Pinch hitting: Todd Keryc
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Pinch hitters on Jan 22, 2011 
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Next up in out Pinch Hitters series is Todd Keryc, a 28-year-old out of Columbia University who spent the past six years in television production. He was raise in Connecticut, but his dad raised him to be a Yankees fan (he also became a Patriots fan, go figure). The first game he ever attended as Jim Abbott’s no-hitter.
For his post. Todd looked at the idea of loyalty in sports, and specifically what loyalty has meant for the Yankees connection to Derek Jeter, and Derek Jeter’s connection to the Yankees.
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Sometimes in life, good behavior goes unnoticed while bad behavior goes unpunished.
LeBron James took his talents to South Beach in a nationally-televised spectacle and set off a media firestorm regarding his stunning lack of commitment to a place he called home. Every angle and aspect of “The Decision” was dissected for weeks, with most everyone agreeing that LeBron could not have handled it much worse. Meanwhile, LeBron’s favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees, was thinking long and hard about their fall date at the negotiating table with their own franchise player.
Derek Jeter was about to conclude a 10-year contract that paid him just south of $200 million, perhaps the only baseball mega-deal that did not go sour for either player or team. During the decade, Jeter became the Yankees captain, helped the team to nine playoff appearances and five World Series titles. Until 2010, he was the model of consistency, never hitting worse than .292, making seven All-Star teams in nine years, even winning four (controversial) Gold Gloves. Instead of extending his deal and eliminating the pending free agency, the Yankees rolled the dice and Jeter bombed out. He finally showed signs of aging, suffering through career lows across the board and losing any possible leverage in the negotiations.
The dialogue quickly grew contentious. The Yankees turned to their favorite November tactic: hardball, a strategy they previously tried in 2007 when Alex Rodriguez opted out of his contract and the team vowed not to resign him. Weeks later, Rodriguez was given another record-breaking deal. Knowing Jeter had no intention of leaving this year, Brian Cashman used that loyalty to his own advantage. He dared Jeter, saying “we’ve encouraged him to test the market and see if there’s something he would prefer other than this.” The selfish player cashed in while the loyal player would have to cave if he wanted to stay.
Eventually, Jeter and the Yankees settled on a shorter deal with some incentives and a player option for a fourth year. All attention turned to Cliff Lee, a player who had been traded three times within a year, all out of the fear of losing him to free agency. The Yankees made the largest offer and certainly had the largest need. With a history of peak playoff performances, Lee would not shy away from the grand stage. Only he did shy away, returning to Philadelphia and forgetting the fact that they were one of the teams to send him elsewhere. Is it possible Lee watched the Jeter saga play out and thought twice about his relocation? If a team could treat a player of Jeter’s stature and loyalty with such disregard, how would they discuss a hired gun?
The divergence on loyalty comes between player and fan. Most players care about earning a good salary, playing in a good city, and succeeding in their chosen profession. They change teams freely in hopes of improving one of those barometers without concern for the faceless mass of humanity known as fans. Conversely, fans are loyal beyond fault. We stay with our teams for a lifetime, through wins and losses, championships and heartbreaks. We agonize over roster moves and lament pitching changes gone awry. We watch many people pass through the organization, hoping to find that special player who can represent our city and bring us a title. We spend decades hoping to find someone like Derek Jeter.
As a society, we are fascinated with big numbers. Alex Rodriguez is capable of hitting 50 home runs and LeBron James is capable of scoring 50 points. They are powerful, graceful athletes, blessed with impeccable timing and skill. They are also victims of their own talent. They are convinced that fans will love them unconditionally as long as they continue to produce on the field or court. There is no incentive for them to remain loyal to a city or franchise. Rodriguez bolted from Seattle for a big contract, forced his way out of Texas for more wins, and then somehow coaxed the Yankees into giving him even more money while continuing to win. James forced Cleveland’s hand in personnel moves for years, openly flirted with other franchises while still under contract, then left for Miami anyway. The Yankees went back on their public stance in order to retain A-Rod. The Cavs would have renamed the city if it meant keeping LeBron. The bad boys were rewarded for disloyalty.
Meanwhile, Jeter continues to plug away, the last hope for a marquee player to spend an entire career with one team. He may be fading on the field and his salary may far outweigh his contributions in the coming years. His range will only decrease further and eventually he will change positions. The franchise will openly wonder what to do with him and how to transition into a new era without the captain. Through it all, Derek Jeter will stay firm on one point. He is a Yankee for life.
For that, we should all be thankful.
Associated Press photo
MTU,
Do you think the Yankees have improved if Pettitte doesn’t return? I definitely think they are worse in that circumstance. I wish it was otherwise.
I’m not buying yet on the orioles. they got a nice jump from bringing in buck and while i think that wont carry as much weight over a full season, that was a big improvement.
what im not buying is that derrick lee is going to be great. at 35 last season, his ops dropped 200 points. its likely to bounce back some, but you are definitly looking for production from an aging player there. jj hardy imo, is never going to be the jj hardy of 3 or 4 years ago and is no replacement for tejada. m reynolds can hit the ball a country mile on those rare occasions he makes contact but 660+ k’s in 3 years is crazy. i cant see buck just signing him up for his daily 3 k’s and being happy about it.
matt wieters develpment as a hitter so far has been going in the wrong direction. and the O’s depth chart still lists felix pie in the starting lineup.
matusz, bergesen, tillman and arrieta might all be great pitchers someday, but they’re not there yet. the back of the bp is nice, they went and got 2 guys who can close, gregg and gonzales but with the luck (or lack thereof) the o’s have had with thier closers the past few years, you have to wonder about them, as a. simon will likely be spending this and many more seasons in a dominican prison.
altogether, some real talent there, but alot of questions. buck will likely get alot out of these guys as he probably has another 2 years before everyone in the organization tires of him and throws him out and unfortunatly for buck, like the yankees and dbacks and rangers before them, the o’s look to be developing just in time for the next manager to carry them to the top.
i say they start out like a house on fire, but finish around .500.
June 6, 2011
The day Derek Jeter is projected to get his 3,000th hit
Austin-
Starting rotation-wise no. In every other way yes.
Since I value SP above all else I have concerns if AP does not return.
I won’t lose hope until 2/1.
If AP does come back we are a very,very strong team.
Erica -
Is it home game?
“If a team could treat a player of Jeter’s stature and loyalty with such disregard, how would they discuss a hired gun?”
********
The Yankees treated Jeter as fair as possible. the fact Jeter balked at their original way over market deal was his fault, not the Yanks. Contrast the way Rivera handled his deal and it could easily be argued Rivera has been the player for the Yanks. I am thrilled both will be Yankees forever, but Jeter was the one who almost failed this process, not the Yanks.
Meant to say Rivera could be argued as the better player on the field
Doreen-
June 6th is an off-day (So I guess this highly scientific analysis was done prior to the announcement of the 2011 schedule).
But on June 7th, the Yankees start a 10 game homestand vs. Boston
MTU,
I agree. So much depends on Andy. I can’t imagine not adding a pitcher if he doesn’t return, but I’ll be darned if I can see a trade at this point in the year. It is not like other teams are wanting to thin their rotations.
I see no alternative to Garcia or Millwood. I hope Cashman is smarter than me.
Todd that was excellent. Thanks
Todd -
I liked your piece.
It’s unfortunate that “business” rears its ugly head sometimes, especially with respect to a Derek Jeter. While I understand the Yankees’ stance, I sure wish it hadn’t been so contentious, and I don’t think it needed to be. I really didn’t expect them to make an example of Derek.
I’m not sure that what was going on with Jeter had anything to do with where Lee ended up, but only Lee knows that for certain. I would venture a guess that at this point many players would say, “it’s a business.”
It’s easier to quantify HRs and FGs than longevity, consistency and loyalty, I guess.
The Yankees definitely had me fooled with regard to the Jeter situation, though. I was convinced they had been planning for this for many years and it would be a formality. Instead they focused on the remaining years as opposed the the years already gone by. I can’t say I disagree with this, but as I said before, I wish it could have been less painful (and less public) to go through.
Doreen-
If Jeter is anywhere close to 3,000 at the start of that homestand (and game against Boston) tickets will probably cost about a bajillion dollars (actual scientific analysis)
Erica -
That’s pretty funny!
So, he’s got a 10-game homestand to do it (unless he does it on the last game of the road trip or thereabouts).
sorry, this post seemed to be angling for some point about loyalty which it seemed to abandon down toward the end.
there was some stuff about lebron and lee which didnt add anything to the piece then we got into jeter.
derek jeter is great and popular, had a little rough patch along the way to being paid about double what the market would pay for him absent the lifelong/captain thing, and he’ll keep plugging away.
oh and we all love him and he will be our SS and captain for the forseeable future.
that about cover it?
I see a healthy Martin as a big upgrade. Jones is definitely better in the field than Thames, but I do not see him hitting within 50 points of what Thames hit last year. The rest of the bench is the same. To be better offensively, they need some bounce back years, and I think the odds are we will see some.
Erica -
Oh, definitely. At least a bajillion dollars each!!!
Austin-
If AP does not return I’m not sure it makes much difference if they go with a guy from the outside or go internal.
I’m really pretty much indifferent about it.
AP is the real difference maker in the equation.
Well done. I’ve stated before that I think its possible that the Jeter negociations may have affected Lee’s decision…..maybe not as a primary factor but perhaps in an “in the back of your mind” sort of way. The Yankees were right to hold their ground in the talks but I think they could have just as easily done that in private…..especially since there was zero chance Jeter was going anywhere and they knew it.
So I’m at the fantasy games and they aren’t allowing the players to do autographs. Its also freaking cold. For you northerners you might find it cool and refreshing but I am freezing. I shouldve brought a thicker hoodie.
whatever it is that scared lee away, im glad it was there. that was going to be a horrible contract imo.
Derek Jeter is my favorite current Yankee. I think the contract was fair to both sides, both in cash and length. I didn’t like Cashman’s comments, they seemed so red sox-ish. And I think that is what Jeter and fans had the most trouble with.
While Moose was not one of my favorites, I do give him credit for knowing when to retire…I hope Jeter does the same
tyanksfan36 January 22nd, 2011 at 9:30 am
So I’m at the fantasy games and they aren’t allowing the players to do autographs. Its also freaking cold. For you northerners you might find it cool and refreshing but I am freezing. I shouldve brought a thicker hoodie.
*****************
Look on the bright side. Its like 20 degrees on lovely Long Island this morning
However, I am in my office where it is always 70 and sunny
why would the Jeter negotiations have scared Lee away? He went back to the Phillies, a team that surprised him by not keeping him in the first place.
Well its a nice and warm 75 at my house. I’m sitting on the home side so its in the shade. I got a good seat that I don’t want to give up if I were to go to the visitors side
“Contrast the way Rivera handled his deal and it could easily be argued Rivera has been the player for the Yanks.”
Jeter never said anything throughout pretty much the entire thing….Also you really can’t compare a SS to a closer as far as value goes. You want find a bigger Rivera fan than me, he far and away the greatest of all time at his position and is just great in every way but:
Jeter has played over 20,000 innings for the Yankees….Rivera has pitched 1,150 innings for the Yankees. Jeter has affected over 18,000 more innings for the Yankees than Rivera has…..
so mo goes to the socks and considers their offer as a way to increase the pressure on the yankees to pay him more (the bernie william manuever) and gets all he can out of the yankees. nobody holds that against him, its just part of the game.
cashman quietly offers jeter a contract at double what he would get anywhere and jeter and his agent balk on it, they want alot more. so cashman goes public with his ‘shop it around’ comment and like jeter or not, everybody knows cash is right, nobody will pay him even close to what cashman already put on the table.
mo pulls a bernie, that’s just the way the game is played. cashman challenges jeter to find a better offer, that is slighting the captain and treating him like crap?
i guess players are allowed to play ‘the game’ but clubs aren’t.
won’t find
MTU,
This year’s internal candidates for the two spots seem to be Nova, Noesi, Miter and Phelps. That is bit scary since we don’t really know what we can expect. I think it reasonable to expect struggles. None are highly rated. At most, they are mid-level prospects, even our no. 4 Nova.
if anything, lee to the phillies shows loyalty to the club and manager he was on one year earlier.
Are you familiar with the phrase, lucky sperm club? Derek in a matter of speaking was a member of the lucky draft club.
He was drafted by a team where he didn’t have to choose between winning, money and loyalty because the NY Yankees offered it all.
Derek is a HOF player who elevates his game in big spots but gets no bonus points for loyalty from me because I don’t see a place in his career where his loyalty was ever truly tested.
Y’s Guy -
It all depends on who is perceived as the “nice guy” at that particular time.
Austin-
I mainly agree on who are the possible internal candidates.
Thing is Mitre might be just as good as say a Millwood, or possibly a Garcia.
I think Nova will be fine as a # 5. I would make him compete for it.
If we try to fill 2 from within I have a round-robin competition in ST with all the possibles fighting for spots.
Nobody gets handed anything.
“I see a healthy Martin as a big upgrade”
Defensively, yes. Offensively? Well, a healthy Martin posted a sub .700 OPS for two straight seasons.
pat -
That’s a very interesting perspective on Jeter.
cashman also has to take the shots for doing the club’s dirty work. as we saw with the soriano signing, the steins, levine, trost, and who knows who else are all involved in player decisions. so the jeter negotiations were not all brian’s doing. the brothers and co. also wanted to keep jeter’s salary from ballooning and hal actually fired the first shot when he said on the radio that the yankees didnt plan on paying jeter again for the contract he just finished.
but the heavy lifting fell to cashman and he had to be the one to bite the bullet and go public to keep close and jeter from deamanding he be repaid for past performance. so cashman is the guy who looks bad even though he was obviously fronting for organizational decisions.
“so cashman is the guy who looks bad even though he was obviously fronting for organizational decisions”
Hal went public on the Jeter thing too and though he was too big a candya$$ to put his name on anything, I suspect Levine was the source of some of the nastiness in that negotiation as well.
MTU,
Mitre hasn’t pitched as much as 100 innings in years. I just don’t see him as a viable starter.
# austinmac January 22nd, 2011 at 9:56 am
MTU,
Mitre hasn’t pitched as much as 100 innings in years. I just don’t see him as a viable starter.
———————————
Can you tell that to the Yankees please.
Wow! Didn’t notice in the all the Vernon Wells noise, that the Rays signed both Damon and Ramirez. Interesting. Somewhere, Trot Nixon must we waiting by his phone.
*must BE waiting…..
A deal I’d do:
Give the L.A. Angels some salary relief from taking on the contract of Vernon Wells by getting LHSP Scott Kazmir in exchange for Cervelli. If Angels GM Tony Reagins is hesitant, offer Austin Romine instead. The Yankees can absorb the loss of either catcher with Montero and Gary Sanchez on the horizon. Throw in RH Romulo Sanchez who will be out of options if he doesn’t break ST with the Yankees.
Kazmir will only be 27 on 1/24 and if his physicals are good, a hole is filled in the Yankee starting rotation. Kazmir is not outrageous money.
3 years/$28.5M (2009-11), plus 2012 club option
signed extension with Tampa Bay 5/14/08
09:$6M, 10:$8M, 11:$12M, 12:$13.5M club option ($2.5M buyout)
$0.8M bonus if traded (for first trade only)
perks: use of luxury suite for 5 home games per season
Kazmir to donate to club charity $75,000 each in 2009 and 2010, and $100,000 each in 2011 and 2012 (if option is exercised)
acquired by LA Angels in trade from Tampa Bay 8/29/09
Nice piece, well conceived and well written. I compare Jeter’s experience with those of Yogi or Mantle. They had to fight for every dollar every single year and deal with the team cutting their pay if they had a slight drop of production that year. There was no “loyalty” on the part of the team. They knew that they could do what they wanted because of the reserve clause that bound a player to one team throughout their career. In the era of free agency, Jeter has had it very, very cushy and has become very, very wealthy. No tears here.
Austin-
Like I said. I’m indifferent. I don’t see Millwood as any great shakes either, or Garcia.
AP is the only one who makes an appreciable difference to me.
Or possibly the Duke if he were healthy enough.
drop in production
Mell
on sports center they commented that Mike Timlin would be expecting a call to help the depleted Ray’s bullpen.
So Jeff Nelson is the pitcher for this game. Luis Sojo, chris chambliss, homer bush, david wells, daryl strawberry are all playing
Austin-
Maybe Mitre is only going to be a half season fill in.
With a move at the deadline or a later AP return.
Who fricken’ knows at this point.
I always had a soft spot for Luis Sojo
Tell him Erica says hi!
why would you want to give up talent to downgrade from mitre to kazmir?
is there some luck factor that comes in after a 3rd franchise gives up on a pitcher?
Saw where Damon is actually the Rays highest paid player in 2011.
Pat,
Great point.
I will say Derek’s “loyalty” to the team was tested in one important area and he flunked it…..and got a pass for it.
That was when Arod came to the team.
Arod was a better SS than Jeter yet, it was Arod who changed positions, not Jeter.
Jeter also took three years to set aside his feelings over his anger over the Esquire article.
Selfish since Derek is the captain of the team and should have helped make clubhouse life easier for Alex.
Derek is no saint, nor a victim.
He, like most professional athletes, has an ego and a selfish streak. It goes with the territory.
Derek is a good guy. However, assigning some magical selfless streak to him is not an accurate portrayal, and his negotiations with the Yankees weren’t out of bounds in the slightest.
It also had zero impact on Cliff Lee’s decision.
Fans always have a hard time separating the business of the game from the game.
The smart players, and Derek is one of the smartest, attempt to use that to better their bargaining position.
That’s ok with me.
Once it’s done though, it’s back to the game and that’s just the way it is.
“Loyalty” is non-existent on both sides because it HAS to be.
It’s the only way to effectively run the business.
mtu, good point. with andy likely to return late (imo) plus the possibility of an aquisition plus brackman racking up the aaa innings, the yankees are likely only looking for a 5th starter (or an group effort) to cover till midseason.
108:
That would seem a little nutty to me. Why take $30M plus in salaries for what would likely about $15M in production?
Y’s-
It’s anybody’s guess at this point.
MTU,
If Pettite doesn’t come back I think the Yanks will certainly look to make a deal at some point before the deadline as teams fall out of contention etc….
I think Pettite is coming back though but I wouldn’t rule out some big names being made available this summer if certain things play out……I’ve said it before but the Mariners are clearly the ugly duckling in the AL west, if they are 15-20 games out in June as they very well could be then I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they put Felix on the market before his salary jumps to near 20 million in 2012.
close your eyes and imagine: Sabathia, Hernandez, Pettite, Hughes, AJ/Nova…..with that bullpen and lineup. Unlikely but sometimes dreams come true
Derek didn’t have to “fight” for any of the over 200 million dollars he has earned from the Yankees.
It’s not comparable to Mantle and Berra at all because the Reserve Clause no longer exists and the Players Union is actually a powerful one. Unlike the way it was in Mantle and Berra’s playing days.
He’s a baseball player folks. Not a saint.
To that end, BOTH sides have benefited from the relationship.
It’s been the ultimate win-win situation.
Blake-
Never hurts to dream. Unless you happen to sleep on a bed of nails.
Thankfully, the season starts soon.
‘king felix’ has become the holy grail of this board, replacing manny ramirez’s long reign on that pedistal.
“‘king felix’ has become the holy grail of this board, ”
yes, what’s the harm
SJ,
what are the Angels doing?
Ken_Rosenthal
Longoria also is at API. Must have given #Rays good report. RT @pgammo Report from API:Manny in unbelievable shape. #MLB less than a minute ago via web
anybody ask Longo or Manny if they saw Joba there…..
no harm blake, just an observation. certainly i’d be all for bringing felix in (dependind on the cost), i just think the speculation about him coming far outweighs the probability of it actually happening.
i think a team like the mariners, rather than selling off the cream of thier crop, would hang on to him and rebuild around him. jmo.
now THERE”S a sign of spring! the first ‘_______’ is in GREAT SHAPE’ of the spring!
…along with the first “how fat is joba!”
it cant be long now till the first robin…
SJ, that’s my point. (Sorry if I didn’t make it clearly.) There’s a huge contrast between Jeter’s experience and that of iconic Yankees of the reserve clause era. Many feel sorry for Jeter, feeling like he has been mistreated by the Yanks, taken advantage of because of his loyalty to the team. Both sides play the system that exists at the time to their own maximum advantage, which is the nature of business. Free agency has changed the balance of power to the benefit of the players and so Jeter has done much better for himself than players did in the 50s and 60s. As you said, both sides have benefited and I can’t feel bad for either side.
“i just think the speculation about him coming far outweighs the probability of it actually happening.”
oh I agree there. The thing with the Mariners is that they are a long way from being competitive in that division most likely…..they need a lot of pieces and probably a near total rebuild from the ground up. They have young players in Smoak and Ackley that could be the start of something but are they going to be able to accomplish it before 2014 when Felix’s contract is up?
If its not looking realistic for them to be able to do that then they would be much better off getting top dollar for him in prospects and then using his 20 million a year to add more pieces….they can afford him and he’s a great pitcher but as we saw last year, having the best pitcher in baseball and nothing else still leads to a bad team overall. We’ll see how it plays out….Jack Z is going to be on the hot seat soon if things don’t change there.
# blake January 22nd, 2011 at 10:23 am
SJ,
what are the Angels doing?
——————————-
Desperation
Blake,
Classic example why you can’t carry feuds over a period of time because it hurts your team.
Arte Moreno’s disike of Scott Boras is really hurting his franchise.
It’s tough to do but, you can’t hold long term grudges over contract negotiations.
This is an off-season where the Angels could have easily added Crawford, Beltre and Soriano and would have had a very good team.
Instead, Moreno let his feud with Boras hurt him with 2 players, and foolishly fell asleep at the wheel with the Non-Boras client (Crawford).
Its crazy but, just goes to show you what happens when you let emotion get in the way of doing business.
Moreno isn’t alone. It happens a lot in sports.
blake, i agree about the m’s but they seem to be a team that would not subject thier fans to a ‘scorched earth’ rebuild. they seem to be more the type of team that would keep felix as a draw, along with ichiro, and let them carry the team somewhere above bottom-feeder status while they rebuild. it has to be tempting to get what you can for one of the best pitchers in mlb, but i think they won’t tear it down quite that far. as the rangers showed last year, you can turn things around in the west pretty quickly and the M’s arent paupers.
Ed,
No question.
Five, FIVE Yankee players either own outright, or have fractional ownership, in their own jets.
Not some small prop planes….Jets, as I’m Gulfsteam IV types of aircrafts.
This ain’t the 50′s folks.
This is an era of ridiculously wealthy owners and fabulously wealthy players.
Neither side will need telethons thrown for them to pay their bills.
Y’s guy,
the the Rangers turned things around by developing players and then trading some of them and keeping some of them. They traded Tex for Andrus and Feliz, aquired Hamilton by trading one of their promising pitching prospects, and traded their best prospect last year for a Cliff Lee rental.
You could be right, but the M’s could potentially fill most of their holes with one move if you consider the king’s ransom they would get for Felix plus the 20 extra million they would have to spread around in free agency next winter.
SJ
Golf Tourney this past week and not a current teammate listed on any of the PR stuff? Scheduling issue or something else?
SJ,
yea it’s hard to understand. They could have signed Beltre and then traded Napoli and Rivera for other pieces if they wanted to deal them….
Against All Odds January 22nd, 2011 at 10:32 am
# blake January 22nd, 2011 at 10:23 am
SJ,
what are the Angels doing?
——————————-
Desperation
*******************
How I know I need to go home soon:
I read this as “depreciation” on my first look
speaking of scorched earth rebuilds…how bad must it be to be a mets fan? the team seems to be saying they like what the knicks did, flounder in the basement while we wait for really really bad contracts to expire.
they have to hope that beltran has a big start to the year so they can trade him for talent, likely the same with reyes. they dont have any talent in the minors, so they really need some good prospects in return for veterans. johan wont be back till june, so his trade value is likely shot for this year, and if reyes and beltran repeat last season, the mets will have nothing of value to move for prospects.
Pat,
I noticed that. Thought that was interesting.
Not surprising though.
Contrast it with Swisher’s invitation list for his wedding.
SJ,
Yes, and that ‘s a far cry from ML players having to work at Sears during the winter to make ends meet. Yogi and Rizzuto worked in a men’s clothing store during their careers and Yogi was maitre d’ at a St. Louis restaurant (“People don’t go there any more because it’s always too crowded.”)
So far at the fantasy camp games, Jeff Nelson has been the better pitcher between him and Wells.
Erica,
Good “deduction” you need to go home.
tyanksfan, is el duque there?
of cone, leiter, wells, hernandez (i assume mussina and misremembered arent there…) i’d expect el duque to be the one who can still get filthy.
# Erica in NY January 22nd, 2011 at 10:45 am
Against All Odds January 22nd, 2011 at 10:32 am
# blake January 22nd, 2011 at 10:23 am
SJ,
what are the Angels doing?
——————————-
Desperation
*******************
How I know I need to go home soon:
I read this as “depreciation” on my first look
—————————————-
lol hey it happens to all of us
I always wondered how Thurman could afford that plane. The cost was probably more than a few years salary for him.
austinmac January 22nd, 2011 at 10:51 am
Erica,
Good “deduction” you need to go home.
*************
One of my other personal favorite moments from this week-
I told a co-worker after a meeting that I “needed to check my blueberry”. LOL
And its only the first week
i would imagine wells just being way fat, coney just having fun and tossing a few for guys to hit, leiter….just shut up for a minute al…but duque, you give him a ball and put a hitter in front of him and he’s going to get nasty….
Mell January 22nd, 2011 at 10:12 am
108:
That would seem a little nutty to me. Why take $30M plus in salaries for what would likely about $15M in production?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got a better proposal ? The only options are through trade or hope that the highest end of prospects get it done in 2011 until even better system arms are ready.
Going on the cheap with rehab projects is not the answer either.
Ys guy
No he isn’t. At least I haven’t heard he was here. Soo far it just looks like Wells and Nelson are the only pitchers. Homer Bush has a single and a double and Jeff Nelson has 2 singles. Chris Chambliss has a double as well. The greats are a lot better than the fantasy campers.
chambliss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STANDING O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
those of us who made it through horace clark and cbs will never forget!
108 my better proposal would be to keep the better pitcher, mitre, keep the prospects and stay as far away from kazmir as possible. why be the 3rd club burned by a guy who’s propsect status died about 3 years ago?
Just making a move for the sake of making a move isn’t the answer.
Kazoos and Wells are not players you look to acquire given the contracts v. Productivity.
You don’t have to fill every position with a “name” and lock yourself into bad contracts.
Can’t be afraid of giving younger players a shot.
kazmir and his 5.94 era and 68 era+ is likely going to be available on waivers before ST is over.
At least Derek Jeter is loyal to the Yankees unlike Lebron
Totally agree. Make a move when one makes sense and that is an actual upgrade. Kazmir, Millwood, Garcia, etc aren’t significantly better than what they have if they are at all. Stand pat and pull the trigger when a real upgrade is available if one is needed…..I think the Yanks will be able to hold their own until that time.
You know it’s close to spring training when Jeter has his annual Turn Two golf tournament in Tampa featuring notables such as Michael Jordan among others.
Soon he’s an early arrival as always at the minor league complex.
yeah lebron as such a prick to the yankees…
*was* …sorry
Why does LeBron need to be loyal to Cleveland?
He was a free agent and had the choice to do whatever he wanted.
Was CC Sabathia “disloyal” to Milwaukee for signing with the Yankees?
Loyalty has nothing to do with it.
While the pinch hitter piece is well written, I have to disagree with it slightly.
I think the Jeter negotiations were meaningless to Cliff Lee.
I also think this piece ignores the fact that Jeter’s agent wanted Arod money and Arod years taking Jeter up to age 42 guaranteed which would be ludicrous for the Yankees to agree to when Jeter is 36.
When the Yankees balked on a 6 year 150million deal, Jeter’s agent publicly spat with the Yankees and that’s why this went down the road it did.
Derek didn’t walk into the owners office in his dirty uniform saying, “Just give me a fair deal boss”. He started out asking for something that was outlandish.
His agent has as much to blame with how this all went down as the Yankees do.
Cashman has let out quotes that should never leave his lips this off season, but Jeter’s agent wasn’t exactly silent in his negotiations through the press.
It’s great that Jeter is back and I hope and expect him to be a better hitter this year (had no problem with his defense last year).
That said, Mariano and Jorge both have only played in one uniform yet it’s talked about like Jeter is the only one. Bernie only played in a Yankee uniform. I imagine Cano will probably only wear one uniform too.
There’s this perception that Jeter is the only one who wore the pinstripes his entire career recently and it’s false. Mo & Jorge may have negotiated with other teams, but they will only be Yankees unless Jorge decides to try to stick around another season next year if another team comes calling.
“During the decade, Jeter became the Yankees captain, helped the team to nine playoff appearances and five World Series titles. ”
Nope. He won one from 2001-2010. He won four before that, though!
James ended up on the Cavs because of a ping-pong ball. He owed nothing to them.
I still follow Damon’s and Matsui’s careers as they move around MLB and root strongly for their Yankee replacements, Gardner and Posada. Player movement enriches my enjoyment of baseball as I enjoy more players on other teams and check those teams’ box scores as well as the Yanks’.
jeter’s got alot of other stuff to worry about than what cashman said along the path to $15M+.
hes got to worry about his hitting. he’s got to worry about his aging body, he’s got to worry about his range. he has to worry about his playing time vs. rest, he has to worry about whether he is still the best option at ss and at the top of the order.
i love derek and expect more great things from him, but the buisness about his contract had better be way in his rearview mirror if he’s going to continue to be a driver and not a passanger in yankeeland.
Austinmac, agreed – the SP is definitely not up to snuff.
For those that are pining for a deal for Mark Buehrle, it would be a steep price to pay for a 1 year gamble, hoping that he stays beyond one year, with the risk of no draft picks when/if he bolts. I’d say “No way”.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....uture.html
Hi, just dropping in to say Kevin Long is on mlb network Hot Stove after the break. Carry on.
James had the right under the rules to go anywhere he wanted to. It was how he did it that was so objectionable. It was a public relations mistake of epic proportions and the practical result is that no mater how many championships he wins, his image and place in sports history will never rise to the iconic level of a Bird, Magic or Jordan.
Athletes don’t have a lock on selfishness. All human beings are selfish – maybe not individually as a whole, but all humans have moments of selfishness. Personally I had zero problem with Derek not moving from short. Alex is the one who wanted to be traded, so let HIM make the sacrifice. I did have a major problem with how he froze Alex out because of the Esquire thing, but that’s over and done with and I don’t think about it at all.
money aside the Angels are a better team right now than they were yesterday at this time….
Royals lock up Billy Butler for 4 years and $30M. Buys out his arb years and 1 year of free agency. Seems a pretty smart move. Young man can rake.
The grudge thing is happening in the NBA. The Nuggets are pissed off at Melo for wanting to come to NY (even though it’s all based on Chris Paul’s comments at his wedding and speculation in the papers -granted, spec that is true) and so because of that, they are desperate to ship him anywhere but. I can even see them, if Melo refuses to sign anywhere but with NY (as appears to be the case) holding onto him instead of getting something for him from the Knicks. Granted, this is a player they are trying to spite, not a team, but the point is that it’s become very personal for Denver and that’s never a good thing.
Butler is a born DH. He could quite easily replace Edgar Martinez as the best DH ever.
I don’t think players owe ANYTHINTG to their teams. From the time they are in college/HS to the time they are drafted, they don’t own their careers – the school does and then the team that drafts them. When it comes time to be a FA, they should go wherever they want. With Melo, it’s ridiculous that Denver is pissed off because he won’t go where they want him to go – and fans are booing him.
Whose golf tournament?
I think the Angels are going to be very competitive; they definitely improved themselves, they are deep at the catching position and Wells will contribute offensively. They also improved their outfield defense. That division should be a horse race; I think Texas would still have to be the favorite but their pitching is suspect and Oakland has done a very good job getting better this off-season. West Coast trips are always hard; and they will be no easier for the Yankees this year.
“Why does LeBron need to be loyal to Cleveland?
He was a free agent and had the choice to do whatever he wanted”
If he weren’t such a jacka$$ in the manner he announced his decision, I think people would have taken it a lot better. Otherwise, it’s hard to beef about anyone taking full advantage of their free agency.
GLove, agree completely………….
# Betsy January 22nd, 2011 at 11:32 am
The grudge thing is happening in the NBA. The Nuggets are pissed off at Melo for wanting to come to NY (even though it’s all based on Chris Paul’s comments at his wedding and speculation in the papers -granted, spec that is true) and so because of that, they are desperate to ship him anywhere but. I can even see them, if Melo refuses to sign anywhere but with NY (as appears to be the case) holding onto him instead of getting something for him from the Knicks. Granted, this is a player they are trying to spite, not a team, but the point is that it’s become very personal for Denver and that’s never a good thing.
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Yea Denver is doing everything they can to not satisfy Melo’s needs. I guess the comments by Paul as well as other things really upset them. According to a report last night the offer the Knicks made is not enough. Translation leave us along please lol
wcyf, thats overdramatic. no he will never be up there with bird and michael, just like nobody well ever be babe ruth, so what?
if he wins 2 rings in say 4 or 5 years in miami, nobody will even mention the announcement thing. he’s a young guy who let his ego and his buddies push him into some bad off-court decisions. not criminally bad or ethically bad, just bad taste and self indulgence. this is nothing, hes still strikes me as a pretty good kid and ultil i see him putting out a tastless violent rap album, or see him fathering dozens of children out of wedlock, or see him in handcuffs, im not going to condemn him because he took a huge payoff to way overdue his announcement.
lebron’s reputation still rests with what he will do on the court, and the other stuff will all be sidebar in the long run.
Can’t say I liked the article, but thanks for the effort.
Comparing LeBron to Derek and calling one selfish and one loyal was the breaking point for me. They both were trying to get the most they possibly could–Jeter would not have been able to even match the Yankee offer elsewhere, and he knew it.
If Jeter had held the hammer, he would have called the Red Sox like Mo did.
All in all, this article seems to be a fan’s wish instead of reality.
“With Melo, it’s ridiculous that Denver is pissed off because he won’t go where they want him to go – and fans are booing him”
Fans are booing him because he’s making noise about where he wants to go despite NOT being a free agent. You never heard Lebron doing that in his final year w/ the Cavs.
Melo has said publicly that Lebron handled it badly – he does not want to be looked at as a villain, so perhaps that’s why he hasn’t said outright that he will refuse any extension unless it’s with NY. I don’t think he’s done anything wrong, I kind of feel sorry for him. I agree Lebron handled it badly. If he wanted to leave the Cavs, no problem, but why not do it quietly? NM That said, I’m glad he tweeted about them after they got humiliated by the Lakers – I thought Dan Gilbert’s letter was incomprehensibly stupid..
Mell January 22nd, 2011 at 11:31 am
Royals lock up Billy Butler for 4 years and $30M. Buys out his arb years and 1 year of free agency. Seems a pretty smart move. Young man can rake.
++++++++++++++
Reminds me of young Edgar MArtinez and Mike Sweeney. Great bat, lead glove.
Mell, we haven’t heard that much from Melo. The Nuggets are the ones trying to trade him. The only thing we heard was, a week or so ago, him saying that playing in NY was a dream. Outside of that, where has he publicly stated that he was definitely leaving and that he demanded a trade now?
“Derek is a HOF player who elevates his game in big spots but gets no bonus points for loyalty from me because I don’t see a place in his career where his loyalty was ever truly tested.”
I think Derek busting it down the line every time , or not giving up on any play, not only tests his loyalty but (to me anyway) proves his loyalty on a daily basis.
Wearing the pinstripes with as much (or more) pride than anybody else, tells me how loyal he is. Throw a more rigorous test at him, and he will pass. No doubt in my mind.
Could Derek have handled it better when Alex signed, I would have to say yes. Nobody ( I’m not anyway) is saying he’s perfect. Just more right in this negotiation.
And it’s precisely for business reasons that the Yankees should have recognized it. Water under the bridge now, but I do wonder what role (if any) this played in the Soriano negotiations?
Against all Odds, if Sheridan is right and the clubs are at least talking, I think that was a nice starting point. All I would like them to do is give the Knicks some kind of indication of the kind of package it would take to get Melo – this way at least Walsh could make a move/moves towards that end (like trading AR). If they insist on shopping Melo to every team, even those who would just rent him (where they’d get less than even a Knicks offer) and continue to sort of freeze out the Knicks, they are only hurting themselves.
Betsy:
Fair enough. He did make the “dream come true” reference while a member of the Nuggets, which is pretty bogus. Otherwise, I guess he’s been outwardly quiet, though I suspect he’s making life suck a little for the Nuggets FO behind the scenes. I don’t buy the Nuggets have mistreated him in any way.
Tar January 22nd, 2011 at 11:42 am
I do wonder what role (if any) this played in the Soriano negotiations?
++++++++++++++++++++
Unless Boras was trying to get Jeter to pay some of Soriano’s salary, it had zero impact. Players and agents are all about business.
I didn’t think Jeter was in any way disloyal during the negotiations, but I thought he (because he allowed his agent to handle things this way) was pretty stupid. I love that he’s ultra-confident, but when you (anyone) start off negotiations asking for the sun, moon and stars when that is off-the-charts outlandish, all that’s going to do is annoy the other party. Derek can be angry at Cash all he likes, but this would have gone more smoothly had he been more realistic in his demands
Guest piece was really well written and presented. Good job.
But only within my own PERSONAL preferences … just mine … I wouldn’t choose to compare the two icons and the two sports.
I used to be a big fan of basketball, I go back to the 60s with it. But I barely follow it anymore. It’s now a game that combines the worst elements of a thug mentality with the adoration of its stars on a level with the movie and music industries. It’s an 81-game exhibition season and the games are largely only played seriously during the playoffs. My last straw finally came with the debacle in Detroit, watching the Pacers’ Stephen Jackson and others slugging it out with fans
Baseball has had its own dark moments, no question, given the labor lockouts as well as PEDs and congressional hearings. But the game survived and continues to maintain its integrity.
JMO.
YsGuy – No one said he was a criminal or anything like that. I am just saying that LeBron will forever be known for how poorly he handled leaving Cleveland. Everything about it was distasteful and wrong, from how he dealt with Cavalier management and the fans to the Giraldo Rivera like opening of Capone’s vault spectacle with Jim Gray.
Betsy January 22nd, 2011 at 11:47 am
Derek can be angry at Cash all he likes
++++++++++++++++
How could Derek remain angry at Brian after seeing him in the cute little elf outfit?
# GreenBeret7 January 22nd, 2011 at 11:33 am
Butler is a born DH. He could quite easily replace Edgar Martinez as the best DH ever.
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not saying Martinez wasn’t a great player but he played a lot of years and had a lot of AB’s….
when all is said and done Ortiz will out homer, out RBI, score more runs and have a better SLG % ……Martinez will have more hits and a better BA than Ortiz
“Unless Boras was trying to get Jeter to pay some of Soriano’s salary, it had zero impact. Players and agents are all about business.”
I was coming from the angle of Cashman being overruled.
Mell, the Nuggets haven’t mistreated him, but they are clearly going out of their way to spite him by avoiding dealing with the Knicks on a serious basis. They were acting this way before his “dream to play in NY” comments meaning they were punishing him and the Knicks for things another player said and that the media has reported as their opinion (where he wants to play), so as to their lives being made miserable, I admit I place the blame squarely on their shoulders. I can’t think of another example of a team acting like a 5 year old child.
well maybe not score more runs but it will be close
i think lebron will be forever remembered for what he does on the court and then someone might mention that his move out of cleveland wasnt the best. thats it. his rep will be determined on the court, not off.
joe torre’s departure from ny wasnt great, but he’s not going to be ‘forever remembered’ for it. hes going to be forever remembered as an mvp hitter and the guy who managed the yankees to 4 rings. oh and his leaving the yankees wasnt the best…
I AM grateful to have Jeter back in pinstripes. The grown-up in me (born-in-the-Bronx Yankee fan since first baseball I can remember in 1957) has to recognize that this was, by far, the best thing Derek could do for Derek.
Admittedly, I am NOT in the entertainment/sports business and age is likely to catch up with me much later in life. In my world (healthcare), some of my colleagues (I like to think I am included) take as part of our ‘compensation’ the fact that it is a privilege to be contributing to the mission of the organization. Rather than forsake that privilege, we take less financial compensation then we would get if we exercised ‘free agency’.
One could argue that if Derek’s biggest goal is to win another World Series with the Yankees, he could have told management that he would take only $5 million a year if it would help them bring in the additional talent needed to secure that next championship.
I seem to recall a story (which I can no longer find) of an opera singer (Caruso?) who, after turning down an offer, was offered a blank check to re-up with the opera company as long
he understood that any additional monies paid to him (above the rejected offer) would have to come at a cost of the quality of the company that would surround him for his performances. He took the original offer.
Tar January 22nd, 2011 at 11:50 am
“Unless Boras was trying to get Jeter to pay some of Soriano’s salary, it had zero impact. Players and agents are all about business.”
I was coming from the angle of Cashman being overruled.
++++++++++
Ahhhh. Good point then.
Brian may no longer be the golden boy in Chez Steinbrenner.
LOL Bojo. It doesn’t bother me if he does remain angry – I mean, when does he ever need to speak to Cashman? If he were angry at Joe, that would be a bigger problem. This? No big deal.
Betsy January 22nd, 2011 at 11:52 am
LOL Bojo. It doesn’t bother me if he does remain angry – I mean, when does he ever need to speak to Cashman? If he were angry at Joe, that would be a bigger problem. This? No big deal.
++++++++++++++++++
I think Brian should periodically come to the clubhouse in deifferent costumes. After a tough loss, he might try Bozo the clown. Or after a big win, the Phillie Phanatic…etc. He seems like a natural actor.
# Betsy January 22nd, 2011 at 11:43 am
Against all Odds, if Sheridan is right and the clubs are at least talking, I think that was a nice starting point. All I would like them to do is give the Knicks some kind of indication of the kind of package it would take to get Melo – this way at least Walsh could make a move/moves towards that end (like trading AR). If they insist on shopping Melo to every team, even those who would just rent him (where they’d get less than even a Knicks offer) and continue to sort of freeze out the Knicks, they are only hurting themselves.
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Yea it is a starting point if they are at least talking. Denver wants to get value for their star player and there is nothing wrong with that but sooner or later they have to give in a little bit. If not they’ll be left with nothing but a sub par package. There is even talk that teams are reconsidering renting Melo. Who knows if it’s true or not but it’s another story being thrown out there.
Leaving work now.
Have a wonderful rest of the day
“What costume would you like to see Brian Cashman wear?” contest…funniest entree wins a giant all-purpose no prize.
Against Odds, it’s a soap opera for sure. I’ve been more into the Knicks and this drama than I have the Yankees -and I’m being honest. Broussard reported last night that Melo simply will wait out until FA because NY is the only team he wants to sign with. Apparently he doesn’t think he’ll lose THAT much $$$ if there is a new CB – esp. since he can make $$$ back in endorsements. We’ll see……….
Bojo, let him come to the clubhouse in a Yankee uniform; he’s so unobtrusive that I’m not sure anyone will recognize him, lol
Betsy January 22nd, 2011 at 11:59 am
Against Odds, it’s a soap opera for sure. I’ve been more into the Knicks and this drama than I have the Yankees -and I’m being honest. Broussard reported last night that Melo simply will wait out until FA because NY is the only team he wants to sign with. Apparently he doesn’t think he’ll lose THAT much $$$ if there is a new CB – esp. since he can make $$$ back in endorsements. We’ll see……….
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Yea I’ve been wrapped up in the Knicks too. Going to nba boards every few mins to see if there is any new news. It’s as bad as the Cliff Lee saga lol.
If Melo is willing to wait then the Knicks are in the driver seat.
YsGuy – comparing Joe Torre to Lebron James? Come on.
# GreenBeret7 January 22nd, 2011 at 11:33 am
Butler is a born DH. He could quite easily replace Edgar Martinez as the best DH ever.
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put it this way he has a lot of work to do to be better than
my top 3
Frank Thomas
Edgar Martinez
David Ortiz
if you put yourself into the future, looking back on a lebron championship in miami, you can see how the ‘announcement’ thing will be looked at as a minor mistake, which he heroically overcame on his way to the top. he will be seen as reaching the crest DESPITE all the naysayers who poo-pooed (can i say that?) his announcment and derided his joining wade (and some other guy i cant remember now) to a layup of a championship. it will only add to his hype and glory, but only IF he wins an nba crown in miami.
if he succeeds on-court, everything else just adds to the glory.
The Melo situation only serves to reinforce the reality that the NBA has a problem with superstars dictating what teams they are going to play for with no benefit to the team they are leaving, i.e. Even before the become free agents. Type A or B draft picks might not work in the NBA, but some adjustment needs to be made.
Homer Bush and Jeff Nelson are the only 2 here that look like they are in shape to play next year. We should see if they’re available.
Homer Bush and Jeff Nelson are the only 2 here that look like they are in shape to play this year. We should see if they’re available.
If a player is transparent about their wish to test free agency or to leave all together then that gives the team the opportunity to trade them and get a return before their deal expires
Frank Thomas is probably only HOFer DH so far…I don’t think Martinez and Ortiz get in.
YsGuy January 22nd, 2011 at 12:08 pm
if you put yourself into the future,
++++++++++++++++
If you CAN put yourself in the fuure, please let me know what tonight’s winning lottery numbers will be.
When did Melo, except for his comments a week ago, try to push anything on Denver? Denver is the one who is trying to trade him so they don’t lose him for nothing…………. I don’t think he’s trying to dictate anything, but Melo doesn’t have to sign with NJ or another team; he’s not under any obligation to help Denver out just because. After all, it is his career.
Blake – when they communicate that it only be to one team, and that team does not have enough trade chips to satisfy the other team……
I don’t follow basketball enough anymore to know this, but if the Kncks do get Anthony, are they a better team than Heat?
# BoJo January 22nd, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Frank Thomas is probably only HOFer DH so far…I don’t think Martinez and Ortiz get in.
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agree 100%……..that B Butler statement is pure stupid & nobody calls that guy out on that
# BoJo January 22nd, 2011 at 12:18 pm
I don’t follow basketball enough anymore to know this, but if the Kncks do get Anthony, are they a better team than Heat?
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No they aren’t a better team than the Heat but they will be able to at least stand toe to toe with them.
@Bojo by getting Melo the knicks become better than the teams on their level.
Bojo, no because they’ll have to give up some pieces this year. I’d rather them get him as a FA so they can keep the entire team together, but if they have to give up some players to get it done now, so be it. I’m a satisfied Knick fan (though their slump is frustrating) because they are in much, much better shape than I thought they’d be. I loved them in the 90′s when I started following them, but it’s been a dark, depressing decade for them, so I really admire Walsh for turning them around..
Wcyf,
That doesn’t happen that often though and its still better than nothing.
Thomas played nearly 1,000 games and had his best years as a 1b.
i was going to say i saw homer’s debut as a yankee but i checked at it was his second game as a yankee, 8/19/97 at the big a in aneheim. there was a big contigent of yankees fans there as was the custom back in those days when the angels only served as an excuse for the great teams to be seen in socal.
when homer was announced a huge DOH! went up from the yankees faithfull which cracks me up to this day!
to say that david wells didnt have it that day is to state the obvious, he gave up 11 earned runs in his 3 innings. but the game was memorable for one anomoly, with the bp gassed and the starter being bombed, the yankees turned to an aging, former high school knuckleballer named wade boggs to pitch the 8th inning, and he was unhittalbe! he walked 4 batters but struck out the side!
# blake January 22nd, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Wcyf,
That doesn’t happen that often though and its still better than nothing.
Thomas played nearly 1,000 games and had his best years as a 1b.
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don’t matter he’s still a DH
joeman January 22nd, 2011 at 12:18 pm
agree 100%……..that B Butler statement is pure stupid & nobody calls that guy out on that
+++++++++++++++
?? What guy? What are you referring to?
“Brian may no longer be the golden boy in Chez Steinbrenner”
Exactimente. Can’t think the Jeter negotiation helped his cause.
So Anthony doesn’t win NY a championship, eh?
Were the Knicks also trying to acquire a guard that is a pending FA as well? What is the plan to win a championship…or is that just a fool’s dream?
True–as purely a DH, Thomas only had about a 28 WAR…not nearly enough to qualify for HOF…his monsteryears did come at 1B
this right here
# GreenBeret7 January 22nd, 2011 at 11:33 am
Butler is a born DH. He could quite easily replace Edgar Martinez as the best DH ever.
——————————————————————————————————————
# BoJo January 22nd, 2011 at 12:28 pm
So Anthony doesn’t win NY a championship, eh?
Were the Knicks also trying to acquire a guard that is a pending FA as well? What is the plan to win a championship…or is that just a fool’s dream?
———————————
Anthony makes them contenders for the first time since the 90′s. The plan that many fans and maybe even Melo wants to see is a big 3 in NY: Amare, Melo, and Chris Paul. Take into a account that moving forward the Heat will only get better and teams like the Celtics will fall off due to age and changes to the roster. Some ppl believe that D’antoni is not the best coach for the Knicks. I think Stephen A Smith was the one who felt that Doc Rivers could become the coach down the line.
Just for fun, here are Thomas’s stats…look at those years from 1991-1997.WOW!
http://www.baseball-reference......fr04.shtml
70% of Martinez games were at DH…compare him to Molitor who had 50% of his games at DH…
Put Billy Butler on carpet and in a home run haven with a Buehner, Rodriguez and Griffey and and see what his numbers look like. Butler’s numbers after 4 seasons are at least equal to Martinez’ numbers from ’87 through ’93, in roughly the same number of at bats and at a much younger age. So much for stupid remarks.
mello comes to ny next year and phil jackson returns as coach…
joeman January 22nd, 2011 at 12:33 pm
this right here
# GreenBeret7 January 22nd, 2011 at 11:33 am
Butler is a born DH. He could quite easily replace Edgar Martinez as the best DH ever.
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I think you can make a case that Martinez as purely a DH was the best…just looking a pure DH performance between Martinez, Thomas, and Ortiz…not sure if it is that foolish.
I’d actually have to do work to look at the details, so that is not happening…But perhaps someone else so inclined can tell us.
I wasn’t comparing Butler to Thomas.
Odds-
Thanks for the recap
GB7, seriously, why do you have to call people stupid when discussing a baseball player?
No problem Bojo
If someone were making a case for best DH of all time, they can try to get the WAR created from DH only games and compare Martinez, Thomas, Ortiz, Molitor, and of course Blomberg.
I think Butler will be hurt in the chase because Royals seem to be trying to force him to play 1B.
Butler is in 4 seasons average 50 runs a year,13 hrs,150 hits,70 rbi’s….
if…Ted played in YS and if Joe played in Fenway
I do think Butler is on verge of becoming an elite hitter…I would want him on my fantasy team if I could get him.
But then again, me actually having a fantasy team would be a fantasy.
West Coast Yankee Fan January 22nd, 2011 at 12:41 pm
GB7, seriously, why do you have to call people stupid when discussing a baseball player
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I called his Butler statement stupid so in turn…he let it go
ok so my boggs as a pitcher memory was faulty…(anyone who knows that i’ve had brain surgery will not be suprised!) boggs faced 4 batters, walked one and stuck out one in his 1 inning of work.
Hosmer is the future for the Royals at 1st base.
West Coast Yankee Fan January 22nd, 2011 at 12:41 pm
GB7, seriously, why do you have to call people stupid when discussing a baseball player?
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Seriously, why don’t you try reading?
GreenBeret7 January 22nd, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Hosmer is the future for the Royals at 1st base
++++++++++++++++
Could be…also could be DH…or a trade chip. Will be interesting to see what they do with Butler given his contract certainty.
# GreenBeret7 January 22nd, 2011 at 12:47 pm
West Coast Yankee Fan January 22nd, 2011 at 12:41 pm
GB7, seriously, why do you have to call people stupid when discussing a baseball player?
———————————————————————————————————————-
Seriously, why don’t you try reading?
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hey GB I took care of that for you …..can we be blog buds ?
PTS GB?
*runs to new thread*
In the stand up and take notice New York and Boston category. In 2012 the Toronto Blue Jays only have $14.5 million committed to payroll.
with all the Melo talk, does that mean there are ‘cuse fans around? It is good that Joseph is back, but those turn overs are killing them
BoJo January 22nd, 2011 at 12:49 pm
GreenBeret7 January 22nd, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Hosmer is the future for the Royals at 1st base
++++++++++++++++
Could be…also could be DH…or a trade chip. Will be interesting to see what they do with Butler given his contract certainty.
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At age 25, Butler is the veteran on that team. Moustakas, Hosmer and Myers will all be up in 2011. Only thing that’s lacking will be a DH. Butler at first is like having Ortiz at first. Pray for a lot of fly balls. They also have Kila Ka’aihue at first.
If KC ignores the “veteran” aspect of Butler, he’s gone, and, it’s going to cost a bundle of talent to get him. Seattle, Angels, Tampa?
The pinch hit series should die a quick death. It’s brutal
FYI Jeter only won one title in this contract IIRC. He signed after the 2000 season and had already won his first 4 WS titles.
yep 1 title in 10 years, its going to be fun in 3 years seeing him plod around short with an attitude if hes not still batting first