on his thumb and is playing with a sore wrist. On one of his at bats last night he swung and missed and I saw him wince. Rumor, fact on the injuries, who knows.
I’m a wussy because I am getting flustered over someone calling my examples stupid and talking to me on a blog. Oh wait that is you.
Please, fill the blog with more Soria trade proposals.
LGY October 22nd, 2010 at 12:18 am
I wouldn’t trade Gardner for Murphy
and
Jerk
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The question isn’t really what you two gentlemen would do when face such trade proposal.
Rather, what Gardner true trade value on open market is, in this case, I would be real interested to see what Daniel would do…
By himself Gardner has value but it’s not enormous. But as part of a package he could be quite valuable.
If the Yankees wanted to they could pair Gardner with Austine Romine and Nova. That would give a team a cost controlled CF and back end starter for 2011 and their potential starting catcher of the future. You’re not going to get Ryan Braun or someone like that for that kind of package but that’s a valuable set of pieces.
Cost controlled players have a disproportionate amount of value compared to their talent. See Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy last season.
Not saying the Yankees should trade Gardner – he’s a very productive player. Just saying they should explore the possibilities of what he’d bring back in a package. I’d do the same with Granderson, though I’d be apprehensive about trading him.
Erica-
Oh absolutely. I had 2 songs I was hoping he would play: Hurricane and The Times are a changin. He didn’t play either but it was still unbelievable.
Maybe we could trade Gardner for David Dejesus? But thats an OF for an OF! They’d never do it! Damn! We should toss in Montero.
Murphy is a solid player but he doesn’t do anything well. He’s just kind of good at almost everything. Gardner on the other hand has an elite tool which is his speed. I personally don’t think he’s even reached close to his potential as a base runner. Once he is around the league longer and picks up on certain guys moves there is absolutely no reason he can’t steal 60 bases a year easily.
GB
Jane Leavy was on WFAN promoting the book last week and did an hour + interview.
It sounds like a warts and all book that was thoroughly researched including her own up close and personal experiences with Mantle and a saber look at his career.
I would be real interested to see what Daniel would do…
–
Laugh really hard and then accept? And probably say something like ‘No backsies!’
Well tomorrow its our time again to make it happen. Get this thing to a Game 7 and hope for the best against Clifford.
Tyler, I think murphy does everything pretty well, mmm, maybe adequate defensively. But he doesn’t excel at anything.
But Murphy is just one example I can think of… the real question is what other 29 teams think of Gardner as a player.
He has undeniable speed and plus plus D. But I have concern over his offensive game.
LGY, Gardner was definitely better than I thought he’d be this year…………..
Cashmoney,
You mean you don’t want to schlob his knob like Jerkface?
I think David Murphy is a lot similar to Paul O’Neill. As much as I like him, I wouldn’t give up Gardner for him. A less prospect would do. Ever since the Rangers signed Vlad Guerrero to be the DH, Murphy bascially became a 4th OFer whose waiting to break out.
There are only 18 players in baseball that got on base more than Brett Gardner in 450 PA or more. And none of them provided as much on D as Gardner.
Tyler, let’s see if he can keep up the hitting………..I still have doubts.
It is not like Gardner played way over his head the first half of the season and then came back down to a respectable level the second half.
He hit .233 Post ASB. He is not a .233 hitter no matter how bad you think he is. There were obviously things going on with him and still are.
He has a busted thumb and needed a cortisone shot in his wrist.
He is a player that tries to slap the ball, yet his thumb and wrist have been comprised. You could see how much more often his swing got long in the 2nd half of the year likely as a result of that.
I think Gardner’s injuries played a major role in his low AVG Post ASB. Not exactly easy to swing a bat with a hurt wrist and thumb.
Cash-
Trust me I’m not the biggest Gardner fan in the world. I also have some concerns over his offensive game and his instincts on the basepaths sometimes drive me nuts but he does seem to get the job done most of the time. It’s just that with his speed I feel like he should do even more… maybe my expectation are to high.
That being said I wouldn’t even consider trading him for Murphy. Washington start Jeff Francouer over Murphy against lefthanders for crying out loud. The guy is a platoon player in my mind. They don’t need another guy that struggles against leftys. Murphy is a great 4th outfielder but I wouldn’t want him starting for my team personally.
Gardner’s 2nd half performance, injury concerns and playoff performance have severely diminished his trade value.
Brett, frankly, your exchanges with Jerk are cracking me up… it has an 8th grade flavor to it…
And despite that he had the third highest OBP% for any yankee in the second half, 6 points off of Tex and Cano.
Betsy-
i have doubts too. he’s still not a sure thing and i could easily see this being his plateu. But I wouldn’t give him up for just anything. He’s a valuable asset to the Yankees. He’s a guy who is still in his 20′s who is cheap and has proven that he can be at worst adequate at the big league level. They shouldn’t just rush off and trade him because the grass on the other side of the fence is greener.
No way would i trade him for guys like Dejesus or Murphy. That’s pretty dumb imo.
Bret;
Ever since Broxton hitted Gardner in the interleagues, his numbers went down terribly. Injuries happens, and it DOES cause performance.
plateau*
People should read what Gardner said the other day that was posted by Chad.
He may be a little too passive but he has a sound reason for it. He knows how costly it is to make outs on the basepaths with the big guns coming up at the top of the order.
He got on base 30 points higher than Granderson, 20 points higher than Jeter, 30 points higher than A-rod, 30 points higher than Swisher, 40 points higher than Posada in the 2nd half.
While battling Injury.
.230 in the second half, no power, .200 in the playoffs, thumb issue, wrist issue, 27 years old.
He’s a cheap CF solution for a fringe contender or mediocre middle of the pack team.
Bret The Hitman October 22nd, 2010 at 12:38 am
.230 in the second half, no power, .200 in the playoffs, thumb issue, wrist issue, 27 years old.
He’s a cheap CF solution for a fringe contender or mediocre middle of the pack team.
——————————–
Or a guy who has been in the lineup and in left field virtually every game for a team in the ALCS…
Tyler,
Right and that’s working just great.
He hit .233 Post ASB. He is not a .233 hitter no matter how bad you think he is. There were obviously things going on with him and still are.
————-
LGY, I don’t know if I can make that assertion at this point considering his second half and his continuing inability to drive the ball at all in the playoff.
I am not discounting injury as a factor. But I think it’s a legitimate question to ask if he has came back down to the proverbial earth as far as his offensive game goes.
Bret has been drinking too many of Soria’s protein shakes in between fun runs, leave him be Tyler.
Even if the Yankees were to trade an outfielder, it’d be Swisher or Granderson. There is no point to trade Gardner because you’d never recoup his value. You can pay him 500k to sit on the bench if you really want.
Swisher or Granderson???
hahahahahahaha
Tyler, I agree……….
LGY, I don’t like that reasoning – he should be a lot more confident in his ability to steal bases.
Seems to me that Gardner is a .270 hitter. He hit it last year, and hit it this year in a full season.
Cashmoney October 22nd, 2010 at 12:41 am
He hit .233 Post ASB. He is not a .233 hitter no matter how bad you think he is. There were obviously things going on with him and still are.
————-
LGY, I don’t know if I can make that assertion at this point considering his second half and his continuing inability to drive the ball at all in the playoff.
I am not discounting injury as a factor. But I think it’s a legitimate question to ask if he has came back down to the proverbial earth as far as his offensive game goes.
*********
Nope, still the next ICHIRO.
drooolzy
What players would be available for a package of say Gardner, Nova, and Romine?
Is that a Justin Upton package? Ryan Braun? Colby Rasmus? I’m not sure
Bret-
It hasn’t been that bad honestly. He’s in the 9 hole. That’s not a spot that’s likely going to have a guy hitting 300 with 30 homers and 100 RBI. He got on base at a very good clip this year. His base running at times leaves something to be desired. I know that. You know that. Everybody knows that. Gardner knows that as he’s said in interviews. But he’s young in terms of time in the big leagues and will likely only get better. His upside is tremendous with his speed. He’s one of if not the fastest players in the game. When he’s going right, this offense reaches an entirely different level.
Good night Yankee people!
I have the same look on my face as Jorge when I go to Texas.
“He’s a cheap CF solution for a fringe contender or mediocre middle of the pack team.”
—————————
Gardner was arguably better than basically every playoff CF this season except for Hamilton.
Twins: Span
Rays: Upton
Phillies: Victorino
Giants: Torres
Reds: Stubbs
Braves: Ankiel
Braves:
Before I go… a possible heads up for those GTLU players
Okay.. really good night Yankee people
Eric UWS October 22nd, 2010 at 12:44 am
What players would be available for a package of say Gardner, Nova, and Romine?
Is that a Justin Upton package? Ryan Braun? Colby Rasmus? I’m not sure
—————————–
No, no, and no.
Ryan Braun? Not trying to be rude but are you kidding me? Gardner is a good player but he’s not close to any of those guys leagues. Nova is a 4th starter at best IMO. Romine’s stock is tumbling here recently. If you want any of those guys you are going to have to part with Montero or one of Betances, Brackman, and Banuelos.
Josh Hamilton only played 40 games in CF and wasn’t very good. He is more of a corner outfielder.
ARGH!!!! I forgot the link!!!!
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/ne.....fsnotebook
Good night Yankee people!
(Third time is a charm)
Gardner may not have hit for a high average, but I will take him any day. If I am not mistaken and I may be, didn’t Murphy play for the Mets? If they didn’t think much of him when they needed outfielders desperately, why would he be better on the Yankees???
And Gardner beats the piss out of Julio Borbon
Jerk, the concern is rather simple. Defensive prowess aside. MY question really is for a guy who offensive value lies largely within his ability to get on base as you have cited and I am aware of.
But what if pitchers simply stop walking him and being fine with him in the zone at all.
Brett almost has zero leverage of late regardless of what advantageous count he is as he has been able to drive the ball with any authority of late.
That is a legitimate concern as any pitcher can throw the ball down the middle if you can’t drive it at all thus nullifying his ability to get on base.
Fun talk but not realistic. It will basically be the same team next year IMO – there won’t be any big moves aside from signing Lee. Pettitte will return, Berkman, Wood and Kearns will go, Thames will stay. They will do what they did last year, get a LHH DH and a reserve outfielder on the cheap and fill the bullpen slot internally. That’s it.
@ LGY- If you go by WAR (yes, I know, nothing is perfect but…)
Gardner had a 2.6
Upton had a 3.3
Stubs had a 2.7
Torres had a 2.9
The others were lower
Tyler- I was just throwing names out there, obviously. I don’t know what kind of player a package with Gardner brings back, thats all I’m saying.
But what if pitchers simply stop walking him and being fine with him in the zone at all.
–
???? Did you not watch this season. Do you think pitchers looked at Brett Gardner’s 08 tape, and 09 tape and thought ‘Lets walk THIS guy’?? All pitchers do is try to pound the zone against Gardner. He rarely swings and misses, he fouls pitches off, and he knows the strike zone. And he has proven, when healthy, that he can drive mistakes and hit good fastballs opposite field.
Its not as simple as pitchers going, ‘Well I guess I’m going to throw strikes to brett gardner’.
With literally no power left in his swing from his hand injuries, he still put up a higher on base than 75% of the yankees (over the games, not even full season stats). Do you think pitchers were not adjusting to him?
Brett Gardner has 3 excellent skills: Patience, Speed, and Defense.
I’d even throw contact ability in there, since he was tops in the league at making contact inside the strike zone.
What about that skill set cries huge crash to you?
pat October 22nd, 2010 at 12:28 am
GB
Jane Leavy was on WFAN promoting the book last week and did an hour + interview.
It sounds like a warts and all book that was thoroughly researched including her own up close and personal experiences with Mantle and a saber look at his
———————————————————————————————————————-
pat, I wish that I’d heard the interview. If her Mantle book is as good as the Koufax book, it should be something….especially her sections on technical parts of his swing. Koufax broke him pitching mechanics into a description of levers and pullies. Great stuff. Mantle once had a discussion on hitting with Ty Cobb and Ted Williams. Mantle said that he didn’t understand a word they said. He was just a see it and whack it hitter. They tried to explain how to hit more home runs by cutting down his swing, but, he wouldn’t get the distance. He was a great hitter, but, he couldn’t teach it. He said that he was nothing special and didn’t understand why everyone else couldn’t so what he did.
You misread Eric
bWAR – 4.0
fWAR – 5.4
Another thing to consider, Gardner lead the team in called strikes outside of the zone. He got murdered by umpires and still was top 20 in OBP in the league.
Ya, I just realized. My fault! I like Brett’s game, and would not want to part with a cost controlled piece for the sake of it.
As for now, focused on Phil tmw.
Eric,
That’s baseball reference WAR correct?
Fangraphs had Gardner at 5.4 this year.
Anyway those numbers are so close in terms of baseball reference WAR that it still makes it arguable.
I also believe, but I could be wrong that Gardner gets penalized substantially be bref war because he plays in YS.
However, Gardner does not really benefit at all from playing there because he has so little power. In that sense using bref war can be misleading in terms of Gardner.
You’re not going to know what you can get for a guy like Gardner until particular deals develop and he’s placed on the market. They should do their due diligence and investigate potential options. That’s all. It’s very possible that Gardners’s market value will depend on whether the Sox try to move Ellsbury, etc.
Who you package him with depends on who you’d be getting back. Nova, Romine, etc. are just examples.
If the right player were available it very well might make sense to pair him with a guy like Brackman or Betances or Banuelos.
It just depends. It’s just routine organizational process where they should explore options.
I never would have guessed the yanks could get Curtis Granderson for Jackson and Kennedy last year, especially given Kennedy’s injuries and ineffectiveness and Jackson’s poor second half in AAA.
You just have to wait and see and determine how much and what kind of risks you are willing to absorb.
SAS October 22nd, 2010 at 12:47 am
Gardner may not have hit for a high average, but I will take him any day. If I am not mistaken and I may be, didn’t Murphy play for the Mets? If they didn’t think much of him when they needed outfielders desperately, why would he be better on the Yankees???
———————————————————————————————————————-
SAS, you’re thinking of Daniel Murphy. This is David Murphy, who was a high draft pick by Boston and traded for Gagne a couple of years ago. In a full season, he could hit .290-.300 with 20 steals and 25 homers. He’s a very good corner outfielder and can play a solid center field.
CB,
What did you think about Gardner’s 2nd half and him going into next season?
I really question the people that see Nova as at best a # 4 starter. A four pitch starter including a good CU and a FB that he cranks up to 95. That’s a #4 starter at best? Whoah.
There were flashes of 3, 4 innings when he was blowing people away. That was top end stuff. Please note that he was at the tail end of a long season in very high pressure situations.
n/m thanks for clearing that up Face.
Gardner had 176 balls called strikes against him. A-rod and Cano had half that, and those were the only guys close.
Gardner had 176 balls called strikes against him. A-rod and Cano had half that, and those were the only guys close.
——————————
Where do you find that info?
What about that skill set cries huge crash to you?
———————-
he can’t hit.
Eric-
I hear you. Sorry if I came out as rude in anyway. I’m not really sure what his value is either. That’s why I’m on this blog and not in a front office somewhere lol
You know who led the team in P/PA by half a pitch? Brett Gardner, 4.62. That’s yankee baseball. Granderson (whom I also adore) was second. Gardner had a 5% swinging strike percentage, no one else was under 10%.
GB,
Thanks. I did get them confused.
Where do you find that info?
–
PitchFX database.
I was really impressed with Gardner’s ability to foul off pitches this season.
It seems that pitchers today are simply incapable of consistently throwing strikes. You take enough and foul off enough and they are eventually going to walk you.
he can’t hit.
—
Hit just fine last year, hit fine overall this year.
I’m pretty sure Gardner’s P/PA was the highest ever recorded.
I think they started keeping track of that in the 80s.
By next year, the Yankees should have a AA third baseman/1st baseman who’s a switch hitter. Suttle might then make an interesting piece in a trade. They also have Mesa moving up fast, too. Within a year, the kids will be close to ML ready for teams like Seattle, Pittsburgh, KC, San Diego, Cubs or Oakland.
Sorry for the misinformation, probably shouldn’t spend time on baseball reference after a red-eye.
Gardners game has always been interesting to me. When I pitched in college, those kind of guys were always such terrors, especially when they had *just* enough power to drive the balls into the gap. I like Gardner a lot, I just wish he had the ability to drive the ball more into the gaps, rather than dunking them in. But thats splitting hairs, the guy’s a good baseball player.
Face,
Does it have a listing or did you physically count them up?
GB;
don’t you think David Murphy reminds you a lot like Paul O’Niell? (oh yeah, how you been buddy?)
My pleasure, SAS. happy to help.
“What did you think about Gardner’s 2nd half and him going into next season?”
I thought his struggles were primarily due to his wrist and hand injuries.
Gardner has his limitations at the plate but overall he’s a legitimate major league hitter now. He can now hit the ball the other way with authority and he now keeps the ball on the ground which legitimately allows him to exploit his speed in a substantive fashion.
The concern with Gardner was two seasons ago when he really hit far too many balls in the air given his skill set. That was particularly true of how often he popped the ball up in the infield with that helicopter swing he had.
I really liked the adjustments he made this season. I think he demonstrated that he can do enough with the bat where pitchers aren’t going to be able to overwhelm him and knock the bat out of his hands. At this time last season I thought that was an open question. He’s going to be a productive major league hitter for quite some given his skill set.
He still has some adjustments to make. At times his patience at the plate become passivity for example. But those are just things he needs to work on.
I like his game. I do think his struggles were health related in the second half. You could see that he was having trouble driving the ball the other way with that wrist.
Ed, yeah, given a full time spot, I think that Murphy could put up O’Neill or Ethier type numbers.
CB,
If the Dodgers open up shop for Kemp or Ethier, do you trade Gardner and one of the pitching studs for them?
Jerk, 900 career PA is not a good indicator that he will hit. He did hit last year , as long the same line, he did not hit this second half.
I will give you his contact ability and p/pa, but as you have seen this post season. When you have a pitchers who can and will throw strikes to him it renders his offensive game to a halt. His 220 OBP is an effect of that. That is big flaw in his game.
The verdict is still out on Gradner’s offensive game IMO Jerk.
To be honest GB, I didn’t realize there were 2 of them.
Does it have a listing or did you physically count them up?
–
http://joelefkowitz.com/
it creates an excel of each pitch, so I summed rows. This is my favorite pitchFX DB because it lets you look at so much. Texas Leaguers has great information, but this one lets you look at result per pitch.
Like did you know Hughes has only given up like 26 hits in play on his cutter? It was only like 7% of the time he threw it. Everyone thought he got beat on it because they didn’t remember all the fastball and curve knocks he gave up :\
GB,
My grandson just discovered he can get out of bed with no help. There is a side but it doesn’t go all the way north-south. He is driving my kids crazy…lol
GB7
How’s it going tonight? I have a question about the link you gave me. You said there would be a green dot for the games. Were you talking about for the gameday (if so, I found it) or for the audio? Thanks
900 career PA is not a good indicator that he will hit. He did hit last year , as long the same line, he did not hit this second half.
–
yet you wanna trade him for David Murphy? Who has 467 good PAs to his name? You have to look at his 2nd half in the context it was achieved in. With an injury to his hands and wrist, which are pretty much all he uses to hit. And he still got on base. Why weren’t pitchers killing his on base???? he was hurt and could barely hit and he still got on base.
That is why I am not worried about his offensive production.
“Within a year, the kids will be close to ML ready for teams like Seattle, Pittsburgh, KC, San Diego, Cubs or Oakland.”
GB7-
I agree. I think Yankee fans often don’t have a sense for how other teams operate and why players like Ian Kennedy have significant value to a team like the D’Backs.
The Yankees have a lot of players in the minors that are going to play in the majors but probably aren’t good enough to play for the yankees. They have a number of limited ceiling but high floor kind of guys. Those are the guys they need to package and trade.
Face,
Wow, thanks. I did not know about that site but it looks great.
********
It’s kind of funny. A lot of the offseason discussion last winter centered around Brett Gardner, if he can hit, and if he is a 4th OF.
He had a great year in 2010 and it seems like we are primed for ANOTHER round of can Brett Gardner hit and is he a 4th OF this winter.
********
On that note, laaater.
KPB October 22nd, 2010 at 1:11 am
GB7
How’s it going tonight? I have a question about the link you gave me. You said there would be a green dot for the games. Were you talking about for the gameday (if so, I found it) or for the audio? Thanks
———————————————————————————————————————-
Doing fine, KPB. Thanks for asking. Hope all is well with you. Yeah, the green icon is for gameday only. There is no radio broadcasts for the AFL as far as I know.
You can’t teach contact ability or speed, both of which Gardner possesses. He doesn’t have Cano or Jesus Montero type contact ability, where he is going to barrel balls all the time, but he has enough. And he is a hard worker. He really developed his throwing into an outfield tool despite a mediocre arm.
Granderson, Swisher, and Gardner are 3 incredibly hard working outfielders that have all attempted to raise their game. I am not worried about them at all.
Jerk, I use Murphy as example. The point is I don’t know if the other 29 teams value Gardner in the same high esteemed fashion as many do here and elsewhere.
That is a question that can’t be answered until Gardner is actually (hopefully) traded for a better player.
“If the Dodgers open up shop for Kemp or Ethier, do you trade Gardner and one of the pitching studs for them?”
G. Love-
I probably would for Kemp but not for Eithier. I wouldn’t’ trade one of the really high end arms for Eithier. He’s still a tough guy to get a handle on. Got off to that great start and looked to finally be breaking out but then he faded. He can be pitched to. I’d just as well keep Gardner and the pitchers unless the deal could be done with Nova, etc. rather than banuelos, etc.
Kemp is clearly problematic in many ways and a big risk. But he really does have immense talent and has had very productive seasons before the age of 25. That dodger situation is just so bizarre. My sense is that if you got him out of there and stick him next to Derek Jeter, Po, Alex, Tex and Granderson you could have something very special. That’s part of why I’d take the risk – the yankees just have such an amazing club house. It’s like walking into the hall of fame.
Kemp has truly elite bat speed. You cannot teach that or just develop it.
Got to jet, Jerk. We will put this discussion on temporary suspension til tom or never.
Late…
I’ve already read the Mantle book — I thought it was very good, and it didn’t make me either dislike him, or feel that his memory was being besmirched, at all. (He was my first favorite Yankee; he hit a home run in the very first game I ever went to, when I was 12. And I was there at Mickey Mantle Day in 1969 when he got that 8-minute standing ovation.)
GB7
As I’ve said before, I don’t know a thing about the MiL. Having said that, do the kids choose to go and play during the winter and the team decides where they go? Or do the teams tell them they are playing and where to go?
GB….What did The Mick hit in 56 / 57…….356 / 365 at the age of 26 then came the Red Schien. injury in the 57 Series and the Mick was never the same again…….Her book goes to prove that Mickey played with a torn ligament in his rifgt knee……..Any of you even have a strained knee ligment, it turns beyound the thought of playing….it hurts just thinking about it, and that’s a strained knww ligament……
Does Kemp play 1st? Or is that Ethier?
CB October 22nd, 2010 at 1:14 am
“Within a year, the kids will be close to ML ready for teams like Seattle, Pittsburgh, KC, San Diego, Cubs or Oakland.”
GB7-
I agree. I think Yankee fans often don’t have a sense for how other teams operate and why players like Ian Kennedy have significant value to a team like the D’Backs.
The Yankees have a lot of players in the minors that are going to play in the majors but probably aren’t good enough to play for the yankees. They have a number of limited ceiling but high floor kind of guys. Those are the guys they need to package and trade.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Yeah, CB, I’m guessing that the Yanks have maybe 5 position players above Low A ball and 5 pitchers that they would prefer to keep and everyone else is tradeable. Ramiro Pena, Cervelli, Miranda could all be gone this winter. Eduardo Nunez, Laird and Montero could fill those spots. Add Romine and Mesa to the keeper list, along with Banuelos, Brackman, Noesi, Betances and Stoneburner. Everyone else could go in deals. The one Charleston kid I’d like to see stay with the Yanks besides Murphy is Rob Lyerly. Lyerly is a masher and the power will come.
Loney plays 1st, Kemp plays CF and Ethier “plays” RF
I would trade Gardner for Kemp or Choo. (not straight up of course, Dodgers or Indians would probably have to toss in some more)
Gardner is not 25, he is 27 & I would call his D, plus, but not plus plus, especially not plus plus in CF.
Face….Gardner and what other players would you be offering to send to LA for Matt Kemp ????
Pat M. October 22nd, 2010 at 1:25 am
GB….What did The Mick hit in 56 / 57…….356 / 365 at the age of 26 then came the Red Schien. injury in the 57 Series and the Mick was never the same again…….Her book goes to prove that Mickey played with a torn ligament in his rifgt knee……..Any of you even have a strained knee ligment, it turns beyound the thought of playing….it hurts just thinking about it, and that’s a strained knww ligament……
———————————————————————————————————————-
Pat M., I’d heard that he played 17 years with a torn ACL. Hard to imagine if they could have fixed that. Everyone remembers his monstrous homers and blinding speed. They don’t remember his play in center field. What I remember besides all of that was his slides into 2nd or 3rd base. He just exploded into the bags with slides that made George Brett and Hal McCray look like sissies. Never a dirty slide…just hard, fast and straight in.
His numbers started taking a tumble with that torn shoulder muscle when Schoendienst fell on top of him in the ’57 Series. Hard to believe that he only missed one game in that series…a game they lost in extra innings. Williams and Cobb loved him and that was something when two old time players thought that a youngster could play with the best in history.
I also would move Gardner and a high end arm for Kemp. Having a core of Cano, Kemp, Montero for the next 5-7 years would be quite nice.
I love Gardner and what he brings to this team though and I think his wrist/hand is hurting again. Didn’t someone step on his hand this series when he was sliding into first?
I just wish the guy could be a better bunter. He’s not a bad one, but not good enough yet for his skill set.
That said, I don’t want to get caught up talking next season. We have a game to win tonight and another to win on Saturday.
I have a good feeling about this.
Pat M. October 22nd, 2010 at 1:34 am
Face….Gardner and what other players would you be offering to send to LA for Matt Kemp ????
———————————————————————————————————————-
At the very least, it would take a Betances, Romine and possibly Nunez to do that deal and that’s too much for a potential questionmark.
Face….Gardner and what other players would you be offering to send to LA for Matt Kemp ????
–
I don’t know. Depends on who has value in the system at the time of the trade. If I could get Kemp for Gardner, and some lower tier arms I’d do it. He is going to be making more than 7 mil after next year. That has to be considered.
West Coast Sis, if you are around. In an earlier thread I saw your post about the Rangers pitching, including their ERA, bullpen ERA, etc. I do have to remind you that they pitched in the weakest division in the AL so I don’t necessarily look at those stats as indicative of any overarching thing. Not a question that they’ve got some really nice pitching. But I certainly don’t see it comparable to the Yanks. You can start to do your measuring on the regular rest starts. Everyone but some idiot Yankee fans understands that the long layoff affected the starting pitching. Phil Hughes didn’t suddenly forget how to pitch in Texas!
ECS ~
You are no doubt counting sheep by now, but hopefully you’ll see this in the morning.
I suppose the old beasts in the east and weak sisters in the west argument is generally true but, a team can only play the schedule it’s given. However, it is interesting to note that the Yankees main five (five starters w/the most IP in the regular season) only started nine more games vs. teams over .500 than did the Rangers main five. Granted, the Yanks starters winning percentage was a bit better in such games (.542 vs. .509 respectively) but not really a huge difference considering how many folks point to the beast vs. weak deal.
As the old saying goes “you just gotta get there and then anything can happen”. The Rangers did finally get there and have been holding their own quite nicely so far – their pitchers have posted the best ERA and the lowest BAA among the AL playoff teams and their hitters have posted the highest BA/OBP/SLG/OPS in the entire post season.
In any case, it should be a great game tomorrow. If it goes to a game seven – well, I don’t have to tell you about the drama and excitement that will be generated – and, in this case, the game will likely live up to it’s hype
BTW ~ ever hear from Gary?
I’m sure he’s proud of his guys, where ever his is
Here’s to a great game tomorrow (and here’s to my ability to sneak out of work early so I can watch most of it live
)
Well tomorrow its our time again to make it happen. Get this thing to a Game 7 and hope for the best against Clifford.
Actually, it’s Clifton (Clifton Phifer, to be exact).
I think Clifford is a big, red dog
Awesome database, Jerkface. Thx.
No, actually Clifford the Big Red Dog IS pitching game 7, that is why it is SO important that we DO win game 6, as I hear the Dog is REALLY WILD !
Good morning.
Looking forward to the game tonight, but really looking forward to a Game 7 tomorrow night.
Let’s go Yankees.
It looks like the RS want to make that little sardine can smaller.
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....readerComm
Good morning, morning people.
Morning gang. It was nice to see the offense come alive on Wednesday. So to that extent, here’s a pre-game tribute hoping the offense can provide a few more of these over the next two days!!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/10.....IzOnbfbBw#
No thanks on Kemp; you do not trade a package of top young prospects hoping that he could turn it around in NY…………nope.
JCPD -
Amazing photography, as usual! Thanks.
Over the years I have tried to take pictures of fireworks when we go to Disney. I end up getting rid of more than half. Not easy to do.
good morning early birds!
great pix JCPD! I love fireworks
JCPD-
Those were beautiful. Fantastic.
Thanks for all you have done this season, and for all you have shared.
And thanks for being crazy enough to go along with me on the rituals and tributes, and for being such a passionate fan.
No matter what happens it’s been a great season.
All we can ask is that the team plays hard tonite and gives it their all.
The rest is up to fate.
May the baseball G-ds smile on the Yankees.
Let’s hope this scout is right:
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....night.html
“He’s got an above-average fastball and when he locates and uses his cutter and his curveball to help set it up, he can be effective against any lineup. But when he got in any trouble against Texas, either in bad counts or runners on base, his answer was to try to throw harder, and he stopped locating. You can’t beat anyone that way, especially that team.
“To me, he’s a poised kid who got caught up in the moment a little too much, and that can happen to anybody in the playoffs, especially on the road. I’ll be real surprised if he doesn’t do a better job of using all of his pitches, getting in better counts and going fairly deep into the game.”
Doreen, Kate…. as usual, my pleasure. I know what you mean Doreen about taking so many pics and saving so few. Thank God for digital. I can’t fathom how many $$$$ I’ve spent over the years on film photography.
Good morning everyone. Weather not so “hot” in Arlington Friday and Saturday-50-60% chance thunderstorms thru Saturday. Could there be a postponed game?
Wish we had Matt Cain and Buster Posey right about now. We’re already talking trades and the Yankees season isn’t over!!
Happy Birthday to Robinson Cano!!!!
JCPD-great pictures. I love fireworks!
Glad you enjoyed MTU. It has been fun going along on your tribute ride. And it’s a privilege to call you a friend. Thanks for all you have shared too.
Doreen
I need to clarify a statment from yesterday…while I am not nervous about Phil pitching, I will be nervous until the last out of each game.
And unfortunately for me (for game watching, not for life in general) we will be at my son’s parents’ weekend, which has events right at the time of both games…sometimes being a mom is more important
JCPD-
Hope to see those fireworks when they Yankees win #28.
Watched the Giants game last night. Their fans are terrific- waving towels and standing practically the entire game with non-stop noise.
Glad you enjoyed Erin.
JCPD -
Yes, digital is a dream!
I have AppleTV and I use my photos as a screensaver. The result of that is because the pictures are enhanced on a big screen I am a lot more discerning and a lot less sentimental in what I keep.
Robbie’s birthday calls for a cake tribute
YT, I’m hoping for lots of fireworks
JCPD-
We both know the pleasure is all ours.
Labor of love really.
Great to be able to share. Glad so many have enjoyed.
And as far as friendship goes thanks for being one to me.
upstate kate -
I knew what you meant – that’s how I feel, too.
And, yes, being a mom is always more important!!!
Have fun this weekend. I have to go get my daughter this afternoon – she’s got a dentist appointment here (for twice a year, we’re not going to change) and then we take her back Sunday morning (Parents’ Get Together). I’m looking forward to having her here for even that short a time.
upstate kate October 22nd, 2010 at 8:32 am
Robbie?s birthday calls for a cake tribute
*******************************
kate-great idea. I was actually thinking this morning of stopping on my way home and getting a cupcake.
I consider myself fortunate that my 19 yo daughter commutes to collese each day as it is only 15 miles away. i would really miss her otherwise…. ;- 0
Erin-
Personally, I’m hoping Robbie celebrates his birthday with a couple of bombs but I’m sure he’ll appreciate the cupcake too especially since it’s coming from you.
MTU-I am totally expecting him to have a great game on his birthday.
Can’t believe Halladay pitched almost that whole game last night with a groin pull. Basically pitching on one leg. Now that’s gutsy.
Oh, and happy birthday MVP Robbie Cano!!
Off-Topic
Every morning I do my crossword puzzles and a “Cryptoquote.” I want to share today’s cryptoquote solution:
“Baseball is drama with an endless run and an every-changing cast.” — Joe Garagiola
JM-
Where did you hear that ?
If the Phils were to advance is he done ?
New Post: What?s left to say about Robinson Cano?
(note-I think I’m really going to like this post
)
**That should be “ever-changing” — oops.
And totally against character, Steve Politi of the Star Ledger has a really good article today that references the 1958 Yankees WS against the Milwaukee Braves.
Down 3-1 in the WS and heading for Milwaukee on a sullen and quiet bus ride, he relates:
“So Mickey Mantle broke the silence himself. ‘For God’s sake! We’re here. We might as well win the da-n thing. Quite (peeing) in your pants!”
He reminds us that the situation the Yankees of 2010 find themselves in is very similar:
“The ’58 club lost three of the first four games in that series. It needed to win the final two games on the road to complete the comeback and, to top off the challenge, beat a starting pitcher who had absolutely dominated its hitters during the previous postseason. Sound familiar?”
MTU,
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....?eref=sihp
He says he will be ready to go for his next start…..in the World Series.